The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-04-06
A Run over the s. v. r. r.


Reported for the yIRGINIAN.]
About one year ago the first engine Of thu
iS v. R. R. screamed in the ears of the people
of Waynesboro. The track had been finished
from Hagerstown, and the iron band which II
to more closely bind the section north OF the
Potomac with that south of it, had been more
than halt completed. To-day the iron horse is
tearing along south of Waynesboro to point
Is or Is miles, and the obstacles that inter
vene between that point and Roanoke city are
fast melting away. So fast, in fact, that before
the "harvest moon" there will be an unbroken
line spanning across the country from Hagers-
town, distance of considerably more than
| 1000 miles,
No party of rai-roaders ever engaged in the
construction OF road with as little noise and
blow as this company has done. So noseless-
ly have they worked their way, that the whis-
tie of the engine startled the people liv-
ing near the line before they were aware that
work had fairly begun on the road.
The writer had the pleasure, a short time
since, of taking a ride from Waynesboro to
agerstown-leaving Waynesboro at 6.15 a.
M and reaching Hagerstown at 1890 a. M, in
what would be called by those who travel, the
| best kind of time.
The track is of the best steel rails, resting
on heavy ties and heavily ballasted. There
are none of those c0ld-60oded curves, so fire.
quent on other roads, to make ones hair
stand on end as you whip around them. For
do at
as an arrow, while the country on either side
seems to be whirling around to get in the rear
as fast as possible, and trees, fences, houses,
cattle and horses appear and vanish IN such
rapid succession that they seem to be leaving
some mountain distillery full of apple-jack and
| happiness, regardless as to the direction, but
intent on making time. The s. V. K. K. has
done for the country through which it passes
what nothing else could ever haye done. Those
parts of the route that had heretofore been
hum drumming along in quiet way, put on
new life and villages sprung up into the di-
mansions of towns, and towns are fast becom-
ing cities, and, what was once waste, howl
ing wilderness, is beginning to TEEN with life
and business.
Before the building Of this great road there
were thousands of acres oftimber standing and
awaiting invitingly the lumberman. Now the
hum of the saw reaches you while the train is
stopping, and huge stacks of the finest lumber
piled high on either side greet u.s. At one place
you see number of sheds each several hun
dred feet long, the floors of which are covered
with piles of Notwithstanding dirt. This is
ochre. 1t is being dried. 1t will be shipped
to the paint factories as soon as dry. II was
of no use until the railroad put it in reach of a
market, and now it is pouring a fortune into
the pocket of the lucky owner of the deposit.
At Luray is to be seen the beautiful hotel of
the company. 1t has been described hereto
fore and as nearly every body will visit the
CAvERNs this summer I shall let them form
their own opinions of both hotel and CAV
ERNs.
Here too, is an immense tannery. 1t is more
than immense. There are SO many houses de-
voted to the storage of bark, and there are so
many high stacks of bark in these houses that
one must wonder where on earth 1t all comes
from. would judge that there are not less
than 1000 cords of bark in these sheds. Since
this road has been opened parties from the
north have bounced down and are taking
away on nearly every freight train thousands
of spokes. In short time they send them
blackstone only reduced to shape, others fit
ted in wheels and others still filling their prop
er places in wagons, drills and buggies
The hoop pole trade has been put ON pay
ing footing and hundreds of the people along
the route find employment in getting them
out. From the length of those seen along the
line I surmise they are intended for the Louis
lana and West India market.
The road for the most part, passes through
fine farming section, with minerals at inter-
walls along the whole route The Crimora
Manganese Company near Waynesboro, up to
the time of the death Of Capt w. A. Donald,
contributed largely to the treightage. The
Shenandoah Iron Works are in full blast and
find ready means of transportation for their
products by this road.
From Waynesbero to Riverton the road fol-
lows the Shenandoah South river to Port
Republc) river. The scenery is just such as
puts the appreciative traveller into ecstasies
There is perfect feast for the eye fiom on e
end of the route to the other Here you glide
through dark piney forests with clinging vines
and hoary MOSES all around you and now you
emerge into open day and gaze with delight on
field and farm.
Next you see hundred feet below you the
silvery mountain brooklet, and moment
more the broad waters of the Shenandoah,
ocean. Now you pass the log hut of some sa-
BILE citizen and see the grinning faces of half
dozen poorly clad little negroes eagerly
watching the train as it passes by, a moment
more, and you are whirling past the stately
mansion of one of the F. F. VS. with broad
acres spread around it and carriage drawn up
in front. To your left, looming up until its
summit kisses the clouds, is the Massanutten,
at the foot of which the gallant Ashby gave
up his life You see great many points on this
road where twenty years ago blue met gray in
deadly conflict. The most prominent battle
grounds are Port Republic, Charlestown and
Antetam. The battle monument at Antietam
is plainly visible from the car window.
There is great future in store for the
s. V.R r.
The immense water-poWer will attract the
attention of manufacturers as soon as the road
is opened through to Roanoke and the cotton
of the South begins to find its way over 1t.
Cotton factories will spring up and the hum of
the spindle will soon be familiar sound to cur
people.
Frem Waynesboro far towards the South,
the mountains are filled with the finest iron
ores Already the owners of the many fur
mace sites along the base of the Blue Ridge
are preparing for operations.
Nowhere is, there country so peculiarly
fitted for as many kinds of business as the
section through which this road passes. Look
at it +! Water-power sufficient for any purpose,
inexhaustible supplies of the finest beds of
oche, the mountains covered with forests of
all kinds of trees known to this country.
boundless ranges for sheep and cattle, uuarries
OF the finest lime and sandstone, there on
one side of the road, while on the other from
from end to end, is a country remarkable for
its adaptability to the grains of all kinds, hav.
vegetables, fruits, &c. SC. How then is it DOS
sible that this shall not be great manufac-
turing country with all this raw material, and
supplies right at the doors of the factories for