Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-11-08
OBSERVATIONS In VIRGINIA

by request we copy an extrnc,
from an article in Tho Batimorcan
written by two Indies WHO recently
made II trip of observation through
the State
Hearing that the scenery farther
up i'll the Alleghanics WAS extremely
fine, we decided 10 take trip as far
us Tuzewell Court House, tLe county
seat of Tazewell county.
4
AT Bluelield, we took the Clincl
Valley Extension road. From Blue
field to .Tazcwcll il the snme hcauti
full, will country; there seems to be
little farming done, The soil is so re-
narkably rich, that it is great
grazing country, and We passed herd
after herd of splendid cattle and
sheep grazing on the hillsdes and in
The valleys. Tho whole county of
Tazewell is also rich III mineral
wealth.
We arrived at Tho station about 5
o'clock, and were conveyed to the
town, which. is mile off, in II coach,
and to the Central Hotel. Tngewcll
Court House is an old, picturesque
town, sunk i'll the midst of bcauti
fully tinted peaks. filled with graz
ing cattle and girdcd round by tow.
ering mountains. One principal
street runs through the town, about
the center Of which is the courthouse,
a standing monument of antiquity, in
which all the criminals of the county
are tried, Two other old fashioned
buildings are the Virginia Hotel and
The Central. The latter is being Ell
iarg"d and improved, and somewhat
moderated, and, when finished, will
BE- enc of the finest country hotels
in that vicinity. A number of mod.
ern houses are being built, which
look ont of place, and are fast de
stroyins the qua;ntness and picLur
csquc antiquity of the town.
From all appearances, it looks as
though many woll-to.do educated
people were settled there. business
took us TO the court house where we
received every courteous attention,
and VIC also had the pleasure Of
meeting AIessrs. Chapman and Gil
lespic, eminent lawyers of Tazcwell.
Ii was court day and several trials
were on, and we were rather disap
pointed ut the postroncmei of Il
trial for murder, which we were anx-
ious to witness.
Later we visited the Jail, square,
lie brick building, on the second
story Of which are the cells. In il
sort OF iron cage WIS big, young,
negro fellow, accused of the murder
OF two men. We went up and talk
cd to him, as he leaned against the
bars, and found him most anusingly
original. He seemed to be perfectly
happy and cheerful, and talked to us
81 freely about his position that he
wondered what he wouldsay were he
cross examined, and the matron told
MIN, laughingly, he had better keep
quiet. 1t seems he broke ont of iail
twice, but came back both times,
We asked him what male him come
back, and lie replied that the 'mis
It's (the matron) was SO kind to him
and he liked her so much that he
couldn't stay away. lie seemed
rather sanguine about being acqnii-
ted, but observed, philosophically,
that if he were hanged he supposed
Nv " N'S''Oi w ~ anu IHel. WslHucu
with US at his words. There was a
boyish righteousness about him,
whether natural or assumed it was
impossible to tell, but there was no
doubt as to his affection for the
"mistis." He seemed to enjoy his
talk with us very much, and Was
quite sorry when We left him.
The people are easy going, kindly,
behind the times perhaps, but hap.
pier and more at peace than those
engaged i'll the hurry, hustle and
never resting chase after money and
the pleasures of the times. They
have no designations and little OK
citcment, but they have also fewer
heartaches and disappointmcnts; they
know nOtlinr of tbo t,rnot hus,,