Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-10-02
For the SPECTATOR.
A Trip TO the Near West.


The fact of eating breakfast one morn
ING here in Staunton, and breakfast the
next morning in Cambridge City, Ind,
distance of almost 700 miles by rail, is sug
gestive of pretty rapid travelling. But
when it is considered that the first hundred
and twenty-six miles of the route chosen
lies in a northeastern, instead of a western
direction, and, at the same time, taking in
the account the many curves there are in
the first half of the journey through the
mountains, only awaiting time to be straight
ened, and when it is further considered,
what vast Improvements in engineering and
the running of trains generally are con-
stantly being made, we are prone to be-
ieve that the day is not far distant when
the traveller, starting from Staunton in
early morning and going West, will sup in
Indianapolis, fifty miles farther off than
Cambridge City. Thirty four years ago,
the father of the writer of these lines emf
grated with his family, save q, from the
Valley Virginia to Wayne county, Ind.
They were just four weeks on the road
The object of our recent trip was to visit
these absent ones, whom we had not seen
in all the long years of that period of time.
A generation since last we parted had come
and gone. Not one of either party could
in'anywise recognize the other.
We only knew each Other because we
believed that we were members of the same
old household. Even our pictures taken
in other days Immediately after our separa-
ton, failed to bring back any feature of
supposed former resemblance. We each
realized the indescribable paradoxical feel
ing of being in our own home, strangers to
one another
As this was the first trip beyond the con-
fines of our native State, and being natu-
rally little inquisitive, we concluded to
note down, as jottings by the way, some
things for future thought and reference,
and for which, Mr.. Editor, we now ask
space in the SPECTATOR.
The first thing that strikes Virginian
on reaching Indiana is the wide difference
in the cost aud labor of farming that level
country compared with that of tilIing the
soil, among the hills and rocks of Virginia.
Indeed, farming in Indiana to a Virginian
ems to be a sort of cheap, lazy business;
and as there is no washing away of the soil
in that country of no hills, land out there
once enriched remains productive much
longer than it does here. So the wonder is
that the Western farmer is not richer, and
the Eastern one poorer than he really is.
In the item of roads there is, if possible,
a greater disparity in favor of the West
against the East Six miles per hour for
the lighter vehicles is less burdensome to
the Hoosier rider and beast than running
the same wheels over our rough, steep roads
are to us and horse at three miles per hour.
The Wayne county farmer, delivering his
grain to market, considers his two-horse
team moderately loaded when drawing rs
bushels of wheat. We know that here in
Augusta the t9amster considers himself
fortunate when, starting with an equal
load, he succeeds in reaching the nearest
depot, pulling his line and cracking his
whip over his six stout, Virginia roadsters.
Another striking thing to be observed in
the near West is the number, neatness, and
comfort of the country schOol-houses, and
the finer ones belonging to the larger towns
and cities. The school-building in Cam
bridge ci Y, town of some 5 600 inhabi-
tants, would be creditable to any people of
any educational pretensons. 1t is said In
diana has the largest school fund ever con-
tnbuted by people for public school pur-
poses; hence the pay of her teachers is far
more adequate than it is here with US, and,
as a consequence, much of her best talent
is found amongst the professional teachers,
and her schools deserved1y rank among the
very best in our whole country. In the
palmiest days of Grecian and Roman great
ness and glory, when the solid virtues of
their civilization and classical learning
made all other lands barbaric, we read of
no general or public system of instruction.
At the feet of their sage philosophers, un-
der their own groves, in their own soft
cimes, the youths and maidens of that day
sat and drank in the genius which gave to
mankind in after days the splendid trophies
of their own wonderful age. But marked
feature in the new era which has dawned
upon the nations of the earth, and one
which is to work out mighty revolution
among the races and governments of mod
ern times, is the education of the masses
of the people. Indiana is conspicuously
prominent in the education Of her neOple,
and the uncommon facilities she offers to
her sons and daughters for the acquisition
of knowledge, must soon erase illiteracy
from her borders.
Tie thrifty, neat, regularly laid out,
wide street, and handsomely shaded towns,
are objects of interest to all who see them.
Indianapolis looks more like park than
the metropolis of a great State. The State
house, just fairly begun, built of stone
from her own native quarries, and estimated
to cost when finished upwards of five mil
lions of dollars in size and splendor ex-
ceeds any work of art that we ever beheld.
1t is worth the time and expense of a trip
to see it. But perhaps the highest praise
we can bestow is, that when completed it
must long remain the peer of any struc-
ture in the United States. Any attempt to
describe its immense proportions, or the
wonderful design of its architecture, would
far transcend the limits assigned to this
brief article. We first got sight OF it by
moonlight, aud we thought of the Colo
scum of Rome, the temple at Thebes on the
Nile, and other vast ruins of the far-famed
East ern world OF the past.
We doubt whether the sun shines upon
quieter, prettier town than Dublin, Ind. A
tortnight's stay in the lovely little place
cOnvinces us of the truth of what we have
lust said. 1t is made up mainly of retired
ia mers, largely of Quaker persuasion, and
when the curtain of nis hit falls over it, the
lights are early extinguished, and the still
ness of country farm house prevails all
around. With no noisy rumbling of carts
and drays over stony pavements; with no
drinking saloons or theatres to lure the
young from their own thresholds its thir-
teen hundred popula ion may well excite
the envy of many sister places, which are,
by no means, so highly favored. Between
It's wide, we'll paved streets, crossing each
other at right angles, all splendidly shaded,
can be en- more barns, straw stacks
COWS, horses, and wagons, than is often
met with here in passing over copsidera-
BILE section of country
Strange to say, in this farmer town, con-
tanning such highly combustible material,
having no hose engine, or organized cOmpa-
ny, fires seldom occur, and Notwithstanding
the number of horses and cattle, hogs ex-
cepted, it is difficult to conceive of neater,
cleanlier town.
A Virginian naturally believes that he
lives in the healthiest climate on the globe.
1t is claimed that our bracing mountain air
and pure water are unsurpassed by those of
any other country The truth is, were it
not for our sudden and frequent changes of
temperature this part, at least, of Virginia
could boast of as fine climate as is found
apuubarp