The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-05-29
For the VIRGINIAN
A Northern Man IN Virginia, No. 5.

THE VALLEY OF NEW RIVER-THE RAIL
ROAD AND THE TowNs-MoNTGoMERY
YELLOW SULPHUR sPRINas-BLACKs-
BURG-MoUNTAIN LAKE.
1t is popular, but wholly erroneous idea,
that Christiansburg, in Southwest Virginia,
is on the summit of the Allegheny noun
tains; and the ascent of the steep grade from
Big Spring, in the Roanoke valley, is daily
termed "Cimbing the Alleghanies." But
in truth, though the railroad track at Christ
iansburg is two thousand feet above the sea,
there is no mountain there, nor does any
mountain cross this great limestone valley
anywhere from Canada to Alabama for one
of its peculiar characteristics, already noted,
is, that allthe minor valleys and ridges which
compose it run parallel to each other and to
the trend of the grea tvalley itself. Moreover,
the Allegheny, which is well defined noun
tain ridge, extending from point south of
Greenbrier White Sulphur Springs, north
eastwardly to the Potomac is wholly beyond
the valley and is crossed only by the Ches-
apeake and Ohio railroad. Considerable as
the elevation is, therefore, the traveller finds
himself, at Christiansbarg, not on the sum-
NIT OF mountain, but still in the valley, on
the divide between the waters Of the Roanoke
and New rivers, with the lofty submits of
the Blue Ridge and Peters mountain tower
ing on either hand above the nearer hills,
whose softly rounded outlines indicate their
calcareous formation.
1t was an Irishman who remarked the
providential wisdom that made great rivers
run by large towns ; but it was an English
man who suggested to me the singularity
of Virginians, in building their towns at q
distance frem the railroads. Salem, Christ
iansburg, Newburn. Wythville, Marion and
Abingdon are century old, or more, and
in the old days were connected by lime
stone turnpike, one of the early internal i'm
provements of Virginia. This was the old
and over it was transported cotton, tobacco,
grain, cattle and hogs, from the west and
southwest to the seaboard, and all the mer
chandise required in return. When the
Virginia and Tennessee railroad came to be
built, 1876, before Lynchburg had any
other rail communication, there were all the
usual vested interests, and more than the
usual number of old fogies conservatives is
the modern term who opposed the innoya-
ton with horror, as utterly destructive to
the wealth and prosperity OF The country.
Steep hills and deep river valleys were
scarcely greater obstacles to the building of
the railroad than the great land proprietors,
who required the most exorbitant damages,
and wanted it as far off as possible. Where
fore towns were often avoided rather than
sought, and were left to languish in the OBJ
scurity to which they chung, while new viii
lagos rapidly sprung up along the iron track
and caught the new tide of trade it brought.
Thenceforward the traveller saw little of the
old county seats, save the tin covered cupola
OF the courthouse and the church spires
rising above the trees on distant hill. That
the railroad was but slightly Inconvenience
may be seen from the fact that the entire
line of 204 miles is but 20 miles longer than
an air line. or but little more than IA per
cent, while the heaviest grade was but 6S
feet, and most Of the curvatures exceeded
1900 feet radius. The sharpest curve was
one Of III feet radius, in the tunnel at
Lynchburg. At the same time the Baltimore
ard OHIO railroad lost 50 per cnt. in distance
between Baltimore and CuInb erland, and ~
per cent. between Baltimore and Frederick.
The enterprise OF Wythville has connected
the town with the railway station by noble
avenue, we'll graded, paved and macadam-
lied; but Christiansburg is an example OF
those old towns which contain scarcely
enough of the leaven of progress to retard
the natural process of decay. A female
seminary and tobacco factory ortwo, with
the usual complement of village stores, hotels,
lawyers Offices and the dwellings OF few
hundred inhabitants, are clustered about
the red brick courthouse, on the steep red
clay hills. A large share OF the trade mas
gone down to the depot, couple OF miles
distant, whence stages run to the yellow
Sulphur Springs, Blacksburg, and Mou ntain
Lake. There is much less of Newbern than
of Christiansburg but death and decay are
more manifest; ald reversely, the little
village of Dublin is more active, enterprlsi nS
and fourishing than Christiansburg Depot,
or Bangs, as it ia called, in honor OF late
distinguished postal official.
The Montgomery Yellow Snlphu deserves
particular mention for the unique character
of its water, though sulphur springs are by
no means uncommon in the Appalachian
regions. A delightful ride OF three ana a
half miles, in the summer season, over the
steep limestone hills, covered with rich red
soil and green with luxuriant herpa2e' al
fords succession Of fine scenic effects and
=, 4. -. ,..tal Ga ralcad hV q semi.