Smyrna times., 1883-08-15
For the Smyrna II
Trip to Luray Cave.

MR.. EDITORIAL your instance l
will attempt, as l could not possibly
give an adequate one, a description of
my visit to the Luray Caverns. The
route selected was the Baltimore &
Ohio. Leaving Camden station in
Baltimore, in just one hour we were
passing beneath the shadows of the
Nations Capitol, having in full view
this grand building together with sew
eral other of WashingtOn's public build
ings, as we steamed around the city to
take the metropolitan branch of the
B. & o. road. Soon the beautiful city
of magnificent distances was left far
behind as we sped away at 40 mile
per hour gait, and went whirling
through the hills and valleys of Mont
gomery and Frederick Counties, Md.
The country growing more hilly and
the scenery more picturesque as we
approached the Blue Ridge mountains,
till suddenly, as it were, you are at
Harper's Ferry, spot perfectly beau
tiful and romantic. Here the Potomac
having come for miles down through
the hills and valleys of Virginia, was
confronted by the mountains, and, after
seeking fora passage in vain, seems just
to have cut its way through those mas
sive piles of rock, and on the right yoU
have the Maryland Heights and on the
left LoudOn and Bolivar, towering VI
almost perpendicularly above you tt
the height of u or Is hundred feet
Beneath you as you cross over the fin
iron bridge of the B. & o. road rushe
the Potomac over its rocky bed, for tn
river here, as it is both for some dis
tance above and below this point, i
full of both small and huge rocks.
Immediately after you cross the rive
and standing quite near the railroad
\ John Browns fort, the house in whic
he shut himself up and from which b
was captured. A little above and clos
beside the track are the ruins of tn
arsenal. The scenery here at Harper
Ferry is grand beyond description
ic combining as it does the grandeur
mountains, and the wildness an
picturesqueness Of o river dashing Ov'
rocks. Following up the west bank
the Potomac for about seven miles, "
strike the Shenandoah Valley road al
then for 65 miles we ride down throus
this perfectly beautiful valley. Gre
indeed was my surprise to find th
L. road u steel rallied and stone ballast,
,,e one and speed about equal to that
the B. & o. Every foot of tt
ground is historic as connected wi
the civil war. Among the towns pa
ed are Charlestown, West Virgini
Fairfield, Berryville, Ashby, Rivertc
Front Royal (the scene of an engaG
I'd. ment in which Federal General Il
. II, 900 men captured), BentOnville, &
= these places all beingin Virginia. Itw
up this valley that Stonewall Jacks
mads ssme Of his bold flank mOVemep
~ and through here Lee marched on
II retreat from Gettysburg. Harry G
more and Col. Mosby, also heca
quite familiar with this valley, as tt
so often passed through it while
9s some of their bold raids. Twas
this valley that Sheridan made
famous ride to the battle of Winchest
Is, To the eye of the stranger there
now few or no traces of the terri
scenes and effects of the war, Tn
and prosperity are visible on ev
hand. The soil Of this valley is W
derfully fertile. Magnificent fields
corn greet the eye in every directi
They are not SO clean as are our ID
ware fields noticed. Either there
very quick and rank growth of 81
lly and weeds or else they are not as '
Z. and thoroughly cultivated, l think
latter. All along down the vale
saw steam threshers ut work an
Do learned that they use them altoget
ring now. Self-binders are also emplo
,,o,s sss in their harvest fields, As ] pa
,ade along saw more than one syral
: chilled plow at work In stubble fi'
Oh IN Their farms are large and not as
NJ cultivated as are ours, but they N
n,ns fine crops. Their houses are ch
8 the stone there being plenty of thi
:" hand. Occasionally you find fl
houses built in cottage style; The
rna. ant hoHsea are A story and a half
with immense big stone ehimne,
each end outside. Two thinga tha
so OommaA to q Rent County
wareap, | did not see in the ls4
e, from Baltimore TO Luray; a peac
: -, chard and an Usage thorn hedge
one. Small apple orchards were
). quent. The fences are sometimes