Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-12-31
rnt SUNNY SOUTHLAND.
~


| INt SUNNY oOOlNlsNO,
NJ. ~.
PLAsrIRBuRG, VA, Dcc. ~. lsS9.
Editor D,aocrui
Rich Valley begins with the source IT
the north fork of llolsion River NJ Sha-
ron Springs, Bland County, II miles
west ~ Wytheylllc, and virtually die
poses II iisclf at Saltyille, where u u
/ broken ofi by hills. II parallels for thi.
I distance the line ~ the Norfolk and
Western u. a., from which Il l. cum
mcrvhlly separated 10y one ~ the great
ct ~ the Allcghsny barriers, walker.
/ Mountain. II will average seven miles
Wide. I. Que ~ the most fertile sections
of the country.
of the superficial attractions ~ this
/ Interesting region. sni the many prod
uct. 10 IT, fertile soll ani cultivated
helds, will not nov speak, bat Will At-
/ tsmpt first to descfiiuc the manufacture
of .slt a. seen AZ Salt,illc. The procc.s
/ l. very simple. Sume 80 fcci l,-low the
surflre L. an Immense bed of fOssil alt
I of uuasrertainrsi extent. Wells lrc sunk
/ ta The depth ~ thu ALT bed. vlieu the
water ri.r. within siioui INV fcrt ~ ilic
sufiace. anl from thence !. raisr,l 10y
pumps inio tanks or rrserNolrs. The
hrinr thu. procured I. q .ltnrstel so-
luton, which l. conveyed Ia large wool-
/ GA pipe. to Kettles in the furnacr..
Ihe.r furnace. arr arched. and prob
ably iso fr-t In length. Nth door. ~
I one go ani q chimney at The other. Two
. IL ILIaH
I n tlluw boNl., arr huili Into the top 20
/ the iurntcrs-.lu the llrgest Works FROM
/ sn a. luO in number. The water l. cNil-
GRATED by boiling, while the ALT crystil-
lDrs and |. pFrcipiiaiei. During the
operation a white. sallnc npor rice.
/ from the boilers. the Inhalation of which
&. ~ great heneht Ia throat aud lung
/ Troubles.
~ regular Interval. an aitrniant gocs
round. sui with mammoth ladls, dlps
the alt lnto loOsrly woven split baskets
which are PLACED in pairs over the lHiil-
er.. Here u drains and dric. until the
/ dipper has gone hi. round iih the laile.
u l. then throWn Into the salt-shc,ls,
whirh arr great siorr-pums, that occu-
I py The " hole length ~ the huildings ON
either .ils ~ the furnaces.
The alt thus manufactured l. ~ the
purc.t quality, white aui beautiful as
/ tie dri,ru snow Indeed. on sesiug the
men a work in the .alt-shr'ls, With pick
anl .ho,rls, a uo,iy~ would swear they
we're working In snow-h,uk: while the
plircs aud tanks. which 40 every leak b.
come coated With snowy concrriions,
sparkling Ike hntr-ffost nnd iyigles in
- d a - IftFr
.lon.
The works 90 on DAY aud night. with
out inteumlssiou. fpr week, when u IL
nc,cs.ary to cool oii a little to clean the
boilers which become thlckly encrusici
With srilmeniafy deposit, which I'M
pc,le. the transmission ~ heat. The
substance thu. collecting, sni some
times trohlrsome to remove, !. called
.tonc-.ali or psn-.tone. sni !. composed
OF the sulphaie. ~ lime aud soda. Late
wear. It, constant removal by washing
With water through the week makes u
much easier a. work ~ With little loss
~ time.
1 will soon give an account ~ the
hanks - Gypsum, the lnyariahle geolog-
| Ical associate ~ sslt. aud ~ the plaster
prnpsrtie. IN thls valley. II u said that
/ the "I'rarsou deI,osit," within q stones
| throw of where nov slt. has b~rn -old
to Green u. Iaum. ~ Washington, u.
| g.. for So .W1.
II sr-ms strange th. middle ~ THIS
mouth uf Dccembcr to sit, stand, or
walk "th- llSelong day" out of door.,
With NO Inconvenience from "wind or
weather" eNr-pt that Que gets too warm
In walking With q coat on' began
thl. paragraph SEATED on the open porch
ats' W. aud finish Il at a prominent
/ point on ''thc old plantation" known as
grave yari hin. where ''Grandpa" and
"sranima" postou are burie~l.
standing here, broad and beautiful
panorama spreads out before and below.
/ On the left l. Walkers aud ON the right
and rear Little Bru.hy Mountain ~
tends H.. "Wrlthing way" 10 Tennessee,
while la the background rl.e the prcrill-
iious clii. marking the Gap through
which ten. Iiufbriigc raiiel aud ~
treated In -; but NO sigu of an awful
war appear. as watch the sun sink bs-
/ hind the low-lying western hills. facing
me. or a. return tO the house along the
.ofily-steillng river at NV feet, over the
| rich meadows. near the lilo and great
/ stable with it. hundred cattle; all squi-
et peace.
Hut thought. of that terrible struggle
/ come Co me. a. later ! stand under the
silent star--tho.e great electric lamps,
I lighting up the universe of God: and
/ later still. a. az midnight ! watch the
moon "rise up slowly" and a. she
/ .lead. on and on." aud "calmly looks
/ down" on home. around me that gave
/ their beloved to the "lost cause"-ns the
/ North dill so nobly Ca a righteous cause
and a. think that near mr several
brave soldiers of both side. arr sleeping
where They fell. under thi. southern skv,
| anil beneith this sod-.ome of them Ia
grtyrs known only to Cod thank him
I that the cruel conflict lives only la history
? and in memories of lowed ones Who so
freely laid their live. upon the altar of
I their country. anl. alas in the anlnlDs-
lite. which amin ,tei q mistaken people,
80 aver.e Ia learning, even from worst
/ experience.
hut pray COL that the passions aud
prejudice. of the past NAV be abated-
buried with the fallen dcad-for
IAN .lieni AMI .tlu. ealmly nov.
Blse aBt Gray arr sicePinE. ellie by side
EulIoJu.
T.. :. Ny midnight mu.ing. may not
/ interest: hat remember the missionary
NJ revival Who asked Young man "
he realized that he might "be called le-
fore morning" "le., do fully" he
replied. ''for am the father of an eight
wcck.-oll boy" lam ditto, - excuse
me.
yAn ..,,~l.