The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1880-08-13
lETTER FRoH psRGrsra.

Moses, tEip up the OHIO River al
this season Of low water Is not calcu
lated to stimulate your religious i'm.
pulses or 10 lessen your profanity.
The handsome side-wheel steamers
have given place to snail-going stern
wheelers. which creep along at five
miles an hour, occasionally grating on
the rocks, that in some places are
covered with only three or four feet of
water. Like everything earthly, how
ever, such a trip finally comes to an
end, and you reach Huntington just
too late to take even the second train,
although you were promised TO meet
the first. Fortunately for me, there
had been an accident ON the Chesa-
peake a Ohio T. r., OBTAINING the
incoming train ten hours, and, of a
consequence, the outgoing train was
delayed. This train | took, and soon
forgot all my woes in delightful ride
through the fiourishing valley Of the
kanawha. On all sides are evidences
of life and prosperity. Salt works,
coal mines, iron furnaces, &c, greet
you on every hand. while the whole
valley seems one unending busy city.
just above Kanawha Falls, the road
takes up New River. where begins the
widest and grandest scenery magma.
Bile. The road bed is hewed out of
the solid rock mountain-side, some
twenty five feet above the whirling,
seething river, but its engineering
is so perfect that accidents along il
happen no oftener than in the level
country through which the road runs.
Nine hours run from Huntington.
and the brakeman sings out
WHITE SULPHUR sPRISGsl"
! get oil to find the always lovely
place far more beautiful than ever.
Purchased and improved at an origin
al cost of one and half millions of
dollars, the former owners, notwilh-
standing the immense patronage that
the Springs enjoys, were unable to re-
alize even low rate Of interest and
keep up the repairs that ever became
necessary. Consequently, for several
years, the buildings were neglected,
and finally it was decreed that the
property should be sold TO the highest
bidder, when the present owners got
ii for s340. 000-just about fifth of
the original cost. Since they have
come into possession, many marked
improvements have been made. The
large Hotel building, which covers
over an acre Of ground, has been
transformed from a muddy. reddish
color to an imitation of marble, while
painting and frescoiug take the place
of whitewash and kalsomine. The
cottages. too. have also undergone inn
provemsnts; the old tallow candle
gives way to gas, made on the
aud water works and a
steam laundry have been forced
into use. The rooms have been
re.furnished, and the fashionable
lady now primps and arranges her
iinery before full sized mirrors instead
Of the Sxl0 concerns of the past. A
race track, a theatre and an increased
rooming capacity for over 800 guests
are the contemplated improvements
by next year. The season is Just now
at its hight, and every nook is crowd
ed to such an extent that the proprie-
Iors contemplate raising lot of tents
Tor the accommodation of the gentle
men. Like most all other watering
places since the war, beaux are decid-
.dly scarce here, and the scrawny old
maids vie with the younger beauties
or few moments possession of al
most anything in the shape of man.
In encampment of several companies
# the State Militia (they pay their own
expenses, LET ii be remembered) takes
'lace in day or two, and the ladies
an become little more independent.
here are scores Of distinguished men
ere, including Senators, Governors,
congressman, Generals, &c. Those =
{ Democratic turn OF mind-and |,
hey are largely in the majority-are
in their convictions that
hancock and English will be the next !
hief officers Of the government. My
ID friend, Gov. Matthews, of West
! irglnia, says his state Is good Tor q
1000 majority for the ticket. a fact :
hich will cause its Republican pro- v
'ctors, who took advantage of the war o
, cut il of from the Old Dominion 81
n political purposes, to gnash their n
seth in genuine rage. Truly, il is I
harper than serpents tongue To "
ave so thankless a child. n
Six miles from White Sulphur We a
MSS through the Allegheny tunnel
ld into the State Of Old Virginia. y
. the mountain region, which abounds a
iron and other ore, thrifty Yankees l.
ave erected furnaces, aud there are h
Iidences Of some prosperity, but the Of
rther YOU 20 the worse the outlook, Ii