The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-07-10
The Glorious Fourth.

The Glorious Fourth.
The papers from the East and North
speak of the day as "swelterlng hot.
Not so in this lovely Valley of Virginia,
with it's magnificent climate, its pure,
bracing atmosphere and lnvlgora1lng
ozone. Sun strOk IS are unknown here.
During the hottest days there is an eX-
hilerating influence in the atmosphere
which max es this the most health giving.
delightful climate on the continent
There is no weary, worn, tired" feeling
in this climate With the thermometer
! in the COS. the nights are cool and pleas
ant, and the influences of the mountain
air produce refreshing and invigorating
sleep.
| The Fourth was a glorious day. All
nature seemed to be celebrating the ma
tai day of American Independence, which
gave to human liberty a resting place,
and threw open its doors to the Cypress
ed of all lands. The sun rose in a cloud
less sky, and when from its meridian
height it bathed the earth in the fullness
of its light, it looked upon fields yield
ing to the husbandman abundant re-
turns for his labor,-a land smiling in
plenty.
The town was emptied of its popula-
ton, and the quiet of a Sabbath day
prevailed. Vehicles of all sorts took out
picnic and fishing parties, and all trains
leaving the city were crowded.
BASIC CITY
The reporter of the VIRGINIAN took a
Basic City. Every available space, and
the platforms, were filled. There was
great out pouring of people at Basic, and
the unnumbered land agents were hap
ply. The same tireless energy, noticed i'll
other new towns, prevailed here in a SUI
perative degree. The land agents are
the ''pushers" of the towns. Their
methods are business-like. There is no
time wasted in idle talk or speculations.
They have lots for sale, and if you want
to purchase, prices are quickly stated,
advantages of location pointed out and
the bargain closed, and they pass on to
another. If you are not purchaser.
while you are treated courteously, you
and you are left to take care of yourself,
while the town builders" are hunted
up and talked up. Large transactions
in city lots are had every day. The Basic
Co. has done its work faithfullyand we'll
Sound business principles have been car
ried out, and the basis of the future city
been laid broad and deep. 1t is beau
tiful location for town. Nature has
done it's work well. The grand chain of
mountains here makes beautiful
sweeping curve, in which the forces of
nature seem to have laid the slopes Of
the hill-sides with a gentleness which
makes the angles of the plain and the
mountains meet in enchanting harmony
There is no ruggedness here. The noun
tain slopes are lost in a beautiful stretch
of meadow land, on the west side Of
which flow the sparkling waters of South
river. Just at the Basic site nature has
done a work. which man must appreciate
when looking at the advantages for city
building. A few hundred yards from
the bank of the river, ON the Basic side,
there is we'll defined natural elevation
of several feet, upon which indus
trial plants may be placed with perfect
safety from overflows. On this shelf
is located the immense "hardware facto-
ry." 6OOx5OO feet The foundation is 60
ing up rapidly, and is of stone from a
quarry just over the river. Further on
are the ''car factory shops, and near the
shops a neat two story tin-roof building,
to be used as a boarding house for the
hands. Further on and near the S. v.
R. R., at the old Koiner farm, is the
foundation for 100 ton furnace. 1t is a
splendid piece of work. and looks as
solid as the rock of which it is built
Across the s V. r r., on slight eleva-
ton, the Valley Normal School is being
built. Even the 4th of July had not
stopped the workmen here. Higher up
the hill side, and on a commanding en-
inence. the Basic Co. is erecting a large
/
built and the hotel will soon be ready for
occupancy In the meantime the old
hotel building has been enlarged, and
all strangers are comfortably provided
for. There are at least 60 or 70 houses
in course of construction, to be used as
residences and business houses. These
houses are generally frames, but they
are good two-story buildings, with tin
roofs, and are built with good taste and
architectural design. There is not a
''shanty" in the city, and the manage
ment will do well to put its veto upon
any such buildings. In our drive we
passed number of brick kilns, and yet
there are not brick enough to supply the
heavy demand An ice factory is going
up. and there are other good points we
might mention, but we were hurried in
our visit, and could not see all. We
must not fail, however. to mention the
two-story brick tinroof building of our
''confrere," J. H. Lindsay, Esq, of the
Basic AdUdnce. Brother Lindsay has
just moved into his new quarters, and if
he improves his excellent paper in the
same ratio in which he has improved its
home, he will have the best paper in the
State. We rejoice in his success.
We hurriedly took the S. V. r. R. train
for Shendun, the new town projected by
Maj. Jed. Hotchkiss and associates, at
the point lately known as the Grottoes.
We met again d 4th of July crowd. The
Waynesboro band, which had given us
the national airs at Basic, boarded the
train for Crimora and was there met by
another military band. Here the color
ed people were celebrating the 4th, by
picnic in the woods. We sped on to.
SHENDUN
Here is the hotel which has been the de
| light OF visitors for several seasons. 1t
has been added to by most complete
water arrangement, fitted up In a style
not surpassed ia any city establishment.
Water closets, bath tubs, and wash
bowls, done up in the highest style of
the plumbers art, and fitted with nickel
plated finishings Hot and cold cistern'
water supplied at all hours. 1t surprises
you to find such elegance and comfort at
what seems to be now only railroad