Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-12-24
Valley News Items.

Valley News Items.
The Gazette announces positively that
the canal is new open from Lexington
to Lynchburg and Richmond.
The Rawley Springs Company at a
recent meeting selected Mr.. A. A. Pit
man of Lexington as general manager
of Rawley Springs for next season. A
better selection could hardly have been
made. !
We learn from the Lexington Gazette
that Rev. George B. Eager has formal
ly resigned the pastorate of the Baptist
Church in that place, and will enter up
on the work of his new chargein Knox
vile, Tenn, about the first of theyear.
On Wednesday last, says the Spirit OF
the Valley, the contractors of the Ohio
and Potomac Narrow Guage R. r. broke
ground on the section extending be-
tween Harrisonburg and the Iron
Works, near M'Gaheysville.
Rev. Mr.. Hovey of Connecticut has
been making geological survey of the
Luray cave in the interest of the Scien-
tifc american. The Editor of the
Page Courier accompanied him at the
recent illumination of the "Giants
Hall" and says the effect was indescri-
baby grand.
The barn of Mr.. Meyer, two miles east
of Luray was destroyed by fire on last
Monday night. It was new barn, not
yet entirely completed. Mr.. Meyer lost
all his gear, two good saddles, new
wagon, all his hay, fodder, and straw
and many other things usually kept
in barn. It was the work of an lncen-
diary.
Speaking of the death Of VIM. Fl. Bell
at his late residence in Blacksburg, Va,
on the 7th inst, the Lexington Gazette
says: -"Mr. Bell was for several years
a citizen of this place, and all who knew
him will remember his sterling virtues.
He was native of Augusta Co., but
spent most of his life in Rockbridge.
The railroad bridge at Goshen was built
by him, he having large contract on
that road during its construction. He
leaves many friends and relatives in this
county to mourn his loss.
The Lexington Gazette learns from q
Chicago paper that Mr.. Cyrus II. Nc
Cormick was to have sailed with his
family from Liverpool on November
18th, but just previous to that time he
was attacked by a carbuncle on the back
of the neck so near the spine and brain,
as to seriously endanger his life. His
surgeons, French and English, decided
; that the tumor must be removed with
the knife. Mr.. Mccormick rejected
chloroform and other anesthetics, barred
his neck and went through the terrible
ordeal with his usual courage and forth
tude. 1t gives US pleasure to state that
he is now rapidly recovering, and will
soon sail for home.
We learn from the Spirit of the Val
ley that "Mr. Joseph B. Meyers, on the
Rockingham turnpike, near Taylor
Springs, has a three legged heiffer
which is certainly great curiosity. II
will be three years old the coming
4 Spring, and when born was minus q
leg. 1t walks without difficulty, runs
and jumps, and no fence on the farm is
:, high enough when the heiffer wants te
e cross it in fact, Mr.. Meyers says it can
beat his four-legged cattle on a jump
The front right leg is what it lacks, anc
e | tn oil err, orapoou tl,ora povor u,ac ar Z
shoulder where the shoulder ought to be
1. The heiffer is as fat as mole, and car
9 take care Of herself on the feed"
From the Page Courier we learn thai
on Friday evening week before
$ last beautiful and interesting young
q lady eighteen years of age, daughter O
v Mr.. Geo. Bailey was seriously injured
i by fall from her horse. The C0urie,
e says: She had been to the store O.
q G. L. Kite & Sons, and on her return
4 her horse took fright at a load o
fodder in field near the road, ant
v started off at a violent gait, throwing
d Miss Bailey, after having run nearly s
q half mile, with terrible toice against q
cliff of sharp and jagged rock on Tx
n road side. She was picked up shortly
;, afterward in an unconscious condition
and taken to her fathers, about mile
distant. Her face was so seriously bruis.
e ed and lacerated as to be almost unre.
# cognizabIe, besides receiving other inju.
t ries Of a most painful character.
Speaking of the Skeleton in the Lu,
e ray Cave the Page Courier says I'm
. undertaking to account for the presence
: of the skeleton in the Luray Cave. Sc
3 veral writers have referred to the tradi
ton of hunter who disappeared from
his home aboEt . half century ago and
t was never found that his gun was dis
= covered not great way from the pre-
$ sent opening of the cave, but that he
and his dog were never afterwards seen
$ This is q mistake. A man by the name
:. of Ruffner sometime about the early set
tlement OF the country was lost for a
= time, but was eventually discovered
y There is no legend or tradition among
, the people of this section which wOuld
: tend to throw any light on the mystery
q attaching TO the skeleton. All we know
y is that it is there. but who it is, or how
j. it came there. are questions about which
1 the Oldest citizens are as ignorant as tbs
strangers who look upon the evident re-
q mains of human being"
SHOCKING DOMESTIC TRAGEDY III
TENNEssEE.-In Hancock county, Ten
nessee, week before last, J. N. Epper,
, son, who had separated from his wife
some time ago, returned home, and,
during fight with bis wife, John Ep-
person, one armed son, interfered to
g protect his mother. The fatl;er inflicted
9 several serious wounds on the SON. who,