Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-12

4.
Correspondents Of THE EVENING srAs
ABINGDON Va, Oct. 8. 1889.
In previous communication stated that the
section known as southwestern Virginia was
worth chapter devoted to it alone. It il rich
and beautiful country, high up in the mountains
with splendid water ways and vast areas of roll
ing arabic land and fertile valleys.
Just at this time it is attracting q good deal
Of attention from two classes of individuals,
politicians and capitalists. The former are now
swarming over the country like q roaming col
ony OF bees. the latter are quietly waiting until
after the 5th of November when the swarm will
have been hived and business resumed its sway.
Politically the southwest is known as the
white democratic stronghold. 1t could just as
well be called the white republican stronghold
for the strength of the white republican vote is
in this section, though 1t Is in the minority. The
large influx OF immigrants. chiefly capitalists.
skilled workmen and miners mostly from the
republican districts OF Pennsylvania led to a very
natural conclusion that the political complexion
would soon be transposed. But it is a strange
ana singular fact that when the new element has
renamed In the state the required two years to
be entitled to suffrage majority of them vote
the democratic ticket in state elections. Posi-
bly, there Is a reason for this In the appearance
some years ago of new party headed by Cen
eral Malone. known as the ''readjusters" who
favored a scaling of the state debt without per-
mission of the bondholders between whom and
the republicans of that day coalition was
formed to oppose the regular democratic organi-
cation, who favored the payment in full OF the
debt
This forcible scaling business was something
strange and repugnant to the newcomers. and
current in favor of the democratic view in
state matters was inaugurated. which has not
been abated. iC seems. Ard this.state of affairs,
doubtless. has prompted Cen Malone to come
forward with scheme to settle the debt In
way agreeable to the bondholders. The result
remains to be seen.
ATTRACTIONS OTHER THAN POLITICAL.
But southwest Virginia has attractions of far
more Importance than politics. 1t is the devel-
Opnent of its immense mineral resources. Much
has been heard recently about the competition
of Alabama with the Pennsylvania productions.
1t looks very much now as If the day is not far
of when the Virginia product will have the
right OF way and prove dangerous rival to both.
Millions of acres aleng the mountain ranges from
West Virginia to the Tennessee line are teeming
with ineXhaustible strata of coal. iron, copper,
lead and zinc. and its transporting lines reach
ing out in every direction. with new ones under
construction and some nearing completion. The
finest ores and largest deposits are found in the
southwest. and 1t is toward this section shrewd
eyes are turning and capital seeking investment.
IL Is one vast ueu vi progress anu improvements.
retarded only by the tOo-frequent political
struggles. which. like the present one tend to
distract business and check the progress of de-
velOpment Trains loaded with its pig iron are
stealthily creeping into eastern mills. while
Virginia coal is being dumped into Norfolk and
Newport News in perpetual stream for the
cOastwise trade-a branch of traffic entirely I'M
known a few years ago Machine shops. car
and locomotive works of the highest order right
upon the ground are turning out work compar-
able to any in the Union. and various manufac-
turing industrious are planting themselves here
and there like squatters on newly-discovered
EldOradO. There is no reason why its coal will
not come to Washington some day. The cost Of
transportation to Norfolk would put it into the
very heart of the capital city. If it pays to ship
it to Norfolk, thence up and down the coast,
why not to Washington?
TOPOGRAPHY OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA.
Southwestern Virginia proper comprises all
that portion OF the state running down wedge
shaped between Kentucky on the north and
North Carolina and Tennessee on the south,
reaching from the Alleghanies In the east to
Cumberland Gap on the west. This area is
about $50 miles and embraces fifteen counties,
beginning with Montgomery on the east and
terminating with Lee county In the west OF
the counties included, Montgomery, Pulaski.
Giles, GraysOn and Wythe are In what is known
as the valley of New river; Smyth and Washing
ton in the valley of the Holston; Russell and
Scott in -Clinch valley. and Lee In Powelrs val
ley. The others are peculiarly mountain coun-
ties interspersed with irregular hills and mar
row valleys.
THE RESOURCES OF THE SOUTHWEST.
This section is an empire in all the natural
resources that any people could or ought to de-
sire to make them Independent. prosperous and
happy. Every county in the limits named has
coal and iron, some of them in ineXhaustbe
had ha a n
other valuable deposits. Could 1t be utilized,
Montgomery and Pulaski counties have water
power sufficient to propel all the machinery In
the New England states. The mountains Of Car
roll and Grayson are literally loaded down with
copper; Smyth and Washington could glut half
the markets Of the country with salt and gyp-
sum. Bluegrass grows everywhere, and no
finer cattle are raised than grow in this section.
Large numbers are shipped annually direct to
Europe from this, Washington county. With
rare exceptions the whole country abounds with
limestone, and much of it of that desirable char
acter that Is constantly decomposing and keep
ing the soil perpetually fertile. Few countries
are blessed with more genial summer climate,
purer water or grander scenery.
ABOUT WASHINGTON COUNTY.
Washington county is belted from east to west
by succession of ridges and valleys. Three
rivers wind their way westward, the North
Fort, Middle Fork and South Fork of the Hol-
SION, WHICH UeCOHleS Tile leuucSSee after pass
Ing into that state. All the smaller streams
flow at right angles, with the three longer ones.
and it is a remarkable feature that not one Of
them flows along the valleys or parallel with
the ridges, but dash straight across, seemingly.
to have cut or worn gaps for themselves through
interpreting barriers at some period In the far
past.
1t is not to be understood that, because the
country is SCARED and beted by so many ridges
1t IL not arable On the contrary, very large
portion of 1t is, the virgin soil Of the hills being
equal to that of the valleys. Many Of the hills
are too steep to till conveniently, but blue grass
springs up spontaneously wherever the under
growth is removed and the hills are among the
most valuable grazing lands.
ANOTHER PECULIAR FEATURE
of the country here is that there are but few
gnllies or old field pines. so it would be about as
hard to find camel-leopard as tick, such as
the militia boys discovered at Camp Ordway last
summer. 1t is said that DR.. Franklin remarked,
after he had travelled through the state In it's
early settlement, that he saw little else than
'.hogs dogs fleas and democrats" and it may be
said now that these are still Indigenous and
abundant.
WHITE TOP MOUNTAIN.
In the very southeastern corner Of Washing
ton county is towering peak known as White
Top, near which the three states of Virginia,
North Carolina and Tennessee unite at a COM
mon corner. Until within comparatively few
years ago, owing to It's inaccessibility, it was