The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-01-24

1873. I. az r. 81 .a... ,, \, q
antiquities. We had passed Burke's Sta.
ton, near which lives one Of the younger
Lees; Clifton, where New Jersey colony
has made thriving little village in the will
lerness Fairfax, where more Yankees have
gathered; Manassas Junction, where labor
is more profitably employed now in quarry
ing the rchIy-hiied red sandstone for build
ing purposes, than it once was in throwing
up the historic Notifications that are seen in
ruins on every hand, Warrenton Junction,
where branch road runs up into the richer
farming country of Fauquier. -Bealeton and
Rappahannock, memorable for numerous
skirmishes in war times, and had halted at
Brandy Station. No wonder tile timber
was not visible, having gone up years be-
fore in the smoke of counties camp-fires
while Grant and Lee were watching each
other across the Rapidan. Yet the scene
was fair enough looking over the cham
payne country OF Culpeper with the low,
scattered hills of the coast range rising dim
ly to the westward. And good soil under
fair treatment. my agricultural friend pro-
nounced it,-good corn and fruit land, and
capable ct bridging good grass crops. Not
far distant was the fine estate and mansion
OF that staunch, heroic, cgotistic old union
list, John Minor Bolts, yet who, perhaps,
was u better farmer than politician, and
been of lasting value to the State, while on
every hand we're to be seen evidences OF re-
cuperation from the effects Of the war, and
general comfort and prosperity. at
AS we passed on by Cedar Mountain,
through the thriving, busy towns of Cnl-
pepper, Orange Court house, and GordOns-
vile, nearing the Coast Range, my com.
panion's satisfaction with the country evil
IDENTIFY increased, particularly where the
cuts and slopes showed the existence Of
''mulatto soil,'' the rich color of which he
understood to be caused by the decomposi-
ton OF epidotic rock, though, as Hotchkiss
properly points out, some of the red soils,
being derived from ferruginous gneiss, are
as noted for sterility, as the others are for
fertility. Fauquier, .Culpeper and Orange
contain some excellent farms and excellent
farmers, but the railroad does not generally
exhibit them to the traveller. About Cor
louisville colonies OF foreigners, particularly
Scotch, have redeemed some OF the poorest
lands to he found in this section Of the
State, and have shown what skill, industry
and thrift will accomplish with the most un-
promising materials. Here we watched
with interest the picturesque crowd Of sable
females with their trays Of fried chicken,
coffee and buscuiT, and heard the usual
Jokes about Gordonsville's peculiar breed OF
chickens, who suffer their legs to be cut off
and Immediately grow another pair. Ger
tainly, when Macanley's historic New Zea
lander of the future opens the bone mounds
Of Gordonsville, his speculations upon the
habits and diet of the Americans, who sacri-
feed the fowl and built tramways to pile up
his bones in this locality. win possess the
same interest rs do ours on the bone caves
OF prehistoric Europe. IL
Leaving Gordonsville behind us, a run of
but little more Than half an hour over the
US to the Rivanna river, whose rapid fall
from its sources in the Blue Ridge, makes it
particularly subject to those sudden floods
that every few years prove so destructive to
railroad and other property. Following up
its bank we pass through the winding gorge
between Carter's and Southwest mountains,
running under the shadow OF Monticello to
our left, and enter the richly fertile Pied
mont section, which the Virginia Midland
railroad trayerSes nearly to Staunton river
in Campbell county. Familiar to me-, l
viewed the diversified landscape of hill and
dale green grass and grain fields stretch
ing far up the mountain sides, wooded and
vine-coyered slopes, comfortable farmhouses
and aristocratic mansions of the old regime,
surrounding the prosperous town of Char
lottesvile, with scarcely less interest and
pleasure than my companion, who saw it
for the first time.
'sThis," said he, sis evidently good soil,
and, as far as | can see, we'll and neatly
titled, with every sign OF comfort and pros
perity, and the observations OF Jefferson re-
corded in his notes, diary and correspon-
dence, with which am more familiar than
those Of the present day, show a fealthful,,
delightful and equable climate. And there"
he continued, as we passed swiftly by the
busy mills IT the Charlottesville Wooden
Company, sis the germ OF much OF the fu-
tnre wealth and permanent prosperity Of
Virginia. Idon't think you need to be told
that the manufacturing interest is OF great.
and peculiar importance to you, but doubt
If it is fostered and protected as it should be.
Do these mills pay? Is sheep raising profit
able? This is al fine sheep country but
have seen none yet, save few good llocks
in Culpeper and Orange. Does the law pro-
tect them from dogs?''
As well as I could, for my own informa-
ton was but scanty, I told him that these
mills had been steadily prosperous and were
turning out an excellent class Of cassimeres,
as we'll a. the best quality Of good, strong
woolens of coarser grade,-that | had
worn them myself with satisfaction. and
that one Of our State institutions, after pur-
chasing its cadet uniforms in, New York,
found that the Charlottesville Mills supplied
better article at a lower price, as its sub
sequent purchases showed. l said, too,
that wherever they were protected from
dogs, sheep. raising was one of the most
profitable industries, graziers in Southwest
Virginia putting the profit sometimes at
more than one hundred per cent.,. but that
that interest had so languished that the
State had but three-ffths as many sheep in
1877 as in 1860, and that most Of the wooden
mills had gone done in like ratio, though al
now IN operation were paying good divi'
dends in spite OF the. financial depression
and that their trade was reyiying under the
better protection now given to sheep. The
stock, too, had very much improved. ant
DR.. Loring, of Massachusetts,, said of tht
nwrt~s III, ku - D.1v.