The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-08-01

This writer left Richmond on Saturday
morning at Z O'Clock on the day-packet
.Nell,e.c Atthe frat lock there were large
number OF hands busy at work on the new
pump. house, and on the tow-psth sidc the
railroads. men were ievelling aud cutting the
track for the Richmond aud A,cgbauy rail-
rad. Everybody seemed to be In hurry.
Nnlsr n. G. Ballard Is Ia charge OF toe raw
road work, and an energetic man Ire II.
,sast here are some six or eight boats, useu
as upM.ters dor the men on the works, WHICH
Srraucement Is very convenient, as the
borsc comes TO you at night, instead OF your
rojug to the house. Above the locks Is a
pretty little park. and the river from this
noInt onward is beautiful. Just one mile
mere ana we are oil the large works OF the
PHILADELPHIA Granite Company; anc about
fse same distance farther on we come 10 the
Powhatan Iron Furnace all Geld and sim.
We are now at the Nine-mile lock. or 30
sbe,,s dam. There are three locks here
within half mile OF each other.
The railroad has been graded all along
here. IL seems to be an elegant roae-bed.
Mr.. Broaddus Is here constructing trestle,
aud, by the by, he seems to know his bust
ness well.
At Tuckaboe stables We get fresh horses,
x Tuckahoe.v the residence OF Nj. X. ;.
Allen. am told that this dwelling, now
In excellent order, was built about the time
OF the completion OF Fort Marion, the old
Spanish fort in Florida, which would make
IL some two hundred and forty years old ~
We next pass Dover Mines, or Marakin.
I,Twas here that General Stone invested so
much; built quite u town, and finally lett
i'm a rather worse fix than when be came.
The lands are elegant now. such crop OF
corn for the time Of year was never seen on
the river before. DIR. Walkers farm is
lovely. Mr.. Murry, next, an EDglishman,
has fine estate (Bendover).
Dover Mills, twenty miles from Rich
mond, owned by Mr.. w. w. Wright, Is in
perfect order and doing fine business. 1t
Is leased by Mr.. Cunningham, who IS said
to be a confirmed old bachelor. but / can't
believe that. Mrs. Hobson's farm COM
mences here, then that OF Hon. j. A. Sed-
don, next that OF Dir. Oliver OF Mary land,
then Mir. X. s. Wood and Colonel Guy.
But we are about to overlook the railroad.
Just turned twenty miles from Richmond is
Mr.. ThomersoD, with his force, laying the
iron. 1t looks here as if they mean busi-
ness. Some are placing the rail on the ties,
another party are fastening them together
with the fish-bar. while others are driving
spikes, &c.
There are four cars already on the track,
which are used to aid in the construction.
We run along now side by side, the canal
and railroad, until we reach Maiden's Adven-
ture dam. Here the road crosses the canal
and takes up the bill side OF the river 10
Cedar Point. A very thrilling story is told
Of lady rescuing her lover from the hands
h< aH N 10
name was given to the dam" Miden's
Adventure" The captain OF the Nellie
will take pleasure in telling the story should
any one wish to bear 1t. ] am sorry that
time and space will not allow me TO put it
In this letter.
We are now in the river, as there Is no
canal for five miles.
McbauX's Ferry passed, and we are in
sight of the residence Of Mr.. W. w. Mi
chauX, an old Virginia gentleman in every
sense of the word, known throughout the
State for bis hospitality.
At Cedar Point, thirty-two miles from Rich
mond, we leave the river again and 60 into |
the canal. This seems to be thrifty place
two stores and black mith-sbop. post-of-
flee, &c. Thirty five miles from Richmond |
and we are in front OF Boiling Hail, one OF |
the finest estates on the river Now, we |
are at Petty's Mill, and are nearing Locb Lo- |
mond. Ben Lomond and Dungeness are |
also fine estates. And here at Logan's stable |
we get our last horses, which makes the |
fourth change. Belemeade, on the Powha-
tan side, is just in front now, and looks |
like some grand old English castle. IL was |
built by General Phil. ST. George Cooke.
His son, John b. Cooke, now owns the
farm. This was considered the finest resi-
dence on the james.
Rock Castle is on my right, and Just in
'front.' Of Bellemeade. 1t is also lovely place,
but it does not show TO any advantage from
he canal, as the shrubtery is too thick to
yet full view OF the dwelling.
The next place we notice Is West View, or
Lock No. IL. Just little above the lock is
he farm OF Mr.. Koethcke. Between his
house and the canal he has small arbor
With few grape-vines running over 1t. and
ust in front an immense fiag-pole some
I20 feet high. On this pole be had Ger
nan flag. which was allowed 10 remain un-
i'll the winds and rain took away the last OF
l.. Mr.. KOethcke called this his lager.beer
garden, and invited your correspondent to
top any time and get glass. The captain
" the Nellie informs me he had similar
invitation; that the flag when floating was
! |
,ut the flag is all gone, and no beer has
,een seen,
But l must tell you | have seen live
Baron; yes, one was at the lock as the
,acket passed. He is rather tall, and quite
Monsieur lie Baron Sger-
nond de Gemmepgen-Honbu is what
ome call him for short, but Mr.. Koetbcke
Introduced him as Baron Slgmon Won
SemmengeD. He is gentleman, and will
answer to either Sig, Won, or Baron.
Boiling Island, Snoden, and Pemberton
ire the three farms above.
Pemberton lock Is reached. Here is where
7ou take the boat from Gainesville, and here
We End Messrs. Douglass d Brown erecting
IN immense balk-mill. At first sight /
bought it was railroad depot or car
shops.
" Heward's Neck" is the elegant farm of
Captain John d. HobsOn, who, as well as
your correspondent, was Butter-Milk
Ranger during the late misunderstanding
the North and South. The canal
'orms perfect horse shoe in passing around
MS farm. The curve is so great here that
or short while we are running due east,
which would seem TO take us back to Rich
nouG.
Now comes the down packet. The driver
'alutes by blowing his horn. That means
hat come 0ne is to get from one beat to the
,thcc. -'Hold up! hold upl!" cried the
,apts{n, and the Rock bridge and the Nellie
ay side tyside, and seven Of the sweetest
'oung ladies that ever walked a gang. plank
stepped from the Rockbridge to the Nellie.
Mr.. IL. was the only gentleman with the
aides. aud he and a Miss s., OF Richmond,
Don fcofnd seats in the bow Of the bo;st, and
oA In In