New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-07-25
SOUTHERN SPRINGS.
THE MINERAL SPRINGS REGION OF The
VIRGINIAS.


opr rurpr-scFNFs AND SCENERY ON THE
porrp From NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF THE
WHITE Observation-Disclosures OF SOUTHERN
w,rrRrNG-PIACE uFE-NoRTHERN PAIRoNAuE
OF THE WHITE SULPHUR.
trRoM AsPBcIAL CORRESPONDENT OF TIIB TRIBUNEJ
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, West Va, July
,s-The great Mineral Springs region of the Virgnas Is
still terra iacogniia to The great majority OF the Aer
lean people who longing in an ndefnite sort OF way
for lust such Summer resorts as may here DC iouhu'
souherners have always oeked hither in considerable
numbers and the poiut from which write long ago pe
came famous as meeting place for Southern pouciahs
and generals But the visitors from the Northern states
have generally been confined TO few hundreds IN New"
York Philadelphia and Western citles VINO having
once tasted the pleasures OF waterngpace lie III 'ne
Virginas will continue 10 come here annually u' lucy
die Now that President Grant has honored the "hte
Sulphur with visit. brief though 1t was ana eNpresseu
himself pleased with its novel charms the place may DC
expected to popular in all sections Dut
is doubtful whether those who are influenced by such
considerations as the patronage OF distinguished
name will be likely appreciate very fully the quiet
satisfaction OF summer soourn at the Virginia springs
There is room here however for thousands, and all
who come will find without ennW, comfort without
luxurious living and society without faShlonaoe re-
strictiOns
speak new let II be observed, not Of the particular
spring whose name appears above, nor of all those
found in the mountains Of Virginia but Of the dozen or
more situated in circle described by radius OF about
fifty miles with the Greenbrer White sulphur Springs
of West Virginia as center. Such circle would
embrace besides the central point, which is better
known than any of the rest, the Hot the Warm, the
Healing the Rockbridge Alum and the Jordan Alum. all
in Bath County Val the Rockbrdge Baths the Cold Sui
phur the Red sulphur, the Old Sweet the Red sweet,
the Salt Sulphur. the Blue sulphur and the Bath Alum
Before describing either OF these 1t may be well TO tell
the reader how to reach the Springs region. taking
tha rtfnpD int nd
brier White sulphur the other terminus OF the tnp
THE ROAD TO TIE VIRGINIA SPRINGS.
A through ticket from New York to the Greenorier
White Sulphur SIS O5 and round Tip ticket $50
You take the night for Washington so that the
Virginia part of the journey may be made in the day
time Jersey City aud make your only change OF cars
in Baltimore or Washington you may elect, taking
care in either ease TO get the through car from Ba
more TO the White sulphur. Leaving Washington the
route lies the Virginia Midland and Great South
ern Railroad GOriOnsville in Virginia, and thence by
the Chesapeake aud Ohio Railroad to your destination
After a night in easy-gldng Pullman car, the trav-
elcr refreshed enough to enter with zest upon the
Sightseeing which begins after crossing the his
tOrc Potomac, For many miles, however the landscape
is fiat and unaraetiye, having nauGht but such names
as Alexandria, Fairfax Manassas, Bull Run. and Brs-
tow TO cOmmeHd 1t TO attention. But near Cupepper
the mild beauties of the famed Piedmont region of Vr
ginia begin TO DO perceptble from the car windows
The eye OF taste gatifed by views of pretty rolling
country under successful cultivation, and the mind
speculatins TO the people who dwell IN this favored
sectiOu OF Virginia cOnceiyes the idea OF thrift without
labOriOus energy.
At Gordonsyllle You have Cor a few minutes the dead
level OF Eastern Virginia and catch the odOr of sassa-
fras. broom sedge, aud old field pines But while the
wait that passengers may be refreshed by noon
lunch there is amusement in peculiar TO
GOrdOnsvle COlOred "uncles," and "auntes," and
young Wards OF the Nation" with trays their
heads surround cars seeking to sell the remains OF
chickens whose staeuess and touGhness indicate that
they have been dead many days and that of old age;
biscuits heavy with the seeds of Indigestion and pies
whose crust is leather and whose dried and stewed
fruit having lost its juices saturated with
lasses 1t here that the old Confederate soldiers
expression chicken leg ana later for dollar origi
mated half dollar thrown out of the window to be
scrambled for by the OF pickaninnes lodging
der the windows is better invested than five cents
disbursed for placing such stuff in travellers
If you must eat hearken to the gong and
voice Of the African at the door of the little
hotel few yards from the platform where IN the po
etc language ofthe said African, you may
"Walk in and get your fl-
Plenty to eat for half dollar bill"
SCENERY on THE CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO RAILROAD.
West GordOnsvlle the scenery improves with every
mile until the climax of beauty and suDlimy seems to
he reached 10 the Blue Ridge and the Aleghanies and
the smiling valleys which intervene Crossing the
Hvanna, yellOwer than old Tiber there glimpse of
JeGerson's Monticello. and 1t affirmed that for
moment the peaks of Otter suddenly the dim dis
lance and as quickly disappear. rapidly ascending
grade brings the abOrOus locomotive higher and higher
the level OF the and the train skirts
the wooded slopes Of the Blue Ridge there appetz
trg FERTILIZATION OF the beauty and picturesqueness with
which the eye VIII be satiated the sets. Bare
red knobs, blue grass and green grass hay mOwn and
waiting be mown, tasseed corn and harvested wheat,
vine clad hills and hills still covered with their original
forests huts the hill sides and cottages in the glen
such Of the features of the panorama rapidly
passing whirl along from Charlottesville TO
Alton Then the train plunges into tunnel mile long
through 1t and the Blue Ridge has been passed; the
grade is descending, and with acceleratng speed
the locomotive leads the way the Valley OF Viz
gDia
Here is stauntoD most thriving OF Virginia towns the
Of State asyums for the insane and deaf and dumb
and blind TO become great Misunderstanding town
and railway center II il the present terminus Of the
valley branch the Baltimore and ONO Railroad which,
running through most beautiful country via Harrison
burg Winchester and Harpers Ferry, presents an at
tracye the return Of the Northern visitor to
the Virginia Springs. good hotel right at the depot
affords accommodations FOR the traveller; and thence
there easy Weye Cave and the Cave OF the
Fountains world renowned natural curiosities and TO
the Augusta and Riwey Springs which quiet resorts
Offering rest to the tired and health TO the sick.
But IL your destination the White sulphur Stanton
gives you but breathing spell of five minutes. The
road lies across the valley, the crow hes until you
are again among the mountans-the outlying pickets OF
the Aeghanies. And the eye is greeted by part
of that mountain scenery Of which distinguished En-
gsh traveller said: For 100 miles you pass through Il
gallery OF pictures most varied and beaUfu-One That
will not suffer in comparison with along the finest
portion OF the Rhine" As that IS foreigners verdict
will probably have weight, although the name OF the
giyen