Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1883-08-30
The Shenandoah EaNep.


ands4h Valley Railroad. We lave only
room for few paragraphs
Taking Roanoke as the starting point,
eastward. We pass Port Republic and Cross
Keys. the famous bat.lc.ieids Of jackson in
his almost unrivalled Valley campaign (;
the Luray Cavern; ChGlestown, where
John Brown was tried, convicted, and exc
cu;ed tie battlefield Of Antietam, where
Lee and McC!eiiaG struggled in one OF the
6eryest battles at thc civil war, and other
points Of historic interest that give charm
10 ibis route, in addition to is unsurpassed
ioveliaesS rs q farming region. But no part
OF tas beautiful section exceeds IN fertility
or social rcinemcat or elegance, our own
native county Of Jefferson, which many OF
is sons have been won't to speak OF as " the
garden spot Of Virginia nov, unhapPiiy
divorced from the motherState, and illegal
lv made. against the viii OF her people, g
portion OF West Virginia.
The Shenandoah Valley Road Is iirst-class
IN al It's appointments With the exccp-
zion 81 the unusual amount OF trcstle work
thst had q be c0cS:rCc.cd &c span the short,
deeD valleys So often crossed, TALL OF which
wi. BE- filled up with solid earth, in due
time, We supposed, the roadbed is firm, and
they made fne time, lettering but little at
2uy Of the stations. In ills respect, We
were reminded forcibly Of the similarity OF
management with the English railroads,
where "the GnarJl' holds travellers on the
q',i r:re ut al stopping places and the
Driver keeps his engine up to her mettie.
A we were Nhiring along the upper
Shenandoah. at the rate OF thirty miles 81
hour. We could bat recall the TINE when the
farmers Of that region constructed llt boats
AZ 8 cost Of SIS 10 $50. in which tfcy trans
uort,i their -four down The Shenandoah to
Harpar's Ferry ard there sold these boats
t95 Ave or sik doilars-only what the lum-
Der would command. Many time have
vc. ia ouT youth, seen the SHENANDOAH ~
Harpefs Ferry, floating away hundreds Of
S5.s o.; A3uT, that had 5ecl ,urncd loose on
- .--3c1cE rs water, by the breaking OF
those Gra., boats, that were built only for q
temporary purpose, Gnd served their end
when ;hey made one trip 20 the confluence
81 the Shenandoah With the Potomac. And
the cattle irOm that abounding region, were
frivca oa foot 90 Baltimore, through the
zap Of the Blue Ridge III IIarper's Ferry.
How different from what we saw on our re-
turn trip near liray with two engines cou-
pied to train u thirty-nine loaded stock
ears; all being borne eastward to feed those
who were cur enemies IL war. What 4
change
IN his LAID nov smiling with plenty, we
obs rived many new and beautiful barns,
tor which the owners of the soil are doubt
less indebted, in one sense to Phil. Sheridan,
who burned all their old ones. This is all
The evidence that now remains in that fair
and lovely land, of the devastation once
e,roJgh; hy he famous Barn burner Of
The I alley" May it never have recur-
renee OF such experience.
Ri ;uruiug from Maryland, we sojoUrned
a day AID night at poor ruined Hsrper's
Ferry, where so many of our early years
were spent. and met q large excursion party
from PlttsbCrg GA their Way TO Fortress
Monroe.
The Coyeramcn. ought 70 re-establish
,he armory 40 HarPcr's Ferry; and we
.hinS it likely that ii that town were still q
portion ofol0 Virginia, sufficient Influence
could bee brought to bear on the part Of this
STATE to insure that result, under u Demo-
crstic Administration. There is but one
National Armory now, that ct Springfield,
Mass. which is without water-power, and
costs the Government $50 % a dry g run
iL" machinery 10y sleam-tkc coal being
carried from Cumberland Nd, over the
very ground where some ot tho atmory
buildings at Harpcrs Ferry are locsted,
AID where the vast water power which tie
Government owns At that point Is wholly
wasted. As long, however, rs sectional
rasty remains in power whose chlet object
Is 90 enrich the North by the tariff and
otherwise, at the expense of the South, this
old Virginia town can hope for nothing
from the g2jcr1N government"
As-CaariostoNn. the shire town OF lciicr-
son county was included in our route home
ward. we took tie b. & O, train a. Ha'pc-'S
Ferry. travelling with 2n old ccniuc.or who
has been on that line tor thiT.y-Iiye or forty
years From the scene of John Brown ;
memorial exploit at Harper Perry, TO the
place of Gis eXi, from the world, the DIS
inc5 is just eight miles. We visited TIE
locality where this misguided fanatic, the
ar.4t courier If the great civil war, cXPiatcd
ais crime GA the scalold; bat it WIS 10
ray Our respects % the dear old lady who
was tie bridesmaid and lifelong friend OF
hey from whom we derived our being. We
were informed that there are many Northern
pilgrims TO this, 90 thcml hal!owed spot.
Andrew Hunter, Esq, the lamou' Old Wing
orator. who prosecuted John Brown, is stiii
living here i'm Dis Slst wear. lie = cousin
Of tse infamous Gen. Hunter who came so
n.ar Iynchbu1g during the war, and treat
"a his cousin Andrew rs he did many other
patriotic Nirginians, by burning them out
Of house anl horne Bus the mansion has
been restored, and we spent pleasant hour
or two with our old friend, is hosPitable
owner whose mind is us clear asst ever vas,
and who still mauitcsts . warm interest IN
cHrrer, etyuts
knoiher old friend, the NeStor Of the Viz
cinia press. claimed our attention, rs well
rs sympathy, in Ills suffering, and therefore
we could 40. fail to pay visit to the sick
chamber OF II. n. Gallahcr, of the Free
Press. The meeting was tender as became
the occasion, fos, in his 18th year, the old
getcfan is ca.my awaiting the summons TO
another and better world We parted, 70
meet not again until bo,h shall have passed
ihe bourne whence none return
Tho complicated diseases brought on by
.,,+,,,.., sem .ly fh,ftrht rara ovViptv qfc