Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-08-02
For the SPECTATOR.
Big Spring, Va.

MESSRS. EDITORS TINS Is rather an
indefinite designation, as there are SO
many big springs in Virginia. and sew
eral in your own county, such as Bak-
er's, near Waynesboro', Fertig's, near
Gerard B. Stuart's, its owner, and a
number of others could designate had
[ time. This is ore of the largest and
most remarkable, either as regards the
volume of water, its coldness, clearness,
&C., [ have ever known. 1t is the prop
erty of DIR. w. J. Davidson, late of your
city, and with the lands, &c., attached,
400 or 500 acres, is the most desirable
locality I know of for being made
pleasure resort. The Atlantic, Missis-
sippi & Ohio Railroad is close by, with
depot, postoffice, &c. Were it mine,
and possessed the means, I would at
once put it in condition for others to
enjoy. But one motive I had in re
ferring to it Was to meation this fact,
entirely novel to me, that its water is so
cold, that trout, pike, and other fish
that have been tried, can't survive.
Had you ever heard OF such difficulty
in fish propagation?
Speaking of the temperature of water,
| in radius of several miles around this
place there has been no rain for over two
months, and the intense heat of the
last week has affected the water of
springs, wells, &c. One gentleman told
me that his well, sixty feet deep, was
much warmer. What is the philosophy
of it?
1 see indications here of our people
getting out of the ruts, in a disposition
to diversity their industry. A MIR. Il,
F. Coffee, native OF Bedford, one OF
those inventive and most ingenious
| ko h / N N or
self. made and with little eXtraneous
help or influence, erected few years
ago a shop, with 40horse-p power en-
CINE somewhat on the Corliss principle,
and has been making spokes for all
kinds of vehicles, handles for all kinds
of tools, &c. Seeing bundles of heavy
wagon spokes put on platform for ship
ment to Lynchburg, from their most
excellent quality induced me to inspect
his factory. But to show how slow our
people are to learn economy, take this
| illustration. He uses bark, chips, shaw
ings, and saw dust in propelling his en-
CINE. The ashes of each day, the richest
you could dream of in potash, as made
of hickory and white oak, to get them
out of the way, a commentary of the
want of an intelligent economy of the
farmers a mile off, are thrown into
Roanoke river. What shameful waste
The farmer who sees it perhaps pays
s35 to $50 per ton for a cheat called by
some big name of fertilizer. A factory
at Marion, in Smyth coonty, is running
very lerge establishment, that in
crawling before walking began on plow.
handles, and is now making variety
of agricultural implements in wood and
iron.
We left Washington City at 10:15 on
Tuesday night, and patronized the Vir
ginia Midland to Lynchburg. The cars
were nearly empty. A companion, who
set out with us, to that moment we had
never looked upon before, although his
name was as familiar as household
word, the Rev. DR.. Leftwich, q native
of Liberty, where we parted, he to re
Join his family under his venerable
mothers roof. We remember him al
entering the ministry; first locating
perhaps at Alexandria, then Atlanta
| and now at Baltimore. We were re
marking that our old friend Col. Hay
mond, who as a refugee from North
west Virginia, as necessity during tht
war, brought his family to Liberty, al
acquisition to its excellent society
where since he has been a prOminen
member of the bar. On asking if
venture which he and Mr.. Beal, ais
a West Virginian, made year or tw,
ago in purchasing the southwest Peal
of Otter and erecting a house on tn
summit to entertain visitors desirous @
spending night so as to see the sun
rise, said he was not informed. II
mentioned this incident, in connection
with visit to the top last season.
think h having occurred with himsel
> He was attracted by the appearance i
one of the rooms, the one most use