Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-12-31
THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION
VIRGINIA INTEREST.

| 1t is to be regretted that Virginia so rich in
her varied resources, will not make the show al
New Orleans which might SO easily have beer
| accomplished. so far as the mineral exhibit
goes, whilst not as full 81 an effort in some sec
| lions would have made 1t, yet the amount and
| variety will give fair knowledge of the kinds
and extent of the deposits Astounding in all
quarters ofthe State.
Major Hotchkiss has returned from New Or
leans for few days, and from him much In.
formation can bs OBJ tanned bearing upon the
general features Of the exhibition as well as the
departments in which our State has an inter
est. The published accounts say that there are
six thousand exhibitors. 1t is hardly to be sup
posed that with such a vast number of interests
and the fact that IL Ia the largest display Of the
kind the world ever knew, that the whole ma
chinery should work smoothly, especially in
the commencement The Director General hai
the benefit OF an advisory board, II 1t may be sc
termed, composed of representative from
each State a nd territory.
Virginia has good location; for her nearest
neighbois. North Carolina. Maryland, West
Virginia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The
State in the arrangement OF Its display has its
grand divisions dednitey lined and It's exhibits
in the same order. The ten splendid maps pre-
pared by Maj. Hotchkiss show on parallelo-
am.
In reference to our own section. the Vesuvius
Iron ore beds has the largest specimen in one
block. The Pocahontas Coal mine has the
| highest shaft of coal, twelve feei, represent
ing the thickness ofthe strata from which 1t
| was taken. and we think II is the thickesl
know n to exist Augusta and Rock ,2idga each
| have about eighty different spscinejs-sf iron
ole. Professor Fontaine of the Virginia Uni
versity, sends full Representations, as does
Professor Campbell, of Washington and Lee. OF
their large cabinsts. The Efforts set on foot to
| secure from Virginia all that would be valua-
| able are not yet exhausted, and more minerals,
and samples of different woods are going for
| ward. The cypress and other valuable kinde
from the Dismal Swamp and from the South
west and other section Of the State are still be-
ing collected for the ambition. Botstourt will
| % we'll represented i'll her fine red cedar
growth.
The minerals II ON Virginia have been obtain
ed from aboutfifteen hundred different deposits
and in iron manganese China clay, &C., &C.
will give the old Stats very good send off.
| The State has not done herself credit in the
| small display made Of evidences Of her fine
| agricultural resources No section rsiaee bet
| ter wheat and hay or corn and other cereals es
| EQUALITY, but in this important department the
| exhibit is not worthy of her products. It's NOT
| too late yet. We urged some OF our grain and
hay producers months ago to respond. and If
| they will now. send specimens of cereals, hay,
| fruit. &C., We think they will excel many and
equal the finest which are there from the West
ern Statesmen even fearing competition with
| Nebraska in her grand Pagoda OF corn. In re-
ference to apples, Notwithstanding the last sea
| son was not good one, yet we can go to fifty
| or more farms in Augusta and along our
| eastern mountains and obtain samples Of the
| dnest kinds which grow on the continent and
yet the world OF strangers who will be at New
| Orleans will never know it. We will leave the
| Western States, in some of whish, thirty years
go an apple tree did not exist, to boar off tho
victory. Notwithstanding the Greater has bless
ed us with the finest fruitproducing belt Of
| country known in the United States.
| The Miller School OF Albemarlc, deserve sps-
clal recognition for the display and handsome
| arrangement in its makeup OF the native
| woods of that county which that Institution
| contributes.
All this collection becomes The property of
| she State, and will be returned to Richmond
and will form the basis of large cabinet which
It is hoped will soon be collected.