Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1883-05-19
From Maryland.
Correspondence Of the Star

OAKLAND, Md, May 10, 1888.
Mr. EDITOR Since bidding adieu
to old "Newtown" my career has been
rather checkered but though sur
rounded by new faces and scenes, my
thoughts will often revert to the men, -
cries that cluster around the spot in
which my boyhood days were spent.
And though its name is changed from
"Newtown" to stephens City" to me
it will eversbe the old Newtown of my
youthful days. l have access to the
STAR through the kindness of my
friend Mr.. Jim feathers, who was for
merly resident of your town, and
we'll known to many readers of your
enterprising paper. take a deep in
terest in the STAR, and have often
contemplated writing an article for its
columns, but through neglect have al
ways failed to do So had the pleas
ure of seeing the first copy of the STAR
printed, and would have subscribed to
| it regularly since its first issue, but
that have led such wandering life
I failed to get the paper regularly
When I locate permanently will re-
new my subscription. So. Mr.. Editor;
1 will briefly describe some of the
towns I have visited since leaving Ste
phens City. Pardon the depression,
but lust here I desire to tender the
editor my warmest congratulations,
and unite with his other friends in
wishing him happy and prosperous
voyage upon the matrimonial sea,
l will first give you brief outline
of my trip, then describe some Of the
towns through which l passed on my
way hither. After fearful (?) fare
we'll to my old friends of Stephens
;, City, my first stopping place was Mar
y tinburg, where l resided a couple of
months. The last mentioned town is
the county seat Of Berkeley, has a
!; MIXED population of 1900, and is sit
. ated on the Winchester turnpike, about
n thirty miles distant from Stephens
City and twenty-five from Winchester.
: Martinsburg is emphatically a railroad
town, and owes its chief Importance
' to being the, terminus of the Cumber-
land Valley Railroad and the centre
of the Baltimore & Ohio. | have been
I informed by citizen of the town that
/ there are between five and six humid
I red men and boys in the employ Of
the Baltimore & Ohio Railrad at Mar
tinsburg. The machine shops alone
afford employment to three hundred
men and boys, Among the business
facilities of Martinsburg are Three
large Touring mills, and very capa
cious whiskey distillery which turn
out hundreds of barrels of rum daily
! An aged citizen of the town informed
me that Martinsburg came within on
vote of being the capital Of West Vir
ginia. Wheeling procured the vot
necessary to give her majority o
one, by bribery. At the Southwestern
corner of the town there is negr
settlem ant called Africa. The pro
rn auctions of Africa are negro childre
and goats. The peculiar organization
of Africa is the hook and ladde
y company" The ladder is used t
climb the trees when the darkey hook
- the chickens. Martinsburg contain
many churches. The Catholics al
II the most numerous seot-numberin
about fifteen hundred. The Norther
Methodists and Presbyterians are ais
very strong In the town there al
n four public school buildings, each b
y, ing graded and containing sewers
apartments. Every school has ma
principal, with male and female a
sistants. In another letter / will d
scribe other towns l have lately vi
of tied. ANXIOUS,