The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-07-16

ROAD 70 gMR ONO RlvgR--AN ALBUM toh
uRs. oARFIKLD, WITH SKETCHES BIZ THE
caicAoo ARTIsTs-THE SEARCH FOR CAVES.
fcozrespond. nee Of The Richmond Dispatch.l
NATURAL BRIDGE, July 10, 1881.
The shenandoah. Valley railroad people
ara yfoorouSly ~ work on that portion OF
their iIne between The crossing point tsome
miles above the function OF the North and
James riyers1 and.Bncbanan. They occupy
Inc south bank OF the James, while the
Riehmond and Allegheny road runs along
the north bank. The Shenandoah. valley
road. coming down by the Luray cayerns
and WayDesboro' 10 a junction with the
AIIeehany road near The Cliff school-house,
IN Rockbridge, approaches within three
miles of The Natural Bridge, passes up the
James through Buchanan, and thence TO us
connection with the Norfolk and western
AZ or near Big Lick. II penetrates lovely
valley. or rather succession OF valleys, ana
will be one of the great routes for tour
ists coming South. By It, next summer,
tickets may, and probably VIII, be sold Tor
New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore 70
the White Sulphur and other Virginia and
West Virginia springs. with privilege Oh
stopping over first at the Luray caverns-tne
fame OF which is daily exlcndlng-and then
at the Natural Bridge. From the latter,
the springs region on either the Chesapeske
and Ohio line or on the Norfolk ana west
erp. will be easily reached through county
that will be perfectly delightful to those
tired OF Older routes OF trfvel.
Ia anticipation OF the
GOOD THINGS IN STORE
| for the Natural Bridge, the company own.
| ing II have made plans for Its Improvement
which will give 1t position almost certainty
as one OF our leading summer resorts. Inc
| hill to the southwest OF the bridge has been
chosen as the site OF the new hotel. The
view Is uninterrupted, and embraces near
and distant mountains, fields and forests,
roads and streams. A branch track Will be
| laid from GiImore's Mills up Cedar creek to
a point within a quarter of mile OF The
bridge. Excursion trains from Richmond
and Lynchburg will be run up on this
branch. and there will be no change OF cars.
For general use a clrriage-road VIII also be
made TO TIE Mills by grade and line much
preferable 10 the existing county road. 10
nerfect their arrangements 10 this respect,
and particularly to develop their PARK, the
company have already purchased consider
able tracts OF adjacent land, and are In me-
COLLATION. for others. They have money IN
abundance, and seem not afraid to spend ".
1Tbe number Of visitors at the Natural
Bridge for thirty or forty DAYS past has
been, | suppose, quite unprecedeDteo, ana
vet no great effort was made TO lnOuce
| them 10 come the company really desiriL &
moi 70 have a rush until they could COM
pIete the remOdcIliug OF and addition 10 the
old hotel. Now that that is about done,
schedule will be announced which VIII Sc
| cure speady connections with the Cbesa-
neake and Ohio trains at Williamson's, and
the tide OF travel will commence moving
towards the Bridge in volume far greater
| than the sauguine Imagination even oil MI.
Jefferson ever pictured. For the present
the best route 10 the Bridge. from east or
west. is to Wiliamson's by the Chesapeake
and Ohio; from Williamson's to The BIldge
| (Gilmore's MIlls) by the Richmond and Al
Iegbany. In a few months the all-rail llne
from the Bridge down the James to Lynch
burg and Richmond will be complete.
TIE PRELIMINARY SURVEY
for the extension of the Richmond and AL.
| Iephany road by way OF Craig's and Sink
| ing creeks to New river, and thence down
| the Kanawha TO the Ohio, has been made,
and the report to Vice.President Parsons Is
that il can be built cheaper than any noun
tain road ever has been. There will be one
tunnel of mile and bali in length. The
country through which the extension passes
is similar in formation 10 the Valley OF Nlr-
elnia. Msjor Jed. HOtehkiSS Is down thei
making geological explorations. Work OF
every sort, It is understood, will b. pusht d
| forward rapidly.
Something quite notable 10 the history OF
the Natural Bridge was an illumination by
bontires few nights ago. The driitWood
| brought down Cedar creek by the winter
| and summer freshets was collected under
the arch and fired. The blaze assembled
high. and the faucifnl lights and shadows
made was rare sight to behold.
Not satisfied With the present attractions
of mountain scenery, drives, walks, bridge,
an d cascades, vigorous
SEARCH FOR CAVES
has been going on. 1t limestone county
and an undoubted cave region. Two caves
have been explored for some distance-one
about 300, the other about 400 feet-but no
fancIful incrustations have been found, and
the search will he farther prosecuted. The
cave near the Bridge was opened during
the war by parties searching for salpetre.
| II seems that they were not altogether un'
successful, as the foundation-stones for
| their ovens or boilers are to be seen in the
woods, and have been more than once
taken (now that they are pretty well over
grown with moss and weeds) for an Indian
chiefs grave.
Talking about indians, reminds me TO
saw that at the hotel here are an Indian
| mortar and pestle 10 tirst-rate condition.
They were found in the neighborhood,
hear. Other curiosities are shot TO be occa'
sioually picked up under the bridge: drop
ped there, it is said, many years ago when
| a practical individual used the rampartS OF
| the bridge as shot-tOWer.
The visitors at the Bridge hotel and the
citizens OF the vicinity have, through a
committee, of which Vlce-Presdent II. G.
| Parsons, Of The Richmond and Allegheny
railroad, was chairman, drafted
| LETTER TO MRS. GARFIELD
congratuIatiug her upon the prospect OF The
recovery of her husband, and praising bel
for her faith and courage; also expressing
| the belief that the assassin has done more
to make the people OF the North and Soutf
come together as one family than all thai
has been said or written In the interest o.
| reconciliation since the war ended. Tit
letter, when signed by everybody, doub
not will be sent to you by the commit
zee for publication. But what is quite
unique, and cannot be reproduced 10 your
columns, is q number OF beautiful
sketches of the Natural Bridge anC
surrounding scenery msde by the teach
ers and pupils Of the Chicago Academy o
Fine Arts, now here on sketching tour, t
accompany the letter. The letter, engrosset
by a Chicago lady of the party in style
have seldom seen surpassed, and th'
sketches, will together form an album to bt
sent Mrs. Garfield through Mrs. Blaine. L
will not only be a work Of goodwill an(
sympathy, but something always pretty Il
look upon. Mrs. Garfield may have more
valuable evidences OF sympathy, but doubt