The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-07-15
South River Items.


Reported for the VALLEY vIReINIAN.)
Sherando. We have just learned that
the parties who are engaged in prospecting
for manganese on the lands near Sherando.
have with their augur) struck the miner
al at every point on the Hiserman land, at
which they sunk wells, and at no great
depth.
You cannot mention a tract of land
from Crimora south las far as the Southern
boundary of the Kennedy tract, which
the mineral has not been found. / mean
those tracts lying on the right bank of
South river, as far up as the mouth of
Back Creek, and on the right bank of that
stream
A few days ago your correspondent had
the pleasure of listening to an expression
of his views on the subject of the devel-
ment of the county by G. B. Stuart, Esq.
Mr.. Stuart is one of the most intelligent,
wealthy and liberal citizens of the county,
and being the owner of a vast amount of
land, offers the most liberal concessions to
any capitalist or company who would I'M
dertake the establishment of manufae-
tories. He is the owner of the finest water
power on South river, and would, at the
most reasonable figures. place it in the
hands of anyone who would utilize it. The
country in which Mr.. Stuart's possessions
are situated, is to greater degree than
almost any other in the section, blessed
with natural resources.
First. It abounds in the most useful
minerals known, viz: Manganese and
iron II am speaking now of that section
from the mouth of South river to the
Rockbridge line), so conveniently located
as to shipping facilities, &C., as that it may
be said of the whole region, lit is imme-
diately on the line of the most direct
routes east, west, north and south. The
S. V. r. R. was built through the section
for no other purpose than that of affording
an outlet for the mineral wealth along the
line.
Second. The region is covered, except
the portions devoted to agriculture, with
timber of all varieties Indigenous to the
soil, of excellent quality and of easy &C
cess.
Third, 1t goes without saying that the
farms of East Augusta are unexcelled by
any in this, the garden of Virginia-of the
South-thus making the very important
matter of supplies to meet the wants of {
large increase of population, in case of the
establishment of manufacturing towns
within our borders, easy.
Fourth. There is not a mile of The
course of South river or Of Back creek
| upon which an inexhaustible supply oil
water power cannot be found, and as
have said before, more of that power is
running idly through our section than il
takes to run all the machinery in Massa
chusetts.
Fifth. It has been shown that there il
no finer section for the growth of WOO
than this, and enough could be grown
within radius of ten miles from Mr.
Stuart S mill, to keep the largest factor!
| in operation, and were one established, il
would be question of only few months
', before it would be supplied from the sec
tion referred to.
But | have not space sufficient to give
half the advantages possessed by our high
ly favored county. Suffice to say that here
are to be found sites for cities in the hands
of gentlemen who are so thoroughly alive
to the wants of the country, and so liber
ally inclined toward those who are willing
to invest their capital in improvements
such as the atove recital of facts would
suggest, for bare pittance. They viii
make any reasonable concessions.
The facts stand out in bold relief thai
the South River district of Augusta coun-
ty is the manganese centre of this worli
as far as developments have gone, and il
now remains for those engaged in the man
ufacture of such articles as that minera
and iron form the greater part, to remove
their establishments here, and right upon
the ground from which the raw materials
are dug, to fashion them for the markets
of the world.
What else could capital ask for than ma
,, terials. power, transportation, sites fol-
furnaces, foundries and factories, and for
supplies for their laborers and their labor
ers ? All these things are here-pre emf.
nently SO.
Then to those who have the capital lei
us say, Come thou and reason with us
and we will do thee good"
1t is worth the time Of any man who
W ants to build up fortune, or add to the
one he already possesses. to visit this land
of plenty, and [ venture the assertion that
any intelligent man who makes the visit
and thoroughly examines into the bound.
less resources of the country, that here of
all other quarters Of the globe, is the
point at which steel can be made cheapest
and within the shortest time, from the mo-
ment the raw materials come TO the sur
face, land the point from which the product
can reach the consumer as readily, if not
more readily than from any other.
ROVER.