The Press., 1884-06-12
JOURNEYINGS IN THE VIRGINiAS AND
 KENTUCKY.


 The fourth of party of editorial excur- sianists for the south left Boston on the af- ternoon of May 14th by the steamer Ale ghany of the Merchants and Miners line. These parties, made up chiefly from East ern Massachusetts, Name and New Hamp- shire, had been invited by this line, in connection with various railroads radIat- ing from Norfolk, Va., to visit the south the trip. This fourth and last party had chosen to avail of tue courtesies offered by that vigorous young trunk line, the Chesa- peake aud Ohio railroad
 The departure from Boston was pleas ant, with skies and breezes all favorable for enjoyment. As evening came clouds of threatening fog led to the "outer course," to avoid the Nantucket shoals, aud making sail of sixty miles further out into the broad ocean. The conse- quences of the monotonous swells and the rocking motion communicated by them to the steamer was a gradual retiring of pas sengers to their state rooms, and a thin at- tendance and light appetites at supper, and the effects did not wholly disappear next day. although by evening most had recovered, and at supper time due atten- ton was given to the excellent spread pro- vided
 Friday was a most delightful day, and everybody was keen iii its enjoyment. As the coast line was neared in the afternoon, the solitude of ocean was broken by the frequent sighting of other craft. Lazy porpoises rolled about the vessel, and twice large whales were kind enough to come into good view. It was about six p. m. when the steamer passed Old Point Comfort, with its opposites-the repelling l of FortraSS nd hn aspect of the elegant and immense Hygeia Hotel-passed on over that historic water of Hampton Roads, and down the little bay, at the head of which nestles the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth, which were approached in the bright gleam of electric lights. At the latter city the night was passed-at the Atlantis Hotel, de- cidedly the best constructed aud the best kept hotel encountered by the party iu it's travels-a house that would dc credit to any city. ..
 Norfolk is pretty city, brisk with busi- ness, being great cotton center as well as shipping point, for various southern products. Its harbor .is large, deep, and the navies of the world could find shelter and security, as we'll as ample room in the
 waters of Hampton Roads. Several lines of railway from the south center at Nor fold. The ground it stands on is unfortu- nately low, difficult of drainage, and much needs to be done to assure 1t against visi- tation of epidemics
 Saturday morning came an early break fast, and then a ride to Newport News on
 one of the elegant bay steamers. The party were now under escort of Capt.
 Dame of the c. & O. road, whose cheerful
 face was an instant re commend to the par
 ty, longer acquaintance deepening the
 kind regard which the entire party felt for
 him at the start.
 Before leaving the steamer the excur-
 sionists chose as its chairman c. c. Chase
 of the Lowell Times, elder in years than
 any other, but than whom none were more companionable, intelligent and social de- cidedly the popular man of the party. As
 managing committee it selected Capt. W.
 B. Sears of the Brookline (Mass. Times,
 and Hon. w. M. Rust of the Belfast (Me) ) Progressive Age. Through all its journey lngs 1t passed quietly along, coveting 10
 attentions, attending strictly to sight sec f ing, and asking no favors from hotels, sav- ing such discounts as its number as an ex- , cursion party entitled it to. It received , courteous attention everywhere, but was in no sense ''junketing" expedition, the
 announcement of its arrival in the public
 prints being generally simultaneous with } those ofits departure. 3 Saturday was given to the inspection of , Newport News and Old Point Comfort,
 the former being the real eastern terminus 7 of the c. O. railroad, although a recent 5 ; extension, chiefly for pleasure travel, car- 7 ries it to the latter point. t.---.----
 The Chesapeake and Ohio road is real factor of prosperity in the. new south, be- l ing a consolidation of old'roads, perfected l by the construction of new sections, until 1t IS now continuous road with western } termlnii at Lexington, Ky, and at Gin clnnati, O., and, as said before, extending , east to Newport News. It is also part , of system of roads reaching to the , Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico. It runs , express trains with palace cars, hav- t ing connections with all western points. The country through which it passes, with
 it's rich resources in agricultural and min- ing products, will be described later on. 5 Newport News Is as yet chiefly a city on paper. The Old Dominion Land Compa- F ny, which is largely made up of those in- terested in the c. X O. road, have pur- chased an immense tract of land, and have ] erected the Hotel Warwick, finished and s furnished in almost regal style, and with } land extending from it's front to the beach : reserved for grand park. The location = Is slightly, and from the roof of the house I can> De seen one OI the most aGtfaCUlVo r marine views, including the ''Roads, '' : Norfolk bay and city, James river, and l. Old Point Comfort. Just in front of the t house is the scene of the great naval fight
 between the Merrimac and Monitor. The - beach is fine for bathing, and the grounds s are romantic in the extreme, art having 0 materially assisted nature in its develop e ments. The c. X O. road terminates near !. by, at docks where the largest vessels . afoat can lie. Nearby is one of the largest s grain elevators in America, having Q stor- l. age capacity of a million and a half of V bushels.
 : Newport News is destined to become 8 l. great city. The day was devoted to this t place and to the attractions of Old Point
 Comfort, to which place the party was
 conveyed in special train. Here an in.
 spection of Fortress Monroe and dinner g at the Hygeia filled the time until p. m. fl when the journey by rail was again taken
 up, and in the early evening was reached , the welcome shelter of the Exchange-Ba e lard Hotel at Richmond The country v east of Richmond is not particularly at l tractive. The farms are poorly titled, and
 generally by negroes. It is common to sec ' single steer yoked to a blow or cart. " These animals are usually small and light 1t work are kept to a trotting gait by the ap t DlicatiOn of a pOad If is evident that there