The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-05-19

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.isfod hlijoo saiHta 1sdia 10 ma5iltug94
nd ....t,ie4a 95eon y7yai aooitiHll aJi 98gaN
where, lowering for a few minutes, went Oh
the wings OF the morning to join the shining
clouds far away. Probably the most beautiful
scenery in the valley is at Shepherdstown
where the high bridge spans the Potomac river
and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, and at
4 Front Royal where the Shenandoah river
| branches.
/ 'N INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT
Hagerstown is 566 feet above tide and
| Waynesboro 1,2S41feet, the general direction
being steadily upward with intermediate ele-
vations both higher and lower than the ex-
IRENE points of the line. The general course
is also north and south through the counties
Of washington, Md, Jefferson, w. Va, Clarke.
Warren, Page, Rockingham and Augusta, Va
/ The mineral wealth of the country is attract
i ing the attention Of Northern capital De
posts Of iron ore, manganese, copper and
ochre are being opened and shipments have
been made already, saw some very fine
lngots OF zinc but these were from Martins,
va. The railroad has given an impetus to de-
yeiopments which is surprising All the old
towns are improving. suppose there are
|
town, which aspires to be the seat of the com
pany's workshops. Sharpsburg Shepherds
town, gharlestown, Ripon, Berryville, Boyce-
vile, White Post, Riverton, Front Royal, Ben
tonvllle Luray, Port Republic, Crimora ard
Waynesboro, all exhibit signs of improvement.
Atthe ShenandoalB iron works; one hundred
and seven miles from Hagerstown, Mr. Mines,
| formerly member Of Congress, has several
| furnaces in operation. At Crimora, which is
mi pS frpp cbor/, III a.
manganese works which do heavy shipment
to Liverpool. At Rileyyille, in Page county
| there are both iron and manganese works at
Marksville, in the same county, ochre works
are developed by Chicago interests Near
Front Royal in Warren county, engineering
difficulties begin. The country is billy and
minerals abound vineyards produce abun-
dainty and apple orchards thrive. Between
Luray and the Shenandoah iron works several
trestles OF unusual height and length bridge
| immense ravines, lying east and west across
the path of the railroad Page county pre-
SCENTS probably more varied and interesting
| features than any other county along the line.
| IL is here that the greatest development is on
foot, not only of mineral wealth, but of other
industries. In Page we find at Luray, not
only the great caverns which have excited so
much interest, but every sign of industrial
progress pointing to thriving future
/ tfIu0 IhcSSiS.' IDS. anu ID. n. b6uIOTQ, OF
Baltimore, have invested $250000 in an I'M
mense tannery, Which they are building to be
convenient to the bark which abounds in this
region. The same firm has also a large tannery
at Berkeley Springs. They expect to give
employment to several hundred men at Luray,
and their enterprise is most valuable acqui-
sltiOn to the county Not only tannerics, but
sawmills are being erected at various points,
and the general activity and spirit of enter
/ nrISn wi fa1 olp H., r
encourages everybody in the valley, as well as
the capitalists who have stimulated develop
ment with their money to indulge in the most
sangulne expectations OF the future, r.t
..7 80 AGRICULTURAL PROSPERITY. ia.
% It is pleasing thing to record also as sig
nificant sign Of the times that there is dispo-
sltlon to divide up the large tracts of land
among small freeholders. The coming of the
railroad has given an impetus to values, but
| there IS no better farm land in the United
| States, and every acre is fully worth the price
at which it is held. One of the best signs OF
agricultural development is the increase in the
| number OF large barns and small homesteads
put more OF both are needed. During the past
| fifteen years Virginia has in various WAYS en-
deavored to encourage the introduction of
small tree holders and to stimulate colonial
! ton from the Middle States and from Europe.
| inents Of Englishmen and Scotchmen. | saw
in the Hawksbill valley, one of the most beau
! titul regions of the Blue Ridge mountains,
colony OF Mennonites who are thrifty farmers
and valuable citizens.
| LURAY CAVES.
The chief attraction of Luray is the caverns,
immense subterranean grottoes, which were
discovered in the summer of 1880, and bought
at judicial sale for $500 by the discoveries
| Since the ratification of sale, however, the
| property was found to be so valuable that the
original proprietors and their creditors have
procured q reversal of the decree on technical
tiles in the Supreme Court of Virginia, and
the tract has been restored to them It is I'M
derstood that a controlling interest has been
purchased by the Lulay Hotel Company for
| $4,000. Ground has been broken for the
hotel on knoll in front Of the railroad station,
with the Blue Ridge mountains for its imme.
dlate background and a beautiful sweep of
| valley scenery spread out on the other side.
The mountains are not half mile distant, and
the situation is as picturesque as some of the
best situations of the White mountains in
New Hampshire The hotel will be built be-
fore the summer is over. The plans call for
a handsome and commodious structure in the
best modern style, with stone basement and
wooden superstructure, the whole. surrounded
with piazzas for the different stories and COW
cred with well-designed slate roof. On the
| occasion of my visit to the eaverns, which are
halt mile from the town, there were among
the visitors several Northern capitalists who
had invested IN the enterprise as side specu-
lation from the Shenandoah Valley Railroad
In honor of these visitors hundred boxes of
candles had been brought from Hagerstown
and the caverns were brilliantly illuminated.
1t is impossible to Adequately describe the
wonders OF the interior. The lights seemed
innumerable and the vistas gorgeous beyond
conception save the wonderful story of the
cavern Of Aladdin. Exploration during the
winter has developed the existence of ha]fa
dozen chambers not known Of heretofore, and
to go through all the various grottoes would
consume several days. need not repeat the
fifty or more fancy names which have been
invented or borrowed from romance to desig-
nate the various parts Of the long succession
OF subterranean chambers, grottoes and CORR
doris; 1t will serve every purpose to say that
however exalted expectation may be in ad-
vance OF seeing the caverns, the reality will
far exceed the greatest anticipation. On en-
tering the visitor descends flight of wooden
steps twenty-five feet and is confronted bv a
grand corridor so feet wide, on the right and
lett OF which are chambers and passages lead
ing on and on until the explorer becomes
weary from eXertion and breathing the dead
atmosphere. of a long pentup interior. On
every HinQ Is seen the evidences OF grand
CONFUSION OF nature in ages gone by, when
the cayerns were formed in some shock of ma
ture. There is lofty chamber which is larger
than the dome of the capitol at Washington,
and noored Tor dancing; it is called the ball
room. Its sides are stalactite columns; its roof
is ribbed with calcareous formations. Near by,
IN alofty cathedral nave is gigantic organ of
staacltes, which resound with deep and bar
barrie growl as the operator makes them vi
brate under his rude touch There is chasm
70 feet and 5O0deep feetlong. At one point a g-
gantic column of stalactites has fallen across
the path; at another, a crystal spring bubbles
up, or miniature lake covers the floor of a
charming retreat stalagmites formed on the
4 floor from the drip above rise like shrouded
statures in garden, Wand on every hand the
wondrous architecture of silent nature awes
!. the spectator into mute admiration. Magnif-
cent and fantastic work of nature! Oh man !
how utterly insignificant are thy temples
fou have seen the grand centennial arches and
9 roots? The Luray caverns show unsupported
| spans vaster than any of the centennial build
| ingS at PHILADELPHIA With the omnipotent