Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1879-08-19
JEFFERSON AND. THE VALLEY.


MIR. G. G. johnson, of the Wheeling Sun
day Leader, who was in Charlestown few
days ago, writes letter from tho Greenbricr
White Sulphur Springs of his trip to that
place, from which We take the following ex>
tracts:
At five o'clock in the morning we reached
Harper's Ferry and upon unloading ourselves
from the train ran across viii McMechen,
who was also on his way to "The White"
Harper's Ferry!
What rush of recollections does it not
bring to mind. Standing on the platform
you can see "Oid John Browns Fort" Be-
low are the remains of the arsenal, while up
on the slope is the old church, which was
sacked during the war. The place is a vols
ume of thrilling pages, which makes it of
keen interest to every American heart. The
bold fortresses of nature which stand Gibral
ter like on the Potomac and Shenandoah
seem the fulerum for tho lever which lifted
millions Of slaves from the midnight of bond
age into the bright sunlight of liberty When
in future times the history of this country is
written, none of its leaves will be ladened
with more of that which goes to make his.
tory than the events that transpircd around
this little village,
AS the regular train to Stauntou does not
leave Harper's Ferry until after 10 o'clock,
we decided to go to Charlestown on a local
freight and put in the time there until it
came along.
As. we passed JeFerson's Rock, where
Americas statesman and philosopher wrote
his notes Oh Virginia, the attention of the
party was called to the enterprise of to>
bacco manufacturer, whose artist had climbed
tho height of this sacred sanctum, so to
speak, "Smokc-Tobacco."
Jefferson's Rock is on the summit of the
highest mountain back Of the ferry It is
an immense fat boulder resting on smaller
ktones which give it the appearance of a
table. The view from it is far reaching and
in every direction tho scenery is enchanting.
II is no wonder that Jefferson thought it
worthy a trip from across the continent 10
SEQ.
Charlestown is about ten miles up the
valley from Harper's Ferry. 1t is a flourish
ing town commercially, due, in great part. to
the excellent country which lies back of it.
The bar contains good legal talent and,
speaking of this, We are reminded that ses>
sion of the Court of Appeals has just been
commenced there, with no important cases
Cd the docket that we could learn of. Hon.
j. NJ. Mason has an interesting case of his
own which he is workin up, and, if success
ful, will result in stopping company from
building stone bridge over tho Potomac ct
Harper's Ferry. The eloquent lawyer hap>
pens to own steam ferry at that point, and
if the bridge is built it will knock his profits
into as bascless thing fniry tale. He
is much worked up over it, and it is reported
around town that he can use up the diction
airy and the entire statutes Of the State in
three hours conversation on the subject.
1t has always been a custom of mine when
in strange town to read the names over the
business houses. While strolling through
Charlestown a strange one caught my eye,
and for the modest appearance of the cstab-
lishmeDt struck me as quite grandiloquent
It read as follows: archaeological and De-
lectable Hair Cutting, Shaving and Clothing
Cleaned and Dyed" just think of . man
being phrenologically shaved. Why he ought
not to growl at paying quarter, even if he
did get hacked.
l had the pleasure of meeting several of
the ladies of Charlcstown and even out there
they have invented some home na de slang,
boys being called Digs and GiIlies. At
present visiting there is Miss Alice Kennedy,
tho pleasant daughter of Judge Kennedy of
Wheeling.
Shortly after eleven o'clock we boarded
the train for Staunton, where we intended
spending the night before proceeding to the
"White." Indeed this is a necessity, as the
trains the Valley road and those on the
Chesapeake and Ohio do not connect.
The distance is one hundred and sixteen
miles. A fairer valley Gods sun never shone
upon; it is the garden spot of the "sacred
soil" and even were there no such paradise
as the White Sulphur Springs to DO reached
reward for tho time spent in making the
journey, one would be we'll repaid for the
trip. Trying to describe such scenery as
fills this valley is like making mathemati-
cal calculation of the extent of space. Could
any of the old masters have gazed on its
beauties the bright day we passed through
them, they would have felt how light is art
when placed in the balance against the mas
terpieces of nature. What paint could pro-
duce the azure ocean that seemed like the
blush of the sky against tho mountains? or
the long stretches Of perspective that stimu>
lated the Imagination as to the glories be-
yond! And then tho diversity was captiva-
ting. Down on the gentle slopes we're scat
tered comfortable looking homes, broad acres
of corn and fields lately shorn of ripened
grain. AT intervals the train would dash
into cool looking forests through which the
sun filtered down bright feoks of light
through million leaves.
The Valley of Virginia has probably re.
covered more rapidly from the effects of the
war than any place where fighting occurred.
Nearly every inch of ground between Staun>
ton and Harper's Ferry was fought over, aud
quite number of notable battles took place
At the close of the war there was not a fence
, up for over hundred miles, barns and
dwellings had been burned. and the country
stripped by foragers of cattle of all kinds
and everything that could be eaten. But as