Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-06-05


fined affer his capture, and his old quarters
are nov pointed out to visitors. Old Point
comfort 10 contiguous to the fert and the
aygela Hotel here has long been famous
Nortnern people on their return from the
south In the spring usually tarry here, and
as the not weather comes on the Southern
people hock thither for pleasure and comfort.
Hotel Warwick at Newport News is also an
elegantly appointed hotel and in time will
oraw hosts of visitors, as its attractions be-
come Known The climate in this vicinity il
unsurpassed for salubrity and is exceptionally
Tree from great and sudden changes in tenn
perature.
The Chesapeake and Ohio railway from
nichmond to Newport News has opened up
the Oldest part of the new world-the cele-
brated peninsular so often heard of in the
late war aud lying between the James and
iork rivers. Here the first English colony
was planted at jamestown, here lies York
town where was ended the long struggle of
the revolution between Great Britain and
ner colonies Here was fought at Big Bethel
the trst battle of the late war and here began
tue series of great events which eliminated
In the surrender of Gen. Lee OFF its shores
at Newport News occurred the famous con-
test between the Merrimack and Monitor
VIsIT TO RIcHMoSD
Proceeding to Richmond the Sabbath was
passed IN this famous city, which, from its
connection with the late war, has go much
within Its limits to interest the stranger
Libby Prison, inside whose walls the officers
OF the Union army taken prisoners of war
by the CoDfederates were confined. was of
course visited, but beyond its associations is
not specially noticeable. 1t is now used for
manufacturing purposes. Many of the party
PAID visit to the fair now IN progress in the
city for the purpose of obtaining funds to
erect Home for disabled Confederate SOL
diers. The under aking promised to be sue
cessful. fact which surprised the editors,
and has even astonished the Richmond people
as we'll. is the liberality of the North in their
contributions to this fair. for we were in
formed upon good authority that two thirds
OF the articles received, or seven-eighths of
the value, had come from Northern people
On Sunday afternoon the excursionists
drove out to the battle fields of Fair
Oaks, several miles from Richmond,
and within whose limits ten thousand
men gave up their lives. In every direction
lines of fOrtifcation are to be seen, although
many of them have been levelled to the
earth by the farmer in the preparation of his
lands. The peaceful fields continue to bear in
their bosoms the rusty and broken paraphern-
ALA of war. and not unfrequently does tine hus-
bandman in turning the sod expose to view
the skeleton of some soldier who fell In these
battles. When thus discovered the remains
are preserved and tenderly LAID at rest in
some one of the beautiful national cemeteries
in the neighborhood Scarcely tree in the
vicinity is felled by the woOdman. which
does not bear within its fibre the lead
and iron missile, thus showing how
hotly the battle showered its shot and shell.
The morning before our departure from
the city visit was made to the extensive to-
bacco establishment of p. II. Mayo & Broth
er. Nearly 500 negro hands are here en-
ployed producing several million pounds of
manufactured tobacco each year. A pleas
ing feature of our call at this factory was the
rendering of several negro melodies by the
operatives in one of the rooms, while busy
at their work. While singing, it is said that
they work better, and certainly their pure
musical strains were very sweet to listen to.
From here the company paid a visit to the
establishment of Allen & Ginter, manufac-
turers of tobacco and cigarettes, and one of
the many excellent firms of Richmond. The
manufacture of cigarettes has increased
more largely within the past ten years than
any other form in which tobacco is used. In
the production of cigarettes the firm requires
the services of nearly 500 white girls and
women, no colored hands being employed.
TRIP THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS.
On board the train once more, and, after
riding for several hours westward through an
interesting section, the road finally strikes
the outlying spurs of the Blue Ridge, and the
ascent of the mountains is begun. From
this point on the ride is unparalleled, and
the workmanship a marvel of engineering
skill, as it cleaves its way through the heart
& l,a I.ln
and scales the cliffs bordering the roaring
river. In its construction the Chesapeake
and Ohio is one of the most expensive in the
United States, and it will readily be seen that
this is so, when it is learned that there are
twenty-six tunnels upon the road, and that
their combined length is upwards of seven
miles. One tunnel required seven years to
complete it and at that time was the longest
in the country. There are cuts upon it one
hundred feet deep, while of embankments
there is one which is one hundred and
eighty five feet deep and containing over
million cubic yards of material. On ac
count of the boundless wealth of scenery
along the line of this railway it must ever be
an attractive route to travellers 1t passes
throu yh many sections noted for their agri-
cultural excellencies and none more so than
the beautiful Shenandoah valley. The coal
and iron regions along the way are very
extensive and likely to prove as limitless as
those of Pennsylvania, for as yet hardly a
beginning has been made in the direction of
their development. Hour after hour the
train speeds along for the entire day, in its
course over the two mountain barriers-the
Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains
presenting view after view of strik-
ing valley, mountain, or river scenery,
whose wonderful effects are seldom equalled
in our country. A gentleman whom we met
on the train and who had repeatedly traversed
the Pacific route spoke of this ride as by far
the more interesting, not so grand as the
road over the Rockies, but more beautiful,
and more satisfying. Further on the Ohio
river is reached where old buildings and old
refuse lies scattered in the fields, the results
of recent floods. Then comes the beautiful
section of Kentucky, the famed "blue grass"
region and at the season of the
wear when we skirted its green fields
the country was at the height of its beauty,
and we could well see how those whose homes
are in this land prize it so highly. 1t was
said that preacher once dwelt among them
who would sometimes attempt to portray the
lovelIness of the heavenly home, but it was
difficult to make the kentuckisns believe
there could be a land more beautiful than
their own.