The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-07-09

g. ,,mpIated-fersena''~ &c.
81 CeA" --
81 ,,sencs OF the Richmond Di'paich.l
81 ioo'"N NATURAL BRIDGE, July @. 1881.
,o l. now always crowd OF VlsitoIs
Fl The Allegheny railrosd station
ser. Messengers are Iandtd tuhmoie
wsN, but Two and hali miIes Iioin tne
81 W. and hotel. An esSYIunniug We
INV. nv. meets every tram. Al 1uS Sas " 10
& bcf -. " mon a Chesapeake ana onlo coach
II Eto e. ur6 Charlottesville, Staunion,
81 Rceu,snr springs, or other stopping
ii Ware ou go 10 Wiliiamson's. William
z pice 90 miles west OF Chiffon Forge.
81 son's y ",Nrgbany railroad comes In there
81 sDa 'hv rSnnectlon with the Chesapeake
VI apd mSAs Very close connections have
snd V, N noen made. but as tho Allegheny
Dol 50 Ia' - deep interest Ia the success
e0npshl ,r, I am sure that all cause of
81 Of ih's mi N that score will soon be RENE
Il comp''u mo hundreds OF tourists now
die0, snu tho STATE and the many guests at
throng,ns ,.ho desire 10 make quick trips
the Iii mi be able 10 do so.
befe ".Anery between Williamson's and
Inc ,,'rsi Bridge is OF itself quite suhi'
I I',i "a induce travel.
ei'"' THE ROAD
tho course OF James river, and at
Fl io1'N 49,, there Is either lofty mountain,
81 ever IT, or charming stretch OF water TO
a tsb vi, - owe Between Willismson's and
Il peaS ~ Tuchanan Qbirty-fye miles) the
u 10. - 49, River and Kanawha canal was
00 soisbed. some considerable work,
81 ntNe wss done here and there. The
pow ',nnauy fpally concluded that about
c1nS' a.t they could do was TO make rail con-
tDe gu, between the TWO points. They were
81 hv|"''lIy engaged ia furtberance OF that
belO r,a ,1bcn i6e property and franchises Of
81 ND'ool cere passed to tbe Allegheny Rail-
iu1 S' Comnany. and that company went
iOlS - work. both from Richmond and
ls'u Villiaosop's. The result is that be-
n lIom l, "P'c1mond and WIlliamson's there
. W. .en laid about 200 miles OF track
pI'. - i, in nsc-and the roadway for the
Maindcr of the distance Is now nearly
I.nlo,e Some Of the road building was
.o.y work: some OF it was very difhcult
I'll ~ ss apy one will readily understand
Tbo sees how they had to
wREsTLE WITH NoUNTAIN-sDEs
i ,..o road.bed at numerous points between
Traebhrro and WiliamSOn's. Suffice il,
h3Tever. for the present object 10 say that
Il 10 %, now come by an all-rall route from
~ station on the Chesapeake and Ohio
r guy 10 Inc Natural Bridge. In few
reontbs mon the completion OF the Ale-
.bsnv road. The Bridge will be similarly ac.
& ssl'sjble from Richmond and Lynchburg
without change Of ears.
Thai the Natural Bridge Is not truly APP
nrecialed by the Virginia public has been
& more than once observed by sagacious
writer's. For that sin much Is TO be allowed
il in the fsct tbat until the Allegheny road was
bnilt IL was so inaccessible. 1t was easier
/ N oct from Richmond TO Niagara Falls than
y from Richmond TO the Natural Bridge.
Those who did brave the perils OF the
racket, who consented TO a tedious ride,
q generally had a very vivid and not
81 all pleasant remembrance Of the nights
+ tbey spent on board; OF the humping Of
the boat against the walls OF the locks; OF
s tbe tramping Of heavy feet on the deck; Of
his bed. but not boon companions, and OF
B other equally horrible nuislnces. How
ever. as one should speak no i'll OF the dead,
40 It's uncharitable to Dutter complaints
against diving institution. Aud hence
y leave 1t to be immOrtalized IN verse and
song, when all that was good OF it will be
remembered and all that was bad forgotten.
h As for
THE NATURAL BRIDGE,
no description o. il that know OF does it
. Justice. No picture OF it that have seen
gives more than a faint idea Of its form and
proportions.
There are now twenty.three artists here
from Chicago, pupils OF the art school
eight gentlemen and fifteen ladies. All Of
these have been sketching the bridge and
surroundings. To-day they will have their
dinner ,eni 10 them in the canyon near the
\ falls above The bridge. The outcome Of
this eXpedition-tbey are 10 stay here two
weeks-may be something that will WORTH
u convey 10 those who can never hope to
zee this wonder some Just idea OF its appear
ance.
The roadway OF the bridge is 2151 feet
from the stream Cedar creek below; aver
age width Of the bridge, so feet; length, 90
feet; thickness, 50. If st. PsuPs church,
IN Richmond, could be set in the bed OF The
stream lis steeple would, believe. rise only
Ten feet above the roadway. Natures
cunning hand" has carved this arch out of
alimeslOnehill. The form Of il approaches
The elllplcal, "and IT is carried over in
diagonal line, the very line OF all others 50
diincult to the architect TO realize"
Cedar creek is appropriately named. The
hllls'des about II are nearly all covered with
cedar. About mile above the Bridge the
creek lumbles down several precipices;
henee 1t flows at the bottom OF the canyon
uh'iI II passes beneath the arch, and betakes
Asel by Gilmore's mill down to the james
iNef' Al this time the country is suffering
iron severe drought, and the creek seems
an insignificant stream-not larger than
ouOchoe creek; but in the rainy season, l
T'n see u comes down like the water at
L'uoie, or even more so. Beneath the arch
auu doDg lhe stream the air is delightfully."-
.oO, ana silence reigns, which TO those
uieu OF TIE worlds great chatter must prove
aioy iniense.'
IBIS place six or seven hundred acres)
PURCHASED FEW MONTHS BACK
" Mr. Parsons of the Asher Harman es.
s5Ie iof Sl4, 900, and soon thereafter sold by
n,n 10 The Allegheny Coal and Iron Com.
panF, Of which he is large stakeholder, for
s-O'OV0 II probably could not now be
FOUGHT Of them for $4,000. Several tracts
nave Of late been added by purchase TO
ny harman property. DIR. Norman, the
VeoIa'ed writer on the mineral waters of
lHsnla, and we'll known also as physi-
ian al The White Sulphur Springs, has
un possession land will shortly present
/" lour eofrespOndent) letter from Jetfer-
~, ,onLtnen The owner OF the property
~lDg lis value at 100000. lie said-he
ps S wiring long time back-that the
r r'uge was visited the year round by more
~, sS'Dp~ lhan we've the mineral springs, and
Sort. P0P""'
IN ' ss OF the springs have a long start
!" t sns bridge, but the future OF the latter
s,o iuh OF promise. The grounds about II
d., Dr. "eau'iul the view Of the distant Blue
is 'ui S : good; there is fair glimpse Of