Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1890-09-30

The Lancaster (Pa.) Daily Ne0
Era of September 28d, under the
above caption, says:
Messrs. John Brimmer, S. Clay
Miller, j. Gust Zook, of this city,
and George D.. Bender, of Oxford,
returned Saturday evening from
Charlestown, w Va, where they
had gone to look after some landed
interests. They were much pleased
with the condition of Charlestown,
which has bright prospects ahead of
it. 1t is building up rapidly and a
number of new industries will soon
be established there.
The following interesting account
of their trip has been furnished to
the Ne,o Era by Mr.. S. Clay Miller.
After humorous paragraph about
reaching Hagerstown and a night
spent there, the writer says: 4
Leaving Hagerstown next morning
at 1920 we arrived at Charlestown at
8 80. We were met at the station
by Judge Beckwith, AIR. Washington
and Mr.. Becker, with two-Aorse car
riages ready to drive and Vhow us
the $50 acres of land bought by the
Charlestown Mining, Manufacturing
and Improvement Company, and
1,700 acres with vast deposits of
brown hematite and wash ores leased.
We went out in a westerly direction
on the Middleway pike and the first
place we came to was H. b. Daven-
ports farm of 200 acres, a beautiful
place, no finer farm in Lancaster
county. Davenport raises 374 bush
els wheat aud 80 bushels corn to the
acre. This land joins Charlestown
and the Shenandoah Valley Railroad
runs through it. Part of this land
has been purchased by the Mining,
Manufacturing and Improvement
Company. This and all of the tracts
bought by the company join the town
and is all first-class land.
GROWTH OF CHAKLEsTowN.
Entering the city we come to the
business streets, where we see good
stores and lively business going on.
We next see the Courthouse where
John Brown was tried for treason,
found guilty and hung in field just
out of toYn. We stop at the Carter
House, very good hotel for town
of 5000 inhabitants, and where the
proprietor makes no distinction be-
tween Democrats and Republicans,
politics being equally divided. At
the hotel we are introduced to num-
Der of gentlemen, among them Mr..
Higginbotham, the postmaster. Mr..
H. is from the western part of Penn
sYlvania, and moved to Charlestown
sixteen years ago. He owns a beau
tiful farm three miles out of town and
drove us out to see it. We take
look at the crops and stock and are
convinced that he knows all about
farming and how to enjoy life. After
dinner we take carriages and drive
around the town. Wetare moro IA
vorably impressed with it after seeing
rows of fine residences with beautiful
lawns. After viewing the surround
ing country and seeing all of this old
town re are convinced that this is the
" garden spot" of the Virginia valley.
1t has five churches, viz, Episcopal,
Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist and
Catholic; l female seminary, male
academy and 2 public schools; 2
banks, 5 building associations, water
and gas, 2 competing railroads, Shen-
andoah Valley and Baltimore and
Ohio, and good turnpike roads to all
parts of the county; planning mills,
sash and blind factories, foundry and
machine shops, flour mills, fertilizer
factory, two grain elevators, bark
mill, tannery and two carriage fac
tories. There are three weekly news
papers. The gentlemen at the head
of the CharIestown Mining, Manufac-
turing and Improvement Company
are men Of integrity. They have in
telligence, energy and pluck and this
company, backed by advantages men
toned, in my opinion, cannot fail.
After supper at the hotel we were
all invited to spend the evening at
Judge Beckwith's residence, where
we met number of prominent peo-
pie of the city, and spent q delightful
evening socially, and winding up with
a grand lunch.
BECKER's ZIG FRUIT FARM.
Friday morning we find ourselves
in the hands of Mr.. Charles Becker,
OF Baltimore, accompanied by Judge
Beckwith, Mr.. Higginbotham and
Major Mcdonald, of Berryville, Va.
Major Med. is an eminent lawyer,
who, by his general knowledge of
affairs, entertained us nIeoSantIv
through our whole days trip.
Three years ago Mr.. Becker, whose
guests we now are, Travelled from
Baltimore to Florida, stopping at diff
ferent places looking for some loca-
ton to start some business enter
prise. He was pleased with this To-
cality and bought tract of 300 acres
about three miles from here, on the
Blue Ridge, and kept on adding I'M
til the present time, and now has
2,400 acres, 400 of which he has
cleared and planted in fruit, viz:
10000 peach trees, $4,000 grape
vines, 5000 apricots, 5000 ounces.
1000 plums and damsons, 500 Japa-
nese persimmons, 500 English wall
nuts, 800 paper-shell almonds, at an
expense of 100000.
We drive to the Shenandoah river.
cross on Mr.. BIS. Ferry and we are
now on his land. A short distance
from the Ferry we stop at a limekiln.