Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1877-06-12


one for those who have just been
through commencement season at
Bristol, but by happy accident a one
minute connection was made at Glade
Spring. Our friend Waddill, Of the
Lynchburg NcWS, was along, and,
knowing nothing of the value Capt.
Cunningham, of the Saltville train,
sets on time, took a comfortable seat
at the Thompson House, and before
he was fully posted thereon the train
had gone to Saltvllle and returned for
breakfast. He missed his trip, but
had good day at Glade Spring. As
for ourself, we arrived at Saltvile in
time for one of Charley Harris's I'M
surpassed breakfasts, with fine S. w
Va. beef, coffee, like nectar, and but
ter and cream fit to be shown at the
Centennial.
There are few finer inspirations than
a morning hour on the porch of the
Saltville hotel. Rev. Messrs Hay
maker and Rose, and Treasurer Hem
derlite, of Smyth, were present, and
we found n goodly number of board
ers present, including Mrs. Stuart, the
mother of w. A and Gen. J. T.. b.
Stuart. SaItville Valley can pass for
the Happy Valley of Raselass. It's
verdure is matchless. It's large shade
trees, few enough TO enhance apprecia.
ton of them and its environment of
peculiar hills, is both lovely and 70.
mantle. The village has wonderfully
improved. The company have added
church and school buildings of the
most modern and faultless design, and
these and the hotel and derut are
painted with regard for the beautiful.
A heavy dew was on all the laud-
scape, and ds the sun dipped his
beams into the valley there was q
touch of divine power calculated tu
awaken the slumbering genius of q
poet. The finest herds were walking
from beneath the great elms to taste
the heritage of the fields. Away in
the iii tant corner Of the landscape
we observed the approach of ii buggy,
drawn by n pair of blooded bays,
which, as it passed up the long central
road bordered Ly hedges, proved to be
that of Mr.. G.. w. Palmer on his &C.
customed breakfast trip to the
| Office for his mails.
After spending an hour with our
friend, Andrew Starrett, of the depot,
and few hours among the many PEG,
pie of both Washington and Smyth,
who daily visit the village, and brief
inspection of the Salt Works, we had
to yield to the invitation Of AIR. Pal.
mer to visit his barns and witness his
method OF treating his splendid tho.
rough bred cattle, of which he has
! now over sixty. Three thorough bred
bullocks which were shown us are
monsters, suggestive Of the mastodons
that once sank in the mire Of this very
locality. Their weight is 800 pounds
each, and in the northern markets
will bring, at the butchers stall, $3.50
each. A couple of thorough bred
bulls, aged fifteen months, weigh re-
spectfully 1,ltO and 1900. Mr.. Pal
lner's Jersey cattle are beautiful to
look upon, and over all the world tie
jerseys are the finest mixers.
The principal object Of our visit to
the farm was the Mcdonald mill, in
vented by citizen of Wythevile, and
of which Mr.. Palmer owns half the
patent right. Its peculiar service is 20
grind the entire ear of corn, beth
grain and cob, into meal. This it does
to absolute perfection, and at the rate
of twelve bushels Of corn per hour
II is run by on eight-hOrse power en-
CINE, and the stones face each other
vertically. 1t is a success equally at
family use. More beautiful meal we
never saw, and that made from the en-
tire ear is equally as nice, except as to
color, and IN this regard the difference
is surprisingly small. On this latter
Mr.. Palmer feeds ak his fine cattle,
which are kept in their stalls at night
and to which they come with the dis
cipline Of trained and intelligent sol
diery,
The farm at Saltville has been en-.
larecd until it includes l., 900 acres, -
All this shows the hand Of trained cul.
ture. All the hillsIdes are poulticed
from the sun with clover ana grasses.
On the face of one of these hills is
quite a curiosity that displays the val
ne Of the gypsum mined and ground
on the farm and sold by the company.
When Col. n. b. French was on duty
there, five years ago, he wrote on the
face of she bill Ia large letters, by
sowing this gypsum, the words Get
up grass and go ~ and 8 year later Mr..
+. b. Hurt. Supt.. sowed the name
Hurt in still larger letters-Ray so
feet in length. To-day these letters
can he read by the naked eye for miles
from the improved color and charac-
ter of the grass.
The new school house erected by
Mr. Palmer seats 10 pupils, and is
lifted with all the improved applian-