Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-11-05
Southern FOreSts-Home Benefits.

rather than by the enterprises of searching
enquiry and capitalists seeking investment,
not knowing at the start where profita-
BILE Judgment would be found The people
Of the South have been agricultural more
than commercial or manufacturing in their
pursuits. There are many individual Illus
trations of great sagacity and success in
trade operations, and widely known repu-
tations won in manufacturing enterprises
and artizan skill; but, generally, the peo-
pie of our section of country have been con-
tent to fill the honorable, and, doubtless
the most elevated of all the pursuits-agri-
culture-and to seek and enjoy the content
ment Divine authority says it should i'm
part to the followers of that pursuit.
Much has been written, and widely
growing developments are progressing, in
relation to our mineral resources. Ave
nues of commerce and trade are increas-
ing, advancing the general prosperity, and
in their benefits new values in natural re-
sources are coming forth from a compare
lively hidden seclusion,
The wealth which the South possesses in
the forests is enormous. According to our
observation, their extent and importance
have been but slightly investigated, and
| their capacity to furnish an active and en-
during prosperity to our own people but
little studied.
In the classification Of forest-growth
| which furnishes the kind known as hard
wood, new enterprises and new capital are
penetrating the recesses of our country III
pursuit of them; but so far as the realiza-
ton of enriching the section which nature
has blessed with their production, there is
but little to be observed. The basis OF the
wealth has commenced to appear, but It's
power to enrich it's own locality is stripped
from it, by transporting it to the North and
to foreign countries to be worked up.
The special publications in the North, in
referring to the hard wood of the South,
have become highly pleased with it, and
say that it must become, in connection with
the manufacturing interests there and
abroad, very valuable.
To bring the matter nearer home, in its
consideration, it is only necessary to ex-
anime the forest sections west and south
west of this city to discover what immense
resources are in existance near to it. The
Forestry Bureau in the Department OF the
Interior at Washington, some time since,
furnished information which, with the
"Vnginias" of our city, constant and un-
wearied in it's efforts for development, en-
lightened the public as it never vas before
in relation to the forest treasures. Wherev-
er railroads have penetrated, or rafting to
them was practicable, the country adjacent
has yielued up much of lis wealth in hard
wood, which has gone to give employment
TO thousands without any substantial return
in general way-to the country which
produced it. The bulletin of the Forestry
Bureau in relation to the resources OF
West Virginia, specially prepared in refer
ence to the lumber interests, is worthy OF
examination by every person who feels an
interest in securing for his own town or To-
calty a share of this treasure upon which
to build up profitable and pleasant pursuits
before it is too late to claim it. The time
will come when W est Virginia will be cross
ed from north to south with through CT
feeding lines of railway, as it is now par
TALLY, from east to west. During the pro,
gress of these future improvements, that
State will be able from its forests TO furnish
more and higher grades of the select
woods than any equal amount of territory
in til e Southern States, if net on the CONT
nent.
1t is not necessary to mention the many
advantages which would be secured to
Staunton if she had increased manufactur-
ing establishments at work and on grow
ing scale. The many and really interest
ing pursuits, based upon the select woods,
to which we have referred for the material
would, in a short while after commence,
ment, become profitable in many ways.
Capital, united with skill and artistic taste,
would prove profitable Population would
be increased. The very occupations of all
engaged carries with them pretty homes,
enlightened progress, and culture in me-
chanics and art.
Our neighboring town of Lexington is
successfully progressing in manufacturing,
somewhat on the line we have sketched. Ii
only remains that the Lexington establish
ment shall have the dvantage of procuring
an abundant supply of the select woods
from our mountain to complete it, in the
branches of industry for which they are
specially necessary. 1t is now in an ad
vanced position for supplying house-build
ing material and manufacturing furniture,
and on the sure road of success, diffusine
benefits which the community did not pos
sess before it had an existance.
In previous articles we had something tc
say of the many beautiful fabrics the hard
woods can be wrought into. Under recent
inventions, and the progress made in that
class of manufactures, Virginia and West
Virginia are furnishing most of the mate
rial from their forests for these industries
which are profitable, but as yet mainly be.
stow their advantages on Northern cities.
If profitable there, after paying the ex-
pense Of long transportation on the raw
material, why should not they be here with
all the means necessary to conduct such
enterprises almost at our doors! Staunton
needs manufacturing enterprises to round
up her equipment in substantial progress,
and the field is all open to her with ad
vantages far superior to any other city OF
town in Virginia in bringing out the usefu
as well as embelished products from oul
unequaled forests.
| CHASING THE BUZzARD GANG.-A spe-
cial dispatch from Liltz, Pa, states that
the notorious Buzzard gang of bandits
threw that town into wild excitement Sat-
urday by visit to the neighborhood Oh
the previous night. "They robbed several