Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1884-02-02
LETTER FROM VIRGINIA.
PETERSBURG, Va, Jan. &c, 1884.

SoutDslde Virginia may prove VI iuleIesL
to some of your readers, particularly as
some of them spent the last year OF the
struggle between the sections In this
locality. Petersburg is in the county OF
Dinwidde, on the south bank Of the APP
pomattox River. The city is situated on
rolling ground, sloping to the river, at
fording beautiful building sites. The
most Of the streets are paved, and, except
the business portions, are well shaded
with handsome maple, horse chestnut and
magnolia trees. The residences are SUBJ
stantially built, and usually at some dis
lance back from the streets, with attract
i've yards, ornamentcd with flowers,
shrubs, magnolia, sc. Two parks add TO
the attractions of the place, and shell
road is talked of for fast driving. Peters
burg has Il population OF $4,000, and is
contiguous TO Il fine agricultural country,
in which the crops cultivated are more
varied than in The same extent of territory
in any other part of the United States.
Corn, wheat, rye, oats, cotton ana peanuts
are raised in large quantities around the
city, and find an excellent market here.
1t is no uncommon sight to enter COM
mission house and find from $4,000 to
$40, 900 worth of peanuts on hand. Buyers
arc constantly here from the North. Aside
from this country, rich in its products,
Petersburg is on navigable stream. The
Government, supplcmenting the work
done by expenditures from the city, has
improved the channel of the river By con-
structing jetties and dredging, until
navigable channel has been obtained of
twelve feet depth. The result is good
larbor. Some of the longest railroad lines
in the State pass through our city, con-
meeting us with the North, South, East
and West. Our mail facilities are excel
lent; the Baltimore papers reach US ut
l2.2G, and the New York papers at 1856.
The school facilities of Petersburg arc I'M
equaled anywhere. we have two public
libraries, containing over 1000 volumes
of choice books. Almost any evening you
can find from 30 to 100 young men, and
even boys from II to 10 years of age, por
ing over books and magazines instead Of
spending their time loatlng or roaming
around. | note here pleasant feature
that speaks volumes for the parents of
these boys and young men--they all go
home early, about S O'Clock. They tell
me they find home the most attractive
place. The hospitality of this place is
proverbial; indeed | Lave never been in
any city where there was more genuine
old Virginia hospitality than here. The
morals of our people arc good. We have
over thirty churches, which are well sus-
tanned. Nearly one-third Of our popula-
ton are communicates.
Business in all branches is fair. Our
merchants had very successful year No
failure of any consequence has occurred
here since 1873. We have 4 number OF
cotton and tobacco factories here; some OF
the tobacco factories work us many as 800
hands. Some of the factories work eX-
clusively for foreign trade. The grades
and brands are varied and stand well.
Several Government contracts for the
Army, Navy and Indians have been filled
here recently. Three of the largest to-
baoco factories are at present closed Oh
account of strike. About 900 hands
are out of employment. 1t is thought
they will open up again on tho lst OF Feb
ruary. Our cotton factories are running
OH full time. They make an excellent
quality of cotton.
We have two daily and two weekly pa
pers, which are we'll sustained. The fol-
lowing notice appeared in Tuesdays
paper: GA meeting of the Chamber of
Commerce is called for this afternoon ut
l6i. o'clock III the rooms of the Y. NJ. c.
a." ''To-nights entertainment ut 20
O'Clock" What would your average cit
lien think if The REGISTER should make
such an announcement rs this: "Preach-
ing tonight at 49, O'clock" The new
system is in use OH the Coast Line, and
gives satisfaction from Boston to Florida.
Don't think il will ever come into general
use in our generation.
But my letter has grown longer than l
intenGed, and yet it don't seem complete
without word about our climate and the
weather. We have had some very cold
weather this winter and several SHOWS,
but not such weather and SHOWS as have
afflicted YOU. | think we had three days
of slcishing, and then it was all gone.
| SAW hyacinths plucked from the yard
Wednesday. There are some people here
from the North spending the winter.
They like our climate better than farther
South. But lest trespass upon your read
ers, I'll stop. Yours occasionally,
Il