Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-04-14
AUGUSTA COUNTY.
TOpOgraphy-stream Grounds
General Advantages-Why
Sketched.

NOT new IN interest, continues TO groW III
Importance as development increases. 1t
is only question of time as to when the
old State, gradually putting on new habili-
ments of prosperity, will fully recover from
the poverty which it was her fate to real
ize after the scenes of conflict and desola-
ton were enacted. Though stripped in
territory of her Western third, the political
manipulations of unpropitious times will be
forgotten, and the mother and the daugh-
ter, in their mutually united interests in
commerce and attachment, will be cement
ed more strongly as restoration to power
and influence is realized in the development
of their resources.
Augusta county, SO favorably located
with three leading lines of railway passing |
through it-with near three thousand farms,
in the average fairly profitable in cultiva-
ton, with a city central mart of trade, and
many towns of lesser note, aggregating |
more than fifteen million dollars of values, |
presents base of resources for great activ-
ity, and should be sufficient to impel all in
dustrious citizens to effort in accomplishing |
the best results. Flanked on the. North
west and the Southeast by the grsat chains
of mountains which bound the Virginia Val
ley, and lying on the sunny slopes of the
Shenandoah watershed = its numerous
streams East of the inner Allegheny range
converging at its Northeastern border, for
chilly illustrates unity and harmony and
great strength in the natural order which,
if applied in principle to business enter
prises by concerted action of the pepula-
ton, would furnish an example of solid
worth and progress, and in higher de-
gree, than it is the good fortune of most
counties to realize in these essentials of SUBJ
stantial power.
From the commanding elevation of Res
ervor Hill, the most beautiful of the &C
cessible heights overlooking the city, the
naked eye can take in much more than is
here outlined. A good sized volume would
not contain sketch of all upon which the
mind can dwell as the vision traces the
mountains, the valleys, the courses Of the
streams, the towns, the fields, and the for
ests of this empire county, which, at least
in the value of its agricultural and kindred
industries, can be rated with the first COM
munities of the State.
The valleys formed by some of its streams
present singular features, and, if correctly
viewed and thought upon, will be a realiza-
tion of magnificent bounty bestowed up
on the inhabitants whose fortunes and
homes are in association with them. The
meanderings of the Augusta streams, form
ing wonderfully picturesque and fertile val
leys, are in striking contrast to the general
directness of the water courses on the op-
posite side of the central Valley water shed.
Take Middle River and it's valley as an il
lustration. From its sources, by the coun-
ty roads, to the point where it enters the
North River at the Rockingham line, the
distance is about thirty-fve miles. The
stream, in making it's detours travels more
than one hundred miles. Curve after
curve marks its way, and increasing in i'm
portance and reserviEg its most eccentric
changes of direction, as if for the purpose
of multiplying it's enriching powers, it
seems reluctant to be lost in the larger
North River, until all its resources for Gre
ating rich low grounds have been exhaust
ed. In proportion to the length of other
streams and their valleys many in the coun-
ty are similar to the Middle River, but not
so great or so constant in curves The
South River, like its Rockbridge namesake,
is the most direct in its flow. Christian s
Creek curves more than Lewis's Creek
Jennings's Creek is straighter than the
head-branches of North River and Messy
Creek. Augusta loses the North River high
up its valley, but obtains half of it again
on the county line with Rockingham, above
its junction with Middle River. The pref
ty valley known as the "Lopg Meadows, -
aud many others which are more than wor-
thy of reference, contribute to swell into
, larger estimates than would be supposed
the area of bottom-ands in the county The
valleys along the East partially, and all Oh
the West base of Elliott's Knob, are drain
ed by the streams known as the Little and
Big Calf Pastures. They flow South and
to the waters of the James River Valley.
Considering the elevation Augusta coun-
ty occupies-the highest of the Shenandoah
Valley-and that all the streams in its ter
ritory have their sources in its borders, the
: inference would naturally be that its low
grounds would fall far short of what they
really are. The curving and eddying flow
of its streams is most remarkable feature,
doubtless greater than can be found else.
where on the same amount Of surface occu-
plying the highest elevations Of a water
shed. The country around Swoope's De-
pot was evidently once basin. The high
sharp hills around which Middle River has
cut its way, through a rim, and that being
, the only outlet of that wide area of aluvial
soil, is conclusive of this view. The lower
plains of Middle, as we'll as South River,
! including those higher up the latter stream,
would have formed deltas had Underwater
shores reached inward to their limits.
, Of the general resources and advantages
: Augusta county offers for investments, in
addition to high grade of cereal, grass,
ana fruit-culture, and the very best facili-
, ties in rearing improved livestock, much
has been, and much more could be, written
The baling machine and railroad transpor
r tation to carry off the surplus hay to dis
tant points of the South. where the grasses
: are not standard crops, have wrought won
!, derful changes in our agricultural economy,
coupled directly with improvement of the
| soil. The annual statistics of the exports
of hay from the county by railroads have
been presented through the SPECTATOR for
, the past two years, which show that the
quantity, annually increasing, has passed
beyond the total production before i'm
proved transportation and the baling ma
chine were introduced. There has been a
permanent increase of wealth, for the ex-
| I r. oil