The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-10-31
STANTON. VIRGINIA. OCTOBER 81. 1873.


is a little heavier than that Of New York an
Cincinnati. The prevailing winds are fr0I
the southwest, but violent storms are SO rar
E that the United States Signal Service,
Plate vi of the Statistical Atlas, places thi
whole valley region in the belt Of fewe;
storms, from one to five, while large por
D tions of New England, New York, and tn
!, Lake States are in the belt of ten to fifteen
and large areas of New England aud tn
q Great Lake section, including Canada, ar
e crossed by the belts of 1920, 20-22.5, an
t OF more than 22.5. THE effects Of thes
e storms are evident, says Hotchkiss, 'in tn
: disease and de0th-rate maps and statistic
OF the country"
''For several miles after leaving the sum
NIT of the Blue Ridge we traverse pro
!, jecting corner Of Botetourt county whicl
: was named from a good old royal governor
] and once included in its boundaries al
Southwest Virginia, Kentucky, and thu
southern portion of West Viiginia, but il
now restricted to about eight hurdreG
square miles. 1t is one of the most noun
famous and sparsely settled OF the valley
counties, but abounds in good land and
beautiful scenery. The James River and
Kanawha canal runs through it and affords
cheap water transportation to the outside
world,and the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio
Railroad gives another valuable outlet at the
South.
Roanoke, which was formed from Bote-
tourt as lately as 1888, is much smaller
but richer county and embraces the better
half of the Roanoke Valley. With an area
OF about three hundred and sixty square
miles, it had in 1870 q give the figures from
my note-book) population of $3.50 and
real and personal property valued and as
sessed at SO, 725, 047, upon which the State,
county and township taxes amounted to
1926. The towns owed $1,000, but the
county had no public debt. The farms were
valued at 50, 235, $50 and embraced 69,553
acres of improved land, which produced to
the value of 1857, 1855. The value of all live
stock was 1901, 1885, The auditors report for
1876, showed 19l 1875 acres of land assessed
at 50, 723, 577, 2,573 horses and mules, 1876
cattle, 1887 sheep and 5,69S swine,-show-
ing decrease Of the two latter since 1870.
The present acreage Of improved land prob
thirty-six per cent. Of the whole. The crop
of 1869 embraced 2O3,226 bushels wheat,
8,167 bushels rye, S6,943 bushels corn,
S9,55S bushels oats, ,9,042 bushels potatoes,
ESQ, $50 lbs. tobacco, 1896 lbs. of wool, and
l2O, $3.50 lbs. butter. The hay crop is also
large and valuable one, worth more per
acre than in New York, but most Of the
grass is used for pasturage. Good land
sells for from $40 to s45 per acre, but
the best that comes into market is eagerly
taken up by the prosperous farmers of the
county or neighborhood.
SIT is certainly very fair to look upon,''
said my companion as we emerged from Blu
ford's Gap. the smiling valley lying below US
fo tho Il \ n
tire of hills behind which rose other peaks,
ridges and mountains in seemingly inter
minable succession. Delightful is the cool
breeze that in summer always salutes one
entering it from the lower country. NV
companion recalled the finely engraved and
accurate picture of this lovely landscape in
Edward Kings The Great South, taken from
the summit of Wildcat Knob, back of Blue
Ridge Springs, and in few minutes we
wound around the base of the knob aud ar
rived at this pleasant mountain retreat. On
the steep hillside on the right was vine
yard of some five thousand Concord grape
vines and a considerable orchard of apples
and pears. The New Yorker remarked that
the soil seemed to be kindly and that the
trees showed a fine healthy growth, but that
the vineyard seemed too much neglected to
give much evidence of the success of viticul-
ture, though soil, climate and situation
seemed favorable. On the other side, close
to the track, was the hotel, three story
frame building OF good size but modest ap-
pearance, and, knowing the place we'll, |
Was able to testify that it was cool, comfor-
table, well arranged and with we'll desery-
ed reputation for good management. |
Through the trees we could see the |
white cottages at the head of the |
green lawn and on Observatory Hill across |
!, IL
bridge. These afford good and generally |
ample accommodation to the guests who |
flock from all parts Of the Union to this de-
lightful and salubrious watering place, some-
times filling it to OVERLOOKING. Through the
valley ran a little mountain stream, through |
the lawn and past pastures gay with bright |
flowers in summer, then checked in its course
to form a miniature lake on which floated a
couple of pleasure boats, and then flowing on
again with musical ripple by the little pavil-
ion where the spring filled marble reservoir.
In answer to my friends inquiries I told
him that the waters. though strongly impreg-
mated with the bi-carbonates and sulphates
of lime, magnesia, and iron, were cool, lin
pid and pleasant to the palate and valuable
specific for dyspepsia, as well as slightly
aperient, diuretic and tonic,-very similar,
in fact, to the waters of Allegheny Springs
and equally valuable, the chief difference be-
ing in the presence OF some 4S grains of sui
phate of magnesia in the former and nearly
81 grains of sulphate of iron per gallon in
The latter. Both are classed as cold calcic
springs, of which there are but few examples
IN America. Berkely and Sweet Springs of
West Virginia and the Warm Springs of
North Carolina are examples of the thermal
,alcic, and all have national regulations. OF !
The use OF calcic waters distinguished au-
Rofh inn In ofarc :
cures exanthema, indigestion, and rhumatic
and equity affections. Drinking them, esp .
tally those rich in carbonate Of lime and car
)onic acid, such as the Wildungen water,
proves beneficial in catarrh OF the bladder, I
gravel and calculus, and in gastralgic dys- {
1epsia.''
The water of Blue Ridge Spring was {
title known until within few years but has ,
isen rapidly in public favor and its eharac- :
er is now well established. But doubtless !
much of the success attained by Blue Ridge
lsa summer resort is due to other causes :
han the excellence of its mineral waters. !
Most summer tourists go for pleasure. relax {
Ltion from the cares OF business and to es-
APE the heat of cities or Of low ATTITUDES. /
they want to find good fare and accommo-
lations, agreeable society, fine scenery, coo
)ure air, and all easily accessible by rail. 1
lave no desire to advertise Mr.. Brown, the E
,enial and courteous host, nor to made invi- {
lious comparisons, but these things are not
llways combined at watering places, but ,
hey are found at Blue Ridge Springs, and
hat they are found and appreciated is evil {
lent from the fact that year after year the
increased accommodations are taxed to the
Utmost ,
climbed the steep ascent of Wildcat
Knob last summer and looked down the op-
oosite side into Buford's Gap, which, low and
broad, was lovely fertile valley from that
Elevated point. Amid the dark forests crown.
ng. the Blue Ridge were many clearings
where corn, wheat and tobacco grew luxu-
iously. We watched long trains of tiny $
,ars creep slowly along the semi circle /
round the knob from Buford's to Blue Ridge
tation, but no sound of their rumble broke :
he stiffness of the upper air. To the east !
ward in quiet grandeur, half OBJ cured by
loating clouds, lose the twin Peaks of OF
er. On either hand the irregular line of I
Blue Ridge and its jutting spurs which SEEM +
ID to reach out to Tinker and Mills noun {
aims, enclosed in their arms the lovely
Roanoke Valley, backed by Fort Lewis s
and the great blue wall of Brush, i
Potts Creek and Peters Mountains of the 6
Alleghanies. Through glass the spires r
pf foxu IF tho v1hito ho,eo, ~ C.1.... |