Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-09-16
LETTER FROM DRUMMER.
WHAT NE HAS SEEN AND LEARNED IN
THE VALLEY OF VIRGINIA.
AVisit to the Cayerns Of Luray-effects OF
the Drought-Staunton
TaIk-FertiIizers - Medicinal
Waters-The foun-
tain of Youth.
A VISIT TO THE WHITE SULPHUR
Correspondence Of the Register.

WAS not Ouc Vi picooo'Sj "'s'A sS ~
and dust. Travel by rail never was
greater, aud never was more dissgreea'
BILE, and it was. indeed, luxury to get
into such hole in the ground as the
"Cayerp OF Luray," had it no other at
traction. This newly discovered won
der is thought by those who are familiar
with such things, to exceed anything OF
the kind heretofore known. To one
unaccustomed to sightseeing, the effect
is perfectly astounding. The stories OF
Jack the Giant Killer, the dominions OF
Pluto, and the fairy tales all seem to be
realized. At every turn ones eyes are
filed with something strange, new and
unexpected, and you involuntarIly stop
and utter some exclamation OF surprise.
Description is simply impossible.
Here one stands on a precipiCe, the Dot
tom OF which Is lost in darkness, and
passing through narrow way, draper
led with stalacti,es, which have been
centuries in forming, you look up in to
glitteriug darkness, which your flicker
ing candles fail to penetrate. Wherever
YOU turn around you, here and there,
through the gloom, sparkling shadows
form, excite the feelings and quicken
the imagination. By the kindness oil a
friend, our company-there were two
of us-had been furnished with few
wards OF magnesium tape. This being
lighted now and then added to the
weirdness, the grandeur or the beauty
of the scene. =,
We were fortunate to secure a3agulde
one of the discoverers OF the cavern. He
seemed to take particular interest in
giving US all the "points." He Gid not
claim to be the first one in-for he
showed US the skeleton OF his predeces-
sor living at the bottom OF small decliv.
ity. and partly imbedded in the forming
rocks.
AT one point the large stalactites
formed looked as il the tanner had hung
out his half tanned hides to dry, and
even the grain OF the leather could be
seen. In another they had formed into
a thin sheet OF drapery, with the color
and appearance OF rich old lace. Here
they have the appearance OF huge
church organ, and as We touch some OF
the reeds they give out perfect tones
and chords, from the acutest sound to
that OF the huge drum, whose hollow
sounds 90 reyerberating through the
cave.
Further mention is useless, your read
ers will all see it some day, rs it is not
80 far away. 1t is now in the hands OF
nno 1nllor apfranca foo 10
charged, which includes candles and
guide Newrooms are constantly being
opened, and new attractions and won
ders discovered. 1t takes half day TO
see all. We were in but one short hour
and were amply repaid fer all the time
spent, and intend 10 20 again and take
all our friends-if drummer has any
friends.
To turn to something more practical
and OF more vital importance to the in.
terests OF this great valley just now: it
is suffering from terrible drouth. From
Harrisonburg to Staunton everything in
the nature OF vegetation shows the
parched effects OF no rain and hot sun.
At Staunton the parched earth has had
no rain for nearly three months, so we
were told. In some places the forest
trees we're brown and dead-looking; in
others, the woods had the appearance OF
fall. Except in few spots, which
would be swamps in wet or ordinary
weather, the fields had the color oi the
soil, and what pasture the thrifty farmer
was leaving for fall grazing was cured
into hay standing on the sod, and from
-L:ol A. e,v hod nartoi n 10 hnrna1 ont
every particle OF substance.
Around Staunton l noticed trees load
ed down with peaches, but they were
small, and those that the boys were Of
fering for sale looked as if they had
ripened before their time. Staunton is
a lively town, and has as much the ap.
pearance of trade as some OF the towns
in the other end of the valley. The
Virginia House with its wide rooms, and
well-set table, is a good place to stop.
Although there two days, | had no time
to look around at the various attractions
such as the Lunatic Asylum and that
of the Blipd-both OF which have the
reputation OF being conducted as well,
il not better than any in the country.
Staunton is a live southern town, and as
full OF business as your city OF Wheeling
A little more about railroads. The
Baltimore and Ohio have had Connec.
ton with the Chesapeake and Ohio, at
Stauuton, for a number OF years, but 1t
has been q very poor connection. The
travelling public had often to lie over
a whole day to make said connection, or
start out the middle OF the night. Now,
the Pennsylvania company have a con-
nection with the Chesapeake and Ohio,
twenty miles east, at the old town OF
Waynssboro, and are pushing south
ward, with large force OF men, having
a force OF three thousand at one point.
This has spurred up the Baltimore and
Ohio, we are told, and they are arrapg-
ing to also cross the Chesapeake and
Ohio and push south. the Baiti
more and Ohio is slow in start.
ing but solid when it starts.
All along the great valley, with such a
reputation for fertility, at every station
one is greeted with the internal smell OF
fertilzsrs-ground, raw, sulphuriated,
phoephated and sinking bone, and
dozen other, or may be hundred prep
arations that are represented as being
good for the land which have got in
such habit OF receiving these stimu-
lants that, like drunksrd, it must have
them. 1t is to be hoped that your farm
er readers will not bring up their lands
to the use of these excitsnts to the soil,
for when they get old they may not be
able to depart from them. This is the
way some farmers talk ont here.
In passing from Staunton TO White
Sulphur the country is mainly noun.
famous, interspersed with pleasant and
fertile looking valleys. What may be
termed the geological formation is pecu-
liar and quite interesting to even the
most casual observer. In many places
iron abounds, as we'll as other valuable
minerals. From the limestone forma-
tons full OF caves, and bright sparkling
spring water, one passes through all the
earth formations, down TO the old red
sandstone, from coal to gold. You drink
from springs and fountains of all kinds
alum. chaly beate, sulphur, iron, mag.
nesium, &C., &c, and then We have
grades OF all these-fed, white and blue,
1 o~1 hof pr,pnino hnhbIinu