The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-04-30

VIRGINIANs IN TIE WEsT.-We take
the liberty to publish some extracts from
a private letter, received by the editor
from our young friend, Mr.. G.. W. Rus
miselle, who left Virginia some weeks ago
to make his home in the West Dating
his letter from the wholesale mercantile
house of Baldwin & Maxwell, Maxwell,
Iowa, he says
Please send my paper to the above
named place, instead OF MarshalltoWn,
Iowa.
| have Settled at last with the above
firm, as book keeper and cashier. 1t is
one of the largest houses of the kind in
the great West. They do a business of
three to four hundred thousand dollars Il
year. | found the west very much more
civilized than many Virginans imagine.
Instead of WhisEey saloons, gambling hells,
no churches and ignorance, as many i'll
my native state suppose, find Iowa with
a prohibition law, and not saloon to be
seen anywhere, and L have the first sign of
a gambling house to see yet. also find
churches scattered all over the county,
and as a rule they are more modern aud
much handsomer than our churches in
L
several times since here and find the
meetings well attended by both ladies and
gentleman, and every evidence of pros
perity. AS for educational advantages,
will just say they are grand, and eXcel any
thing | ever saw anywhere else. Small
villages here, not numbering more than
three TO six hundred inhabitants, have
school buildings that cost from SIS, 900 to
$40, 900. Nevada, in this STORY county
with fourteen hundred inhabitants, has u
free school building that cost 700. and
the citizens paid for it themselves, all,
save $500 which is not due yet This
learned from gentleman of the village,
whom l was visiting, Mr.. VIM. Lockridge,
ex-MayOr of Nevada, who left Virginia in
'd6, and to judge from his surroundings,
and the manner in which he entertains
his visitors, | would say that it is well for
him that he did leave Virginia and settle
in this beautiful country where milk and
honey flow freely and without price. !"
When l landed in this State l did not know
there was such u man living, but afser
floating around a little heard there was a
family by the name of Lockridge, from
old Virginia. So being stranger in u
strange land, l concluded to hunt Mr.. L..
up. and knowing that he was a Virginian,
I felt that I would be welcomed within his
family | landed in Nevada, Il beautiful
little town, on the 18th OF the present
month, and proceeded to search for the old
Virginian In short time | found his
place of business and was met by Mr.. L
in regular Old Virginia style, After a
few words about the "old county," I was
escorted to Mr.. LIS. residence, where l
was introduced to his family. and | must
say that it has never been my good for
tune to fall into better hands. Mr.. T.. has
family of five daughters and two sons.
who together with him and his genial
''better-half," did everything in their
power to make my visit pleasant, and so
well did they succeed, that when the time
came to take my departure, for my present
home, | felt that | was leaving friends
such as one rarely meets these days. Mr..
LIS. youngest son, Clarence, is. am sorry
to say paralyzed in his lower limbs. and is
not able to walk. but, notwithstanding nv
little friend S sad affliction, he contributed
largely to the pleasure of my visit, Mr.
John NJ. McCutchen, q son of our fellow
countyman, Geo, Nee. Esq, of Craigs-
vile, Va, and Il nephew of Mr.. VIM.
Lockridge, numbers one of Nh. rs. happy
little band. Mr.. Nee. came to this State
three years ago and like his uncle, Mr.. l..
can truthfully say that it has been well for
him that he did