The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-11-08

wheel OF progress. llldt tilt ludJoiits NOW
not vet learned that she is not trying TO
push alongside of the wheel horses and has
an eye ont for a good place down the ROAD
in which to crowd. out the leader and run
in ahead. She has looked to the North and
West for the big displays which cost time,
and energy, and courage, and cash, just as
she did for her supply of hog and hominy
and the suggestion that shescould raise
her own bread and bacon was Fat first
thought as preposterous as was the idea that
Louisville could get up asuccessful EXPOSE
ton one in which each and every Southern
State should have an opportunity to adj
vertise her resources by a liberal display of
her products.
Several of the States evidently never aid
get their faith cultivated to that point
where good work commence. for Texas,
louisiana, Georgia and the two .Carolinas
have no Statelexhibit, and Several of the
others would have been us bad off if the
railroads had not given their attention to
the business and Virginia is one.
There are lots. people in this funny
world who wouldit hinksthey are going to
die should so strange IL thing happen as
that they should recognize an opportunity
to better their condition and take advan-
tage of it before it went to seed.
EXTENT OF THE BUILDINGS.
The main building is 900X600 feet and
4 Ia inf Of I'm al1i-
ton there are many anneXes, that
for mill machinery alone being 4O0x75
feet in dimensions On the sollth-side
is Il farm of seven acres where are
growing many things peculiar to the South,
cotton cane, rice. tobacco, etc. On the
north side is an extensive park, which,
though private property, is thrown open
to the public, and adds greatly to the en-
joyment of the visitors.
MACHINERY HALL.
In this department more than any other,
the Exposition assumed national char
acter, for manufacturers from many
States. East and West have sent their ma
chnery for exhibition, much of it of such
a character that it conld only be brought
at aheayy outlay of money. One wonders
where the recompense is to come from
until look is taken at the order-books of
the various, companies, when the long lists
of sales made demonstrate that the profit
column will largely overbalance the ex-
pense, to say nothing OF the new market
created.
tits claimed that the. exhibit of ma
chinery at the Centennial did not equal
that here, and with truth. no doubt, for
the improvements and new inventions
made since 1876 are altogether more nu-
merous than in any other similar period.
1t would be easier to tell what is not than
what is here. In mill machinery every
kind is represented, saw, grist, sugar,
wooden, cotton, ETC., etc. Experienced
persons from eastern mills are in charge
of the cotton department, and the visitor
can follow the cotton from it's boil through
the various processes Of ginning, spinning
and weaving into cloth. So, too, with the
wool5 it only lacks the shearing of the
sheep to make the process complete. The
wool is cieansed, dyed, carded, spun and
woven. Brick-making after the most ap-
proved methods; electrotyping, steoreo-
tipping and printing processes are shown
the uses of various agricultural imple-
ments are demonstrated practicaly-an
SO on through list to see which should
occupy at least three days time. Looking
at the array of labor-saving machinery for
i the farms, and the shops, and the mills,
one wonders when some genius, will arise
! and give to the world an invention which
shall tighten labor in the kitchen some
thing that will make cooking and cleaning,
darning and patching less tedious and
! wearing. Perhaps the wisest way would
be to discover some plan by which eating
could be dispensed with.
! The farmers of the North and West are
entirely at home among the planters, reap
ers, mowers and harvesters. but when they
come to the implements for plantation
work they look wise, guess all around
| their names and uses, and then ask some
| Oll6. lCfloCCCID. oNCCPClE
and scooters are strangers to them.
A year ago, in one Of the Northern
counties of Tennessee. saw men at work
| upon road and using for a scraper boards
to which straight sticks were nailed fol
handles 1t required the combined efforts
of two men and mule to operate it, AND
with very poor results for labor expended
The further South one goes the poorer the
agricultural implements one finds in use
especially among the poorer men, who
work small, back places. Large numbers
of these have visited the Exposition, and
! with wide-eyed wonder. have seen the ma
chinery at work which ''jess takes an does
the work nigh about better'n man his
| SELF
just here let me say if the Exposition
accomplishes nothing more, it's value as
an educator of the people is worth all it
has cost. 1t has given many man some
thing to think about who never had an
idea above his dogs and gun, his corn and
cotton patch, his hog and the price of
tobacco. The horizon bounded his world
and his ambition never overran the boun-
DIARIES, and as self satisfaction and conceit
| thrive better on Ignorance than on any
other diet, such people have to get the
hard knocks from contact with new peo-
pie and new ideas before the light can
penetrate the narrow groove in which
their minds travel. always thought the
incubation of the precept: Learn in
whatsoever state thou art herewith to be
content y u mistake. Content is what is
running lots Of people. Make the best Of
your circumstances by all means, and
don't grumble if your surroundings don't
suit. Set about, instead, to improve
them climb reach up crowd your way
towards the higher levels improve your
self mentally and spiritually as well as
materially. A fat bank account and al
empty head and hard heart are poor things
to carry about one-especially when thu
"black camel, DEATH" kneels at the gait
and calls fol- you.
TIE STATE PLAYS.-FLORIDA's EXHIBIT
attracts the most 1attention, probably be
4 cause it contains so many. tropical plants
and fruits. Up to the last. of September
this booth seemed very;bare but several car
loads were added at that time. crowdine