Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1877-08-11
Letter from Warrenton.

WARRENToY, August 2, 1877.
Mr. GAJLAHER: You were pleased to pub
fish my last from this place in the FREE Press,
and encouraged by your courteous favor, send
you another, which you are at liberty TO dis
pose Of as your editorial antocracy may decide
have been doing up the town within few
days, walking about and looking around, OBJ
serving things generally, rs well as particular
ly. In my walks boyhood scenes force them
selves on the mind aud recalled at one point
bear fight with dogs that took place-at that
early day an Amusement, and at another
cock fight, with all its savage Accomplishments.
v ell, Of course, being so young had no BUSH
ness at such gatherings, but boy-like had G.
vaded parental care and watchfulness and was
iu bad company. Such lerocious entertain
ments have long since passed cut Of vogue aud
would be frOwned upon and denounced un-
sparngly now, rs we'll as in the past by that
community. And may all further, the boy
of that day has at this present visit to his ma
tai place, oiliciated in three of the churches of
the town-Methodist, Baptist and Presbyteri-
an. Whilst in a physical sense the town has
made wonderful strides, aim ,St amounting To
a complete transformation, the m)ra tone and
life have kept apIce and It's present status
would bear comparison with any other. l
wrote in my last OF the town and its physical
attractions, its beautiful situation, its many
and charming homes with shade and shru6be-
ry aad architectural fl Iish The society is re-
fined and intelligent, highly social, boastful, to
some extent, of au arstUcrdtic lineage and
strongly inclined to be gay and festive, -espe-
cially the young who few evenings ago, par
took Of big German" to their hearts con-
tent at the Warren Green" | think in this
last particular we are bad and | am willing
for it to be So visited yesterday the Gene
terry on the west end Of the town. The loca-
ton is not so commanding and striking as ours,
nor are the Improvements Of the place or the
mementoes Of the dead 50 artistic and general.
A monument similar in size and figure to the
one 10 our cemetery has been placed to the
memory of the confederate heroes. ! find no
such establishment here as that Of my friend
Gustav Browns, in the matter OF taste and at
tractve finish, though there are several who
ply the business and friend Carrells full stock
and city-like establishment, aud the " Twin
Fronts over the way throw into the shade
anything Of the kind In the matter of light
ing the streets we are left out in the dark At
each corner Of the squares diagonally on the
main streets here, stand neat posts and lamps
throwing bright rays athwart the tracks OF the
night walker, the good effects Of which had
an opportunity of testing in the rain and gloom
last night. | was inclined mUctiy to praise
the wisdom and foresight Of these " City Fa-
theirs" For two years they have had the ben
eft of this nocturnal illumination. rs the
matter Of lighting the streets has been before
our public, | may state some items in connec-
ton with it here There are about thirty
lamps for the town-Original cost Sl20. Az
erage monthly expense for oil and hand to
light S20-yearly $40 90. A moderate out
lay in view Of the comfort and convenience in
population of sixteen or eighteen hundred
The debt of the corporation two years after the
war footed up $4,000, which has been re-
duced TO five or SIX thousand.
noticed that which take to be a great adj
dition and marked feature of improved and
enlarged trade-a lumber yard covering fully
4 quarter of an acre, conducted by J. A. Men
ilee IL Co. learn the sales for the year ave
been 300, 900 feet; stock on hand 10000 #.
This comprises lumber Of every variety used
for building purposes The saw mills Of the
firm are in PittSylvauia county, near to Lynch
burg, where the yellow pine is abundant.
On commanding commence Just at the
edge of the town has been erected large aud
spacious building for school purposes-the
cost 5000, supplied by the State or out of
the public school fund capacity $50 pupils,
40 in attendauce-SO males and 60 females
1t is conducted on the graded principle or it is
a graded school-fuur apartments Of study,
with principal, and 3 asSistants-l Lale and =
females, and receives assistance from the Pea
body fund-caryied on for 10 mouths, tuition
free for all except where the pupil studies such
higher branches as are not in the curriculum
Of the public school for which he has to pay -
The Institution is noble one. VIII we ever
have such an one at Charestown
think can write down as the result of my
observations Of my old birth place and home
Excelsior My visit has been most delightful ;
the improvement in health, more especially Of
MY good wife, marked And yet tinge Of
sadness has touched my spirit all the while. |
find but one left Of the boon companions of my
boyhool The old men whose memcry | ven
crate. and the strong who then strobe these
streets in full health aud viSor are hid from
view--a few, only, remain tscounect the pres
ent with the long ago Such is life aud such
the experience Of earth. ID. Y. We leave on
Monday next for Howard County, Nd, and
will be in the uei.hborhOod Of Wesley Grove
Camp Meeting, which may visit.
Yours TIMOTHY.
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