Daily Republican., 1889-04-16
OLD VIRGINIA.
A DELAWARE FARMER TELLS
soMETH ABOUT
Near Fredericksbnrs-Chcap anh Good
farins-A Delaware Colony-Good
Crops-Education-C Changes Since
the War-People Happy.

Penrose Lyman, formerly of Newport,
Delaware, but since last fall from the
vicinity OF Fredericksburg. Virginia,
with a fatchel in his hand, dressed In
farmers drah and with q brown Virginia
butierputcoloredso sombrero on his head,
dropped into JOrdan's eating house, No.
20l hing street, about 2.30 o'clock YES
terday afternoon looking for all the
world as il he knew exactly what eating
houses were for, aud 1t was not long be-
fore he made known his serrand. Charley
Jordan seemed TO comprehend the situa.
ton at glance, and In two or three
minutes Mr.. Lyman was making himself
feel comfortable over a smoking hot din
ner. representative of the REPUBLI-
CAN being present on the same errand
that brought Mr.. LyDam in, entered into
conversation with him and found that
he had actually only left Fredericksburg
yesterday morning at 9 o'clock and here
he was at 2.30 p. m. eating dinner In
Wilmington. Well, we thought, It don't
seem so lar down to the seat OF war
where some OF the greatest battles of the
rebellion were fought az 1t did in 1862
when trains of soldiers passed through
every few hours under the inspiring cry
of ''On to Richmond"
Mr.. Lyman has leased farm belong
ing to Joseph Tatnall of 200 acres, about
FIVE miles out of Fredericksburg, for
three years, with the privilege Of pur-
chasing 1t, and lie removed TO It the latter
part of last October. The natural and
excusable inquisitiveness of newspaper
man eiicited the information from Mr..
Lyman that he likes his new home for
several reasons. The ground is rolling,
fertile, easily TILED, and yields abundant
crops. A Held of wheat on his place
looked better than any wheat he saw be-
tween Fredericksburg and Wilmington.
Oats were Gown and up, and the farmers
were now planting corn. If he were at
home he would be planting. He was
somewhat surprised to find vegetation
and farm work In such backward state
In this section.
Good farms, he says, with good house;
on them, that cost $500, can be bought
there for $40 an acre. Lumber is cheaI
there and houses do net cost 90 much al
they do in Wilmington. Mr.. Lyman il
delighted with the climate. 1t is salu
brious and healthy, and he and hi
family havegreRtly improved in healtl
AID have grown tat. The only thing h,
has to complain of is that the school
only keep open four or six months in tn,
year. He thought he would have to al
out the term by sending to private sub
scription schools. He would send I,
Fredericksburg to school, he said, but tn
narrow gauge railroad that reached ou
to his vicinity only ran one train q day
and ran it the wrong way to get to Fred
ericksburg In the morning aad back Fl
the evening. -
We are not at All lonesome said Nj
Lyman, for you see there are nine famlliei
there from Delaware-the three Morrison
and two Mullin families, John Chattau
who by the way has taken a young wife
Mr. Armstrong, Mr.. Alrich and himself
| Some of the Morrison families have beer
there since before the war.
Virginia, Mr.. Lyman thought, was to
have regular boom of prosperity. Her
immense mineral resources were leading
to new lines of industry. Manufactures
were coming in and were taking the place
OF the old hog and hom:ny" system OF
farming, and the more manufactures
there were the better 1t would be for
agricultural. Down In Virginia as In
Delaware, farming, especially the raising
OF stock, had been interfered with by
western competition, but farming in
Virginia, he said, was more remunerative
than in Delaware because labor was
cheaper and crops were raised with less
expenses. Farm labor could be obtained
for rs cents a day, which Mr. Lyman
said was much too low, as he did not see
how laborers could live on it and keep q
family. Still, he said, 1t did not take
much to keep a family in Virginia, as
There were plenty Of fish in summer and
game In winter.
These laborers lived in humble abodes,
and on very plain diet, but a more inde-
pendent or happy people was bard to find
Knowing nothing OF luxury their wants
were few and easily supplied. Nature
too is kind to these people in the great
crops of wild grapes and berries It pro-
duces for their sustenance.
All traces of the war, said Mr. Lyman,
have disappeared and the people have set
tied down satisfied with the condition of
things. 1t makes no difference what a
mans po itics now is. Some of the
strongest Union men are now the strong
est Democrats, and many OF the hardest
lighting Confederates during the war are
now the sstroDgest Republicans, end, by
the way, Virginia has become very shRky
too, and is ready to 20 TO either aide.
Charley Jordan reminded Mr.. Lyman
that he was all through that section dur
ing the war, and when under Burnside
and Hooker they played sad havoc with
farm fences. Mr.. Lyman said that but
very few traces OF the war were left, only
here and there ditch or bank being
left to show where the lines of battle
were.
Mr.. Jordan asked Mr.. Lyman If he ever
noticed the story and half stone mill
Just on the lower edge OF fredericksburg,
where the Union troops crossed the Rap |
pahannock under Burnside?
"ob. yes" said Mr.. Lyman, 81 know !
where that is"
"Well, there l was placed as a sentinel |
during the great battle under Burnside"
said Charley, land wish could only
lust go over the same route again after
crossing. the Long. bridge into Virginia
from Washington"
Mr.. Lyman will be in the ghborhood |
for three or four days attending to some
business transactions, and then he will |
return to his Virginia home again.