The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-07-06
Destitut,on in Patrick county.

| Destitutlon in Patrick County.
The average reader not familiar with the
history and topography OF the suffering coun-
ty Of Patrick might well ask, Why is it that
| there happens to be so much destitution incur
county while its neighbors are rolling in
wealth and plenty, and why does this wall
| come from Patrick so suddenly and oil at
once? In, the first place, Patricks neighbors
are not rolling in plenty. They, too, have suf-
tered from last years drought, but not 80 Sc
rlously, and then they are favored with better
transportation facilities and were able to bring
from distance supplies necessary to make up
the deficit in last years crops. Patrick county
has lS,30O inhabitants, composed of strictly
agricultural people They always make their
own bread, cure their own wheat, spin, weave,
and make their own clothes in the olden style,
and have ever been a free, independent and
heroic people, hedged in from the outside
world BY the rugged peaks Of the Blue Ridge
Mountains. There is no railroad nearer TO
Patrick than Burned oChimneys, in Henry
county, As miles distant, to which point the
Danville and New River Narrow Guage has
recently been completed. These people have
ever lived in their mountain county almost to
themselves, being entirely independent of the
balance of the world, and having the least
possible intercourse with it. So notorious is
this fact that the county has from time i'm
memorial enjoyed the sobriquet of 1.-THE State
OF Patrick" Theresare no strictly wealthy
people in Patrick, and heretofore but few
really poor were known there. All were we'll
TODD, independent farmers, making ample for
home consumption, and caring for no more.
The crops of Patrick are grain and fruit
Some tobacco is cultivated in certain portions
OF the county. In 1879 the largest grain crop
ever known was raised in this county, and |
everybody had wheat and corn to sell, but |
there were no buyers. Being destitute of
railroad facilities, and the cost of transporta- |
ton by wagon across the mountains being |
mole than the surplus grain would bring when |
taken to market, the people carried over to |
the next year enormous quantities of corn |
wheat, etc. The year 1880 found them with |
nearly enough old grain to carry them through |
the twelve months. They had no way to get |
it to market, and hence there was no induce
ment to the farmer to pitch crop. Can it be
wondered that the people of "The Free State
of Patrick" made the year 1880 kind of holt
day and gave their usual avocations but little
1t is said during that year these people, in
great number of instances, attempted no crop
at all, and yet there was plenty in the land
Then came 1881 with its great drought The
usual large crops were pitched that year, but
the yield did not pay back the seed used in
planting. Why it was that the strip of fertile
land along the mountains which makes Pat
rick county should have been dryer than any
other part of Virginia cannot be explained,
but such is the truth. 1t is a fact, and one
that will never be forgotten by the now wretch
ed and furnishing people, that from the 10Th
day of April, 1881, to the Sd day of October,
Of the same year, there did not fall in the
county enough rain to wet linen duster.-
Nothing like it was ever known In that region
before Streams, springs and wells dried up,
and people had to depend upon the larger
creeks and rivers tor drinking water, and it
became the custom for neighbOrhoods to club
IN, gather up all the barrels, casks, ETC., to be
found, put their teams together and haul wa
ter from the rivers to common rendezvous,
where the participants in the enterprise would
repair for water. These trips to the river
were made once week, and oftener if neces-
sary. Some neighborhoods had to haul water
15 and 20 miles. Some wheat was raised, but
corn withered upon the hill, and even the
stalks and root died. Fruit was a total fail
ure also, and none was saved.
Last fall the Board of Supervisors of the
county purchased quantity of corn to be
sold at prime cost to the needy. Those brave
and heroic people, who had never dreamed of
coming to want, did not relish the idea of be-
coming beggars before world, and they fondly
hoped that with the aid the county govern
ment was offering, they might hold out until
the crops OF this year should be gathered but
they did not know, their own situation, for
such was their pride that neighbOr would
keep from neighbOr lls true condition. But
hunger forced them before the world, and
hence, six weeks ago, when the county treas
ury was exhausted. when it was discoYered
that there was no corn in the county, and
those who had some had divided with those
who had not till all was gone; that 5, 900 men,
women and children were upon the eve of
starvation, and nothing IN the county to feed
them upon-the wall from Patrick which has
gone all over the land was heard. Men were
starving almost before they knew it, A man
With family in one section, not knowing the
extent of the restitution himself, thought he
would economic to the last and try to make ,
out without exposing his poverty, but if he
should come to the bottom of his scanty barrel
he would be as quiet as possible about it and
borrow a little from his neIghbor on the next
section to him. When his bread was all gone
and he started to borrow from his neighbor,
he met that neghbor ON the road with parch- .
ed lips, shrunken cheeks, and hollow eyes, the
very picture of woe and hunger, coming on )
The same errand-to borrow OF him. Thus it
that the county was aroused almost !
in night to q realization of the fact that the
people were starving and there was no bread
TO appease their hunger.
Such in brief is true history of the famine.
The cry for help has been heard by noble peo-
pie everywhere Danyille has contributed
largely, Richmond has taken prompt and Wig
orous action; Lynchburg has contributed, and {
Baltimore, as she always does, has acted nobly.
1t is impossible now to say whether the danger {
is past. There are 5000 or more destitute s
people to be fed until the wheat is harvested.
The last of July. The question, will the wheat |
crop now standing supply the county with /
bread until the standing corn crop is available {
is a debatable and serious question. The sup {
plies which Baltimore and other cities are
sending reach Patrick slowly, as they have to
De hauled by wagons 45 miles.