Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-09-09
ViTSIuias

| UQltCU Ot2tcS OeQatOT JOEu w. UUuuStUu, VI
| Virginia, went to Philadelphia yesterday. lie
has been here, and goes to Pennsylvania 10 the
interest cf tho Virginia immigration Society,
Of which he is President He said to TO-
porter OF tho World that about seven years ago
the Virginia Legislature passed an appropria-
ton to aid immigration into the State. The
money was put into the hands OF tho State
ofiicors. Their official duties prccluded all
active cxerton towards the object aimed at,
| and then various we'll known citizens Of the
State interested themselves. A society was
| organized in March, 1877, and Senator John
ston was mado President. Nothing particular
ly cfFcctual was done last year beyond tho visit
to Boston of Gen. Fltzhugh Lee, who delivered
addresses there on the subject OF i'm migration
to Virginia. Gen. Lee was 80 kindly recolv.
cd that Senator Johnston and others got tho
notion Of visiting other parts of tho North and
speaking upon the subject. The society en-.
ployed MIR. Ilotchkiss. New Yorker. who
is farming in Central Virginia, to oollato and
publish Ftatistical report of the many ad'
vantagcs Of the State. Commodore Maury
had also published book on the same subject.
But those publications did not reach tho masses
Of tho people North. Then it vas determined
to send out takers aud mon who could present
the objects Of the society to tho plain people
who would be likely to buy land and settle in
Virginia. Senator Johnston is to spend o
few weeks ln Pennsylvania delivering addresses,
and Major Suthcrlin, of Danvillc, Va, will
attend the COUNTY agricultural fairs in Pcnnsyl.
vania to urge on tho cause. Gen. Lice will
probably join in the work at a later period.
Senator ,lohnstcn will return to Now York in
October aud deliver q few addresses in further
ance Of tho work The Senator said to tho re.
porter:
"West Virginia had population CT 1000
Virginia had ,22225, ,000in 1870. The resources
OF Virginia--I speak of the Old Dominion-aro
not appreciated in the North For instance, tho
minerals. Tho mineral waters of Virginia
alone arc probably of greater amount and value
| than those Of all tho other States combined.
My couniy-W ashington, IN tho extreme
southeastern corner Of tho State-supplied
almost almost all tho salt that was used 10 the
Conledcracy during the war. The largest part
Of the lead used in the Southern States during
tho rebellion WeS taken from Wythc county. In
the salt region arc beds OF gypsum extending
seventeen miles down the valley, and excava-
tons have been made GOO feet through veins.
Iron is mado in great quantity in Wytho and
Smith counties, and West Va. is rich in iron
orc beyond computation. As for coal. that has
long been known to be o lmitless product OF
| the State. The best anthracite is mined in
Rockingham and other counties. Of course
Norfolk oysters have world wide reputation,
but Chesapeake bay deserves greater attention
| than it has ever received in the North. Then
the garden interests along tho coast as we'll as
| ia the Interior are oil immense valuo. There
wero shipped North from Norfolk in 1877
| 5000 900 quarts OF strawberries. Ono man
| alone gathered 315, 900 quarts.
| Another valuable industry ls the manutac
turo Of -four 10 Richmond alone. The flour
mado thcrc is one Of the few brands shipped to
| Brazil and other South American States that
endures the transportation without boing sourcd
or deprecated in value. This was great trade
| with Brazil before tho war, and has now boon
resumed actively Beside this Richmond has
| 343 manuiaco cries Of various kinds, employing
ii PAT hands and selling So. 42Y, ESQ worth OF
products.
"As for tho iron Industry, Mr.. Harris Gas.
| trcl OF the British Legation at Washington,
| said iu = report on the iron and steel industry
| of the United States that the materials for the
| manufacture cost less 10 Virginia than in any
other State. IIa0d can be bought for almost
any price from The highest to the lowest. The
blue grass land ia the most valuable, but
wherever clover will grow land is easily i'm.
proved. Fertilizers arc used Whero the land
has been exhausted by tho culture OF tobacco
or otherwise. Ono fertilizer is the cow pea.
After harvest it is sOWa, and when grown up Is
pIoughcd under aud left 70 rot and makes as
good fertilizer as clover. One instance that
can mention OF lts good effect was that
piece of land 50 treated produced forty.tVc
bushc,s of grain to the aero where previously
fifteen had been the average. Stock raising is
growing to be lucrative in the bluegrass dis
tricss, Cattle arc shipped to England by way
of Norfolk.
"Tha. city, by the way, is making great
strides 1t is already the second cotton por
in tue United States, Now Orleans being the
first. 1t has reached that distinction 10 coDse
eueuce of the construction of interior railroads
and canal communications which it did no.
have before the war 1t should have been {
rival port to New York years ago as it has
great harbor But, as it is, it now drains mos
of old Virginia and North Carolina. Th'
Chesapeake aud Albemarle Caaal-oniy four
teen miles loDg-counccts Elizabeth river viii
tho Albcmarle Sound and SO gives direct aDC
safe iotcrior communication through Albemsrl'
and Pamlico Sounds TO NewberDe and the ad
| liacent country. The canal boats are run b!
steam, there being no towpath. This line wa
put in operation just btt)ro the war, and ha
now been developed to its fullest extent. This
With the various railroads to Norfolk. make
that CITY virtually the port of North Carolina
The railroad interests of Virginia are growing
mainly by tho construction Of narrow gaug
lines through several counties. These ar
private enterprises.
"Old Virginnyis is the State to emigrate to,
added the Senator. There is land there to sui
n | every ybody's pocket. Markets for everythin
grown or manufactured are within easy reach
Even the wild gold miners that 20 to tn
Rocky Mountains can be gratifed in Virgins
Gold has been found thoro and moro can doubt
less ba found. But tho State wants settler
who engage in farming. Our material develop
| mant ia backward and wa want solid pe,plt