The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1886-06-11

BILE stream up which We travel, IL and
its tributaries to the sammit Of the
Allegt any mountains.
Wsst Virginia impressed ma as the
poorest eountr, that | ever saw 20 30
inhabited. Everything 10 be seen was
. demonstration Of the extreme poverty
of the country. Mystery, Why do pee-
pie live in such poverty when they can
de better. Il may never have occurred
TO them that there Is ANYTHING outside
Of their little patch. could but 30
amused at tho passengers as they would
discourse grandly upon the magniacenee
Of the Allegheny mountains, (hills as
they appeared to me- They were not
by any means inspiring to one Who
had seen the genuine article. Who
bad lived, as it were. beneath their very
shadow, who bad breathsd air cooled
and purified by their snowy SUBMITS.
The II. II Co. has gone 70 the expense
sl fitti-g up an obsersation car for the
accommodation Of passengers, where
they can have better opportunity Of
going into rapsody over what / called
small things. Bu. | was disposed to
BE- charitable ard exeusa their weak
ress, because they had Lot seen any
greater. Tb, Allegbaoy crossed, we
soon reached the "0ld Dominion" The
land Of great men, great thoughts and =
great history. And | was really re-
liavsd to kaow that Virginia could
boast Of at least few great names.
Query, how could as poor a counlry,as
VirginiA appsared 20 a passing stranger
TO be. produce anything great. one
Of the lessons / learned in school was,a
stream does mt rise higher than It's
fountain. The stream Of greatness, il
this lesson embodied truth, did not
rise In Virgiaia. This greatness is
certainly not indigenous TO It's poor soil.
II must have been imported. Your
virginiA readers will not like this, for
tais poor cogntry bas bad phenom-
inally strange effect on ,hsm,in produc-
ing an extreme degree Of state pride.
Bus thee will comfor. tLsmsslves with
the fact tba. I did rot SEQ much Of IL.
And of course that relieves the difficult
ty. Old Richmond, grand old city.
What can / say Of il that will in any
measure do it justice. Il wears the
air Of age. Il has the elements Of true
soliditY. The great majority Of It's
houses are OF granite and brick. Toe
houses range in height from one TO eight
stories. A Wat amount of hui lasI il
carried on. Rolling mills, turning out
vast quantities OF II. II. material.
Flouring mills of vast capacity. Many
kiads Of manufactures. An extsnsive
local trade. (You SEQ there must be
ssme good country somewhere in Vir-
ginia.) Capitol Square ia the most
bsautifuLthing / ever saw. The Cap-
itol building itself Is not Imposing By
any means. The ten acres that SUR
round it is where its chief attraction
lies. Walks, grass and trees Of several
varieties, NEST admirably arranged with
fountains makes it a delightful reso IT.
The Washington monument is superb
structure. The general is mounted on
splendid black charger, With nplIttsd
feet as in motion, his nostrils distended
as il shifting war sfAr of.his rider with
uplifted hand as If giving directions for
charge. Below him on granite pedes-
tails. stands Thomas Jefferson, Marshal,
Patrick Henry, Louis, and others, the
whole making truly grand display.
At another point on the grounds is a
statue of Stonewall Jackaon, presented
to Richmond by some English gentlc-
men. There is q paper before me con-
tanning few facts concerning the city
of Richmond, which / will send you.
Shockoe Hill, G4mbied Hill, French
Garden Hill, Oregon Hill, Libby Hill,
| Union Hill and Church Hill comprise
the area which has given to Richmond
It's name Of the "Ssven-Hiled City.
Located on the north bank Of the james
river, at the head Of tide water, aboul
ninesy-6ye miles from the Atlantic
Ocean, Tin an air line,) OF one hundred
and twenty-four By sail-vessel, no city
in the south possesses greater facilities
for manufacturing and general CONNER
cial growth. I can well believe thi
statement as to its manufacturing faciI