The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-01-01
The Old Year and the New.

With the last stroke of twelve last night,
closed one of the most eventful years in
he history of this Nation. Not that its
career was marked by any remarkable
physical phenomenon. Save only the de-
,ructiye and terrible floods of last spring
which devastated the counties adjacent to
the great rivers, there was no distinctive
national disaster. Seed-time and harvest
came and went in their appointed season
and the gamers of the husbandman were
filled to repletion. That which will give
to 1884 aIforem place, lost.in the grand pro-
cession Of years, is the political upheaval
which its closing days witnessed. 1t saw
the Nation engaged in one of the bitterest
struggles Of its history it saw the land
ablaze with the pyrotechnics OF party, and
heard from every hilltop the voice of the
campaign orator. 1t witnessed the supreme
effort at the beginning Of its 18th month ;
the anxiety of "a whole people as to the result
Of that contest, while it hung in the balance
for days. and it finally saw that result de-
termined by the slim majority of hun
dreth-thousandth part of the whole. But
grandest spectacle of all. it witnessed
sixty million Of people bowling without a
murmrr to the decision of that all impor-
tant hundred thousandth part. AS its days
round out to the end, it sees the party
which for nearly a quarter OF century
has held the reins of government, pre-
pairing to surrender them into the hands OF
those from whom it snatched them in the
first throes of a gigantic revolution. Re
publican government dates a new birth
from 1884 The shock to which it has beer
subjected and successfully withstoOd
proves that the foundation of the struc'
ture is laid secure aud strong in the hearts
of the people and that it will endure fol
all time.
The year which we usher in to-day bring:
with it apprehension. With Overlooking
granaries, it sees thousands of honest
Industrious workmen unemployed ant
wanting bread. 1t finds business depressed
factories closed capital timld to cow
sQUltt. tiu 1tptl tItIhOiAAto AO1 oOliN
to do. The Nation seems waiting will
ill-concealed anxiety the effect of the polit
ical change. Trade is stagnant. None,
is locked in strongest Golfers. Enterprise
lies dormant, and feeling of unrest per
Yades all circles. Certainly the prospec
is not alluring, and if 1885 shall measure
to our hopes, the promise of its early day
must brighten as the months are slowl.
numbered. We trust it may and so believe
-
Geo. Watt. a prominent plow manufac
turer of Richmond, died last week.
Gen. Buffers recent Presidential cam
paign is said to have cost him 500. 900.
From the present outlook, the business
prospect of 1855 is not ilattering.
by the construction Of the will of Mr.
Ara Parker, of Pa, by the Courts. TIN
Virginia Military Institute gets $1,000.
The homestead of Hon. b. johnson
Barbour, in Orange county, was consumed
on the Goth 1t was one of the oldest il
the State.
Dr. +. II. Murrell, father in-law of Hon
.Jno. W. Daniel. has sold his residence il
Lynchburg, with view of removing tt
Washington city.
The farmers of Nebraska are burning
corn for fuel. They find that two bushels
of corn give as much heat us one bushe
of coal. and cost less.
Hon. Samuel J. Tilden has engaged
rooms at Willard S where he will remain
several weeks after the Inauguration o.
President Cleveland.
J II. Barlow, IT.. Appointment lawyer o.
Williamsburg, Va, and IA member OF tit
Board of Directors of the Eastern Luna
tic Asylum. died last week.
w. I. Henderson, ESQ.,, q governme N
Post Office Inspector, has obtained a YER
dict for 81 900 against the Baltimore ant
Ohio Railroad, for injuries received in ;
collision.
c. 3. Simmons. local treasurer OF thu
Louisville .and Nashville Railroad, al
Louisville, left the city Christmas Day
leaving note stating that his accounts
were $4,000 short, and that the climate
was too warm for him.
Robert Garrett, President OF the Balti
more and Ohio Railroad, gave u thousand
dollars on Friday last to the police Of
Baltimore, to relieve present and urgent
cases Of need among the poor.
Louis Baker. recently editor and pro.
prietor Of the Wheeling Register, has be.
come editor and part owner of the Doi5
Globe, St. Paul, Minnesota, one of the
leading Democratic papers of the North.
west.
Gold and silver have been recently dis
covered in Georgia i'll rich leads and much
excitement exists on account of it. 1t is
claimed that the finds are rs valuable as
the most valuable ever worked in the
Rocky Mountains or Pacific Coast.
DIR. Mary Walker called at the Execu
tive Chamber, Albany, last week to see
Coy. Gle, Gland. The President-elect was
conveniently engaged, and his private
secretary beat a hasty retreat ont of a side
door. The Doctor did not see the Presi-
dent.elect.
A guard is to he kept every night ut the
First Regiment armory in Chicago to pro-
tect the arms of the regiment, recent dem
onstrations of the socialists having created
alarm. 1t is said four companies of So
cialists have been organized in that city,
and that two of them .arerequipped with
breech-loading rifles.
The Martinsville Herald of December
18th says: "About q year ago Link Bos-
well. while drunk, laid down ON the Mid
land railroad track. near Franklin juno
tion, and was killed by an express train.
In the Circuit Court of Pittsylvania last
week. his executors secured a verdict of
i've thousand dollars damages from the
railroad
Y. r. Smith and Elbridge Forsyth
started week agoilast Tuesday from Dot
sero, Col. for Coffee Pot Springs. As
nothing was heard of them a party was
sent ID search of them. They had been
oyertaken by a snow-storm, and Smiths
dead hody WAS found hurled in a SnoW.drift