The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-05-15

Returning 10 our DoSt We PassSN ""u.s
and through the Blue Ridge Ior twenty
miles. Here, too. the reslstless river Dad
done its perfect work. Before u the ever
lasting rocks had crumbledi range aIter
range were riven TO tneir ease. uIeeo
stone and granite and marble. Geep-founda-
TONED. iron-banded, had melted Ike snow,
anx rfsg and cllff and battlenent, Scared
and torn. were mirvored In the quiet wa.
ters. Ali the scenery here IS grand ana
beautiful. but the one magnificent surprise
h Balcony Falls. 3.
We passed night at Big Island. and IN
,ae carly morning made an unevenuT
Isourney 10 Pittsburgh. Here we fouod
lsity Of over twenty thousand inhabitants,
* bicb has doubled In ten years, ana Is r'ca
and prosperous. We passed two large fo'r
;ng.,niIIs which will be ready for operation
a. soon ~ the new railroad Is hnishea.
Four railroads already centre here, ana "
Is said that the people have great expec'a,
tons, and have already acquired haDl. y,
smelling the towns name. f" A-tl-a-n-'-a ia
the morning, P-i-tt-s-b-u'r-g'h AFTER o'n'
ner." ,,,,ino
THE next day was passed In examining
the great ore deposits between LyncnDurg
and I've river. Thursday we rode 10 Ne"
canton. and spent the morning In inspect
inc the slate duariies and gold mines near
there. We dined at Columbia, and reacned
Cedar Point at night, visiting or noting, as
we passed many famous places. SATURDAY
at noon, after bteakfasting OF Tuckanoe
and Inspecting the Powhatm furnace anu
and granite quarfies, we 1eacneu hic'-
moBd.
THROUGH MINERAL DISTRICT.
The whole route from Clifton Forge 10
New canton was in mineral district
West OF the Blue Ridge we constant!
ed the ore mines. Great deposts VI
brown bematite, sometimes Sixty ieeb ="
thickness, were exposed along Inc ni'islue;
There were cliffs OF black marDIe, anu
lodges OF slate, manganese, limestone, anu
barites were here found. In the thiIty
miles below Lynchburg we were constantly
in the ore measures. Here are specular,
magnetic. and red hemaiite ores IN great
abundance. They are found in veins,
nearly perpend,cular. from two to twenty
feet in thickness, and are continuous. Ihe
whole of the land along the route Is being
rapdly bought up; prices have advanced.
IL ia said that more foreign capital has come
into this valley within ninety days than IN
the ninety years previous. Ores can be APP
parently mined here indefinitely, ana IL Is
claimed that iron can he made at Sl2 a
ton. and stee-rals at S35 ton, as soon
M ihe district Is connected with The coal
fields. The gold mines that formerly pro-
duced well are being bought up for the
purpose OF working. There are extensive
ouarries OF granite, marble, and slate
upon the line. We were particularly I'M
pressed with the great variety OF THESE
minerals.
FOUR GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS.
From the Aleghanies to the sea the Jfmes
river cuts deep through four geological
formations, and il seems as II every treasure
and every secret OF nature were here eX-
Dosed. The river forms mighty adit us
arms are countless chambers; its waters are
ready to crush and wash the ores. ana 10
drive the tireless wheels and hammers OF
| future industries. The valley can support
large populatons. The handsomest coun-
try houses in Virginia were long since
Dlanted here. The magnificent estates are
now being subdiyided for sale. There
were many reminders Of the wealth OF the
old civilization. Mount Athos. the old seat
of the Robertsons, with its great stone
house planned by Jefferson; Pemberton,
Elk Hill, Red Hill. Boiling Hall, Pocahon-
tas, ArrOpeX. Rock Rimmond, Brema Blun,
Rockcastle, Bell Mead, Bellvale, Bellvue,
Dover, Tuckahoe, and Westham, invited us
into their groves and lawns and great hos
pitable houses. But the people turn from
the past, aud The eager inquiry everywhere
was, "Wben will the railroad come 7"
COST OF THE OLD CANAL.
A large force is already at work, and in a
few months trains will fly through the val
lev. The boats will be destroyed, the canal
| N T. oil int
and vices OF another civilization will be
here. We were upon the great work THAT
Washington projected and Virginia haG
struggled for nearly Il century to build and
maintain, and then in moment OF despair
had given for the asking to northern capt.
talists. 1t had cost her, including interest,
over S40,000.000. The structures were mas
sive and permanent. Thirty great dams,
with IN aggregate fall OF over 400 feet, bind
the river. Massive aQueducts cross the tri-
butaries. The great ship-lock OF Richmond
and the docks, faced with granite for 5000
feet, the rights OF way through two cities
and a belt of land from 100 to 800 feet wide
extending over 200 miles, and permanent
rOad.bed nearly wide enough for double
track, were surrendered; and, more than
all, was surrendered the dream Of the great
water-line.
PROM THE ATLANTIC TO THE OHIO.
Magnificent as the foundations are for the
new structure, we cannot avoid lingering
| look backward. The statesmen, the engi-
neers, the workmen OF eight decades have
here built in vain.
| The waters OF the Ohio and the James
will never flow together, aud yet, with the
| information OF the times, none planned
With greater intelligence.
| When Washington crossed as surveyor,
when Marshall made his adventurous Jour-
ney, when Maury explored land and sea-
| they saw that a river had turned from the
ordinary course, and perhaps alone of all
the rivers ia the world ran not along the
base OF mountains. but through them; had
not simply severed a siugle range, but in
quick succession had cut through thirteen
mountain ranges in its direct course to the
sea; that II reached the ocean at its great
est indentation, at its grandest harbor,
where inland and TO the west the tides
reached hundred miles. where to the east
the Gulf stream, that mighty river OF the
sea, passed the very gates Of the barbor,
| they felt that God had intended that the
world should pass this way.
RICHMOND AS PORT.
| In that belief and Ia utter devotion peo-
| pie tOlled and did not cease until rebellion
and reconstruction broke the heart OF the
Common wealtb.
Again the people bniid and hope In an
| other way they say the work will be finish
ed and the faith Of their fathers will be
proven.
In that hope we may all generously share.
The Ohio and the James will be linked by
steel, and within a few months an eogine
will draw thousand tons from the Ale
ghanies to the Atlantic.
Some pilot, they say. will direct the fleet
Of the world to this port; some hand will