Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-12-18
EAsrERN VIRGINIA.
MoNrRoss, ", Do


Smiths Island aud Windmill Point, o. The
south, and bounded by the Potomac river,
on the east, and the Rsppshsnnock, on the
west, is peninsula OF rich and varied soil.
the waters by its shores being proiuc tive Of
nsh and that most luscious OF all mollusks-
the oyster: Embracing ave counties Of Viz
Gestmoreland, Lancaster, Northnm berIand
and Richmond-it occupies a considerable
portion OF territory, having 80 miles along
peake bay, q miles on the Potomac, aud a
miles from Aqua Creek 90 Fredericksburg.
Ard yet, with it's valuable soil, the waters
ieeming with the funy tribe, and the rich
FURNISHED THREE PRrsIDrNT's on ouk
COUNTRY,
one OF them, Geo. Washington. yet with all
these, the peninsula lass Ia The worlds race,
increasing it, prosperity but slowly, and its
population next u nothing. There Is not
one newspaper published within It's borders.
and this faci OF ITSELF is indicative-weiI, oS
paralysis. And yet we hope for better
slave labor disappearing with the rebel
lion, the inhabitants very generally found
themselves lily adapted for personal strug-
gle i'm the battle OF lie, and with bat few ex-
ceptiOns all was suffered % so To vast.
Land wa not cultivated, no enterprises foS-
tered or encouraged, and as a consequence
the peninsula progressed not AT all Win
soil, loan, clay and sandy, mighty forests
ofwbite osk aud other valuable timbers. an
that was needed 10 make this peninsula Ia
nous, was energy. But this II lacked. Thrr.
were notable exceptions, however. and in
King George county your cOrresp1udc NJ
could tel 81 one fauiily, who, tl)agh losing
the labor Of slaves,
DID NOR ACCEPT THE sIruArlox.
but, 10 use a hOmely phrase, pitched IN"
and did its own work, aud, IL Is needless IL
add, IN more Satisfactory manner. The
fields are being worked. aud made - yield
handsomely; the cows are being MIXED and
butter churned, and the products OF all dis
posed o!-and this by the sons aud daughters,
whilst the father and mother see and eNpe-
rience more genuine comfort than ever they
did 10 the DAYS OF Uncle Tom
THE LAkGTsT TOWN ON THE PENINSULA
is HeathVille, In Northumberland county,
which cor tainS population OF i've hundred
souls; three hotels, six stores aud two
Methodist and Baptist. IL has Also
a urt-hOUse, being the country seat. oak
grove, fourteen miles distant from this place,
has about one hundred aud fifty OF a pOpu-
lS..OD. TWO churches Epi-cDnal and Bap-
tiSt-twO wagon or carriage making shops
ard two stores, but DO hotel. The second
story Of one OF the stores has been lifted up
as music hall. Just think OF IL. " future
Jenny Lipts and SontagS-a maSic hall tu
Oskgrove awaits you. An energetic fruit
grover OF the county, tWestmorelaud,)- "a
Mr. IhoS. H MaSsey-reSiies near OakguOve,
ard two - asOBS sine realIzsi 80 900 OF his
peach crop: This gentleman il one OF the
few entcrprisIng ones who believes in labor
and energy, and is not ashamed 10 set the
example. MoRtrOss. the town from which
write you, is the county seat OF WestmOrc-
three hundred Of population, two stores,
two churches-Episcopal and Methodist
and ore hotel, the landlord OF which il Mr..
Geo. OoldsbeTry, and whilst he may not b. a
Leland, Cake OF Willard. yet, Judging
from the creature comforts in and around hts
establishment, evidently
KNOWS HOW TO KEEP HOTEL.
and il is really great pity that the music
ball was lot located here, in lieu OF Oak
Grove, as the latter Is devoid of accommO-
dations 10 hOspitably entertain faIa allfbedsf.
Iarnhan. RfglnGRn1 nj "A
inhabitants. and those 1 have mentioned,
with King George 4. H, Port Conway and
Hampstead. in King George county, are the
leading towns and villages on the Peninsula.
There is an obscure village, situate on the
Rappahannock, Leedstown, 1 think IL L.
called, but which has never yet been digni-
fed as post Office, was land out and settled
aye, settled, in the same year that Philadel-
phia was. There has not, evidently. been
much progress in Leeds,own, and it Is TO bC
hoped that its citizens, II IL has any, will not
fan TO attend the Centennial.
A GOOD PLACE FOR EMfGRhNTs.
Farther down the peninsula i shall wan
der, and learn more. But from what have
seen. am satisfied that there Is prosperity
and wealth Tor any who may here sojourn
and labor; Good land can De bought any
where on the peninsula for from a 10 ST. per
acre. Fruit, corn and sweet potatoes are now
largely produced, but the production could
be made treble its present amount with bat
mach, though some of the finest In Virginia
10 here produced There are fifteen landings
on The Rsppahanpock river, al which steam
ers plying between Baltimore and Freder-
ckh burg touch, land and receive freight. On
the Fo.Omac river side there are nigh a.
many, and the steamer John W. Thompson 4,
OF tie Inland and SeSboard CoaSfing Com
paDy under the command OF Capt. j. X. Wood,
IS rapidly increasing the business OF the line
by herpromptness, dispatch, safety and con-
yonience: and The recent arrangement OF
President Thompson OF his company with
that OF the B. & o. X r, where oy passengers
over the latter route can be landed at Shep-
heru, above and opposite Alexandria, aad
returned home at reduced rates, let US hope,
will stimulate the Inhabitants OF the PENN
sula TO greater exertions, more progress and
more prosperity ia the future. But now for
Cone river. -.