The Press., 1884-06-26
Issued Every Thursday Evening.
JOURNEYINGS. IN THE VIRGINIAS AND
 KENTUCKY.
THIRD PAPER.

ing of May 2lst, taking rapid express train which arrived at Lexington, Ky, not far from p. m. The scenery now was of tanner but scarcely less interesting descrip tion For fifty miles we continued to run beside the Kanawha river, now placid navigable stream The numerous coal mines west of the falls discharge their coai upon river boats as we'll us upon the cars, but their western market being very limit ed (the west having its own coal mlnes) the bulk of the produce goes eastward by rail- Charleston, the newly established capitol of West Virginia, IS pretty little city, ly- l ing on both sides of the Kanawha. At Huntington we came into view of the Ohio river, and of the Buckeye state beyond, crossing the Big Sandy enter Kentucky, and part company with the larger river.
 which then bears to the north, but we have seen along its banks startling evi- dence of the damage done by tn flood of
 the early spring. The run through Ken
 lucky is at the first monotonous. Great limestone lodges vary the ordinary view of fairly good tillage land, and occasionally
 we see great caverns worn in these rocks
 by the action of water, "pot holes" and
 other evidences that these lodges were
 coast marks ill the long ago time when the
 ocean spread over Kentucky. All were
 alert for a first view of the renowned blue
 grass country. A Pennsylvanian on the
 train, who was interested in lumber mills
 in the vicinity, fed our curiosity with de-
 scription of the wonderful region ''for
 which the Almighty had done everything,
 and the people nothing, save to reap the
 fatness of the land.' Ever since the coun-
 try was settled the land has been skinned
 of its yield, with no apparent diminution
 of its producing capacity, nor any return
 made to it of fertilizing material.
 We were not disappointed ill our ex- pectations when at Mount Sterling we en-
 tered the wonderful region. From this point to Lexington and from Lexington north to Cincinnati we rode through a
 paradise for farmers and stock. Lazy cattle
 stood knee deep ill the rich grass, seeming ly too gorged and indolent to stoop for an : other mouthful.
 5 Lexington is wealthy and quiet city,
 the natural center of wealthy farming
 community. The agriculturists of the re zion are very contented lot, and there k very little land for sale Stock breeding v is favorite pursuit. The finest race horses t in the world are to be found here. : considerable party of the visiting journal l ists went out to Ashland, the former home v of Henry Clay. This place is now steel : farm, and it was here that our chairman e forever lost his reputation as horse jock
 ey through estimating the value of hors, o exhibited as about $2,00O when $25, ,00' n had just been paid for him. The hors b was Dictator, brother of Dexter and sir
 of -Eye-See, and is 21 years old.
 }, This is also region of distilleries, tn Ii Ii ttoountry end being well sprinkled wit d manufactures of whiskey, and it is sai ,- that the product of this region rank Il above that of any in the world, the linn
 water rather than the skill of the maker 1t getting the credit.
 e The cemetery is beautiful place, nea
 the center of the city. From miles ava can be seen the tall marble column SUI ie mounted with the statue of Henry Ola '4 '4 that rises above the statesman's tomt ~ Lexington has reason to be proud of 1t 's spacious and well kept cemetery.
 ~ The Kentucky central division of the ( d S1 o. road runs northward from Lexingto is to Cincinnati also an intersecting brarc IS from Winchester, makes a short connec [e tion between the two lines at some distanc IS east of Lexington. On Thursday mornin
 we left Lexington for Cincinnati, and tn same evening left Cincinnati in a sleepe = on the return trip.
 'o Our party had been disintegrating dul ; ing the past twent-four hours. A few wen y, farther west, others returned directly fror r. Lexington to Washington. The remnau IT left arrived at Clifton Forge on Frida le morning, where they stopped to accept ( Tc the hospitalities of the. Richmond and Allie le ghany railroad, who preferred the party
 trip over their line. This was accepted S of far as to make trip to Natural Bridge. e. The B. and A. road runs along tn to James river from Richmond to Clifto of Forge, and will ultimately be extended of the coal region of Pennsylvania, Pittsburg S. being in contemplation as the terminus
 Its heaviest grade between Richmond an ", Clifton Forge is four feet to the mile, an 1s yet it is said that freight can almost
 run by gravity alone from the west to tn
 east end. The road is of new constru' < ton, and by purchase acquired the prol . erty of canal company, which had sougl
 to make the James river navigable by ., system of slack water dams and locks, wit lu short sections of canal. The state of Vii " ginia appropriated immense sums in aid ( D. the enterprise, and also fostered 1t by r ba fusing to charter railroads to run along tl
 river. The railroad company has used | " fine dressed stone, so far as needed, in i Id bridges, etc., and yet owns the system
 dams, which are strongly constructed, an
 the locks and canals are ready fitted ft
 the wheels of manufactures, which tl IS. railroad company hope to have occup ,pI them some time. The road, with it's rive
 and mountain scenery, and numerous mil u- eral springs and curiosities, attracts man :" pleasure seeking tourists. At one plac
 where perpendicular cliff rises high abo, it. the opposite river bank, copious wate
 fall comes from Assure half way up, an re we are told that person can walk for ID half mile or more into the opening fro1 whence it. falls. Such vagaries of natul IL are common in this region, where the linn
 stone rock is susceptible to the action
 the elements. Near Natural Bridge is
 curiosity labled the ''lost river" whel Ae one looks into an opening beneath rocl ae and see considerable stream coming frol
 one subterfanean channel. .and passing int ag another.
 nt Natural Bridge station is at the junctio
 of two railroads--the B. and A. an ~ = Shenandoah Valley. The station alor
 makes the village. Here was found al es other excursion party, comprising sewers rs hundreds, a reunion party of 8 New Tor
 and a Virginia regiment In the war til latter captured a portion of the forme Fl and year or two since offered to restoI to them the colors taken. The result ws rs cordial invitation from the New Yorker
 to have the Virginians come and brin t. them and be their guests at reunion {