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

The Shenandoah Valley Of Virginia
RAILROAD Observation-Disclosures
AND INDUSTRIAL PRoGREss--MAG NIFICENI
sCENERY-THE WONDERFUL LURAY
CAvERNs. t''l .iis.a+} s7hi2E3'i lu iHa51s
Especial Correspondence of the Baltimore SUM-
'' .' HAGERsTowN, Md, May 7th, 1881.
The opening, on the 29nd of April, of the
Shenandoah Valley Railroad from Hagei's-
town, Md, to Waynesboro', Va, a distance Of
143 miles, and the move which has been taken
to insure the southern extension of this line
95 miles further, from Waynesboro' to Big
Lick on the Norfolk and Western Railroad
are steps in development which cannot fail to
be of the highest importance to this interest
ing section of Virginia and Maryland. At
Hagerstown connections have been made with
the Cumberland Valley branch of the Penn
sylvania and with the Western Maryland
Railroad, and at Waynesboro' with the Ches
& Ohio Railroad. Contracts have been enter
ed into with these connecting roads by which
through line has been established between
New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore on the
north, and all points reached by the Ches. &
Ohio Railroad on the south and west, and
affording the latter road and its western con-
connection, with the three important sea-
board cities named.
sTREACHING SOUTHWARK.
The extension south from Waynesboro' was
authorized to connect With the Atlantic, Mis-
sissipi & Ohio railroad, which was purchased
by parties largely interested in the Shenan-
doah Valley Railroad, on Feb. 10, and which
has during the past week been reorganized
as the Norfolk & Western Railroad. The
extension, according to the official report made
by Mr.. F. j. Kimball. Of Philadelphia, presi
dent of the road, follows closely along the
Western base of the Blue Ridge in the imme
date proximity to and through vast deposits
Of iron ore 1t follows the Shenandoah river
to its source, thence crosses the divide to q
stream emptying into the North branch of the
James near Lexington, at which point connec-
ton is made with the Richmond q Allegheny
Railroad, and by which means the Bessemel
ores from the Lynchburg region will be trans,
| ported over the Shenandoah Valley Railroad
| to the iron mills of Pennsylvania From Lex.
| ington the line of extension will follow the
| James river around its North and South
| branches to Buchanan, passing within a shorl
| distance of the Natural Bridge; thence il
crosses another divide to Tinker creek, which
latter stream the line follows until it reaches
| the Norfolk & Western Railroad at Big Lick
| on the Roanoke river Throughout the ninety
! five miles of this extension the line run.
! through country rich in agricultural an(
mineral resources, and some of the finest cat
| tie grazing counties of Virginia. The compile
ton of the extension will connect the Norfoll
& Western Railroad by an all7rail line to thu
| North and East Contracts have been enter
| ed into and the work of extension has beef
commenced. To raise the money a genera
mortgage for $2,250,000 has been executed t,
the Fidelity Trust and SAT-. Deposit Compan,
of Philadelphia. +, "a f.,t,,...s Cd. ,,f..-,..
| u..3 MEMORIES OF THE PAST. it.s Jazz, s.i
| have just had the. pleasure, of d run owe
the road from Hagerstown to Waynesboro' il
company OF several gentlemen who are linden
titled not only with the present development
of the Valley region. but with its past associa
| tons, and who were not unimportant actor
| in those events of the war between the State
which give an additional charm to every fal
locality in this beautiful section of the Stat
1 OF Virginia. The name ofnearly every station
throughout the line of 143 miles is ASSOCIATED
with some struggle of the war. Sharpsburg
Shepherdstown, Front Royal, Port Republic
all recall glorious memories of Jackson ant
his brilliant campaigns. AT Shepherdstowr
where the Potomac is spanned by fine rail
road bridge, the traveller is in sight Of the for
where Gen. Lee army crossed for Sharpsbur
or Antietam, in Washington county, Md. !
was near this spot also that James Rumsey
the Virginian made the first steamboat eXpe1
iment, in 1856 Jefferson county, which nov
belongs to West Virginia, is full of colonit
houses. Charlestown was named for Ger
Washingtons brother Charles Harewoo
House, near by, belonged to Washington
brother Samuel, who had five wives, the poi
traits of whom yet hang on the walls of tn
old mansion Lafayette sent marble mantle
pieces for its best rooms from Paris. Jane
Madison was married in its drawing-room
Louis Philippe and his brothers We're entel
I tanned, there. Close by is Leetown. near whic
: were the homes Of three remarkable revolt
tionary generals of the highest rank-Gate
Charles Lee and Adam Stevens-who wei
all captains in the old French war; all wount
ed in that struggle, all bought estates nes
each other, all joined the Continental army an
rose to rank next to Washington all wei
enemi of the commandment chief and WEI
, all dlsgraced from the cemmands-Lee 4
Monmouth, Gates at Camden and Stevens 4
Bradywine. Near the crossing of the Bait
more q Ohio Railroad stands the former res
t dence Of Gen. Drake, a descendant Of one
the judges who condemned Charles l. irauaI
: Clarke county, Va, is also full OF hstor
| houses Near White Post was GreenWs
Court, where Thomas, the sixth Lord Fairta
, baron of Cameron, lived. In sight Of the rot
is Saratoga, built by Gen. Morgan, the hero
Cowpens, by the aid OF Hessian prisoners, wi
! were told that the country could not afford
feed them unless they worked They bu
y magnificent mansion, whose baths and tou
< talns were unsurpassed. In the vicinity
: Berryville is the old church of Bishop Mead
> which contains the grave OF the brillia
g Phillip Pendleton Cooke, who wrote "E,lt
r ence Vane" He was the brother OF yol
r Esten Cooke, and relative OF John +. &c
nedy, of Maryland. In the old graveyard a
the historic names also OF Page. Randoll
Nelson, Lewis, Pendleton, BurWell, &c. III.
i 4s,o -,t,e BEAUTIFUL SCENERY, .r3ss.y
:. 10 My purpose, however, is not to dwell on
'. past. The active present is too absorbing a
the promising future too allurlng for Ions
lingering with the dead. And then, besid
% we have in all this region nature in Its graz
= est bearing-bue mountains ON both SID
d which meet theclouds overhead shining rive
fair fields, ,blossoming orchards, and the d.
Or cate Verdure of spring to enchant the eye
every turn. The magnificent valley OF
ID Shenandoah and the Pagevalley, into viii
y the upper part is divided by the Massanut
n mountain, afford at every step succession
= delightful surprises. When the early stEe'
: Of dawn flushed the east with crimson aurt
and every blade of grass glistened in de
drops watched the yapor slowly creeping
H. a,