Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1875-09-25
shnnnondale Springs.

10 witness the change since my former visit
At that time 1.-THE Springs season. a Accompany
had gathered there from far and near for health
and pleasure. Then sounds of music were to
be beard there, and gay parties of dancers filed
the halls, and other lively sports were the order
Of the day. at this then fashionable resort
All was life and activity Now the scene 10
changed. Herds of cattle, roaming at viii, are
the ONLY living creatures to lie seen, aud the
voice OF the ploughman, and the old familiar
voice Of the passing rifer, dashiug over the
rugged rocks, are the only sounds that greet
the ear. WAS gratifed, however, to ind that
Nature has not, like nappreclatiye man, de-
serted this charming spot. There stu was tee
invaluable spriug, the pure fountain oil health
/ in all its former strength and freshness-there
was the beautiful river, vending its way around
the spring, as if Nature had designedly shaped
its course to avoid hiding beneath Its waves so
/ valuable treasure-ihere were tue high ana
/ romantic cliffs Of rock facing the Spring and
/ bordering the river on the nor;h-and alta
/ greater distance stood, as Of yore, the grand
! old Blue Ridge mountain, the backbone Of the
1 State of Virginia, towering above and over
/ looking the grand scenery below-all forming
! A combination Of the romantic aud the beau
! tiful rarely. if ever, found at any watering
| place" In view of ali this, the question natu-
! rally forced itself upon me: Why has such
place been deserted-why permitted to 90
| down "a place possessing 50 many advanta-
| ees. merits and attractions? The failure to
! appreciate the value aud beauty Of such place,
! am tempted to say, is damaging reflection
/ upon the good taste of somebody, and shows
| blindness to common sense pecunarily.
stranger whom | met, lettering like myself
! around Tara halls, gave the only answer
have vet received to my inquiry. The people
about here. he said, are too independent and
| proud to g to Spriug-keepng buSiness-the
property belongs to a company, the members
/ of which differ in reference to Improvements
and the work of renoyatiOu-and capitalists
/ from abroad have not bad their atteLtou duiy
called to the subject If a Stewart Of New
/ York. he added. or some other rich man of tie
/ North with the enterprise and love IF money
/ possessed by the yankee nation. was to take
/ hold Of this property, it would soon beaS sara
toga and equal il not eclipse the great White
/ Sulphur. Cape May and Long Branch, with Their
/ thousands Of visitors every summer, bear no
comparison 10 Shauuoudale, rs charming sum-
| mer resorts, and for water advantages, spien-
did scenery and all the requisites for Interest
aud pleasure.
This assertion is made without any design
/ Of rejecting upon the refined taste OF the
! President of the United States, whose beau
! ideal of summer resort is Long Branch,
! hot sandy leach Of New Jersey, where, It has
! been said. the present seat Of the Gen. Govern
meut is located There is 10 accounting for
taste but think Shannoudale more ap-
! proprmte place for the seat Of government
! Here you have pure mountain air, excellent
! mineral waters, rich sceucry and ~ good bath
Ing as at Long Branch-even salt water, If
such should be called for Many persons, Ike
! myself, express surprise, at the neglected Shan
uoudale but, as my informant observed, the
| people of this section, since the war, have been
| busy in fixing up their own farms and waste
| places. and are unable to turn their attention
| to outside enterprises requiring some capital.
however catering may be the promise OF sue
cess.
The Spring grounds embrace, am Informed,
| about two hundred acres of fertile land worth ,
apart from the water and remaining improve
ments, at least fifteen thousand dOlIars-a sum
nearly or quite amounting to the price demand
| ed for it, AS a farm alone, It would be safe
| and GOOD investmeut-w while the owner would
have the chance of making from the Spring
| advantages, in three months season, more
money than he could by twelve months hard
labor on the largest and best farm in the
county of Jefferson. He would, of course, be
required to make some improvements, the cost
Of which would depend upon their magnitude
and the taste of the proprietor. lie should be
sole proprietor and an active, enterprise! 6
man. of good judgment and taste. A company
too often creates coniu- ion aud clogs enter
prise There is no small amount OF material
now at the Spring and to be obtained OF the
farm 10 all in constructing new buildings
These too should, according - my eye, be
more eigibly situated and more tasteiuliy ar
ranged tina were the old buildings. The old
buildings appear TO have eeeu thrown th're
promiscuouSly as if by some CONFUSION Of ua-
turo. Amongst the Improvements to he made
allow me to suggest one: On the beautiful
and deep water OF the river near the Springs Il
small aud fancy steanlb boat would be drsiTlb g,
for the use Of visitors, for fishing parties, and
for ladies aud children particularly to take
airings. The river now Affords abundantly
various kinds of fish, amongst them the deli
ciouS bass, which are famous for taking bold
and vigoraus hold on the hook aud liLe. A
mougsl former improvements which have pass
ed away, is the old bowling saloon, to which
ladies as well as gentlemen were IN the habit
of resortiug for agreeable exercise in the edge
Of the forest on the top OF the ill. Here tic
? writer, on a former visit, bad the pleasure OF
rolling with the distinguished authuresS Mrs.
Southworh, who was then on a visit TO Shan
nondale. and where, surrounded by SO much OF
the romantic and beautiful, she no doubt re-
ceiyed no little inspiration Tor her interesting
novels. Nothing remains now to mark the
place. where so many bright eyes glanced and
pretty feet danced over the smooth boards, bnt
the cold stones Of the foundation-and some
barbarouS sinner, having no vencration for
cherished relics, has run through the centre Of
this almos, sacred spot, worm fence rs TO
the steamboat proposed: Farmers are now
purchasing steam-power to run their turcSh-
ing machines Surely the same power could
1T a Re expense, be obtained 10 run li-ht
and capacious passenger boat Oh the Sheuan-
doah. No eXtravagant expense in improve
meats need be incurred al Shauuouda!p, for
nature has d1ne the chief work there. ! will
Gully add. on this subject, that better road
there is now a rough one should he made
from the Springs to the summit Of the Blue
Ridge Mountain. distance of about two miles,
90 ai ri strangers view Of the surrounding
country. At this altitude, not only portions
of several counties Ia East and West Virginia
can be seen, but portions Of three or four
S..4.s o,rl ,rn { the most f.rffla and lsluti-