Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-08-03
THENATURAL BRIDGE
IN THE POSSESSION OF BOSTON AND
NORTHERN CAPITALISTS.
tiful OVERWHELMINGLY Hotels and
Lovely Cottages to he Built.
uoston Hcrald.l

terpTlSe3 III WulCu Nttttuy tUu e1nlueus
Bay-State men have lately embarked is the
purchase of the beautiful Natural-Brdee
property in Rockbridge county, Va. This
event in land speculation is of significant
Importance at this particular time. as 1t
indicates the great interest which north
ern men are taking in the southern
country. and shows how closely Massachu-
sets is being connected with Virginia in
business relations. Hon. Joseph Davis, of
LYNN and Boston, who is one OF the late
purchasers of the famous Natural Bridge
estate, is one Of the directors of the
Glasgow Iron Company, of Glasgow;
Va, and represents heavy financial
interests of New Englanders. General
Fitzhugh Lee, of Virginia, is president OF
the iron company. and his usual headquar-
tiers are at the Natural-Bridge hotels. The
facts are all important, es tending TO show
the growing relationship between New
England aud the South. and in view Of the
political discussion on the election bin now
before Congress these stupendous transac-
tons become of the weightest consequence
as showing tho character and magnitude OF
the dealings and interests at work between
the sections, and also are significant OF the
| influences indirectly at work in the pro-
cess of unifyinc the North and South. The
financial interests of northern CAPITALISTS.
especially those OF New England. are be-
coming so closely allied with the process
and natural and social Development of the
South, that the ,atter's growth, prosperity.
| political peace, and general harmony IS be:
| ing studiously considered by the people OF
| the North, and great business transactions.
! such as the Virginia purchase by Massa-
settles men, is pregnant with public inter:
est. and marks an epoch in the world OF
trade. which is significant and propitious.
| The Natural Bridge Of Virginia is one OF
the notable. most widely-known and most
readily-recoguized of the wonderful freaks
Of nature in America. and NAV be referred
| 10 ne the companion-piece TO Niagara, The
| first owner of the great natural garden in
| the midst Of which it is situated was
taken by the present syndicate. were Ii. G.
| Parsons and Hon. James q. Blame, the
Secretary of State.
THE PRESENT OWNERS
are Francis w. Breed. J. r. Lesson. and
| Hon. Joseph Davis, oil OF Boston, and J..
II. Shields, of Norfolk, Va, and Miles NJ.
Martin. of Glasgow, Va. The purchase
| from Secretary Blaine and his partner was
made last week, and the deeds and titles
are being arranged this week. The new
corporation has been chartered under the
| laws of Tennessee, and has just organized
with Francis w. Breed as president and
| the other owners "a directors. The extent
| Of the property secured comprises $500
acres-on the east side of the bridge 1,O0l
| acres and 500 acres on the west side-and
| including all hotels, buildings, and i'm
provements OIL the property, together with
the Appledore pavilion and forest-lnn
| Hotel and the cottages.
A Herald representative called upon
| Messrs. Lesson IL Breed at their place OF
business on Devonshire street. and in
ouired what they intended doing with their
newly-acquired property in the Old Do
minion. They stated that they proposed
| 10 make great Improvements there. The
present hotels, which are dear LANDMARKS
| 10 the ROutherncrs and around which
| cluster many historical traditions. will not
be disturbed: they viii be allowed TO run
| inst as III ante-bellum DAYS, and nothing
| that is historically sacred will be
touched. For the convenience and CON-
fort Of an increasing patronage. audfor the
purpose of inviting q greater pilgrim
age of tourists 10 that spot. however, 1t -
| the intention of the new syndicate 70 build
n new hotel, which both MIR. Breed and
| Mr.. Lesson say will be superior IN appoint
ments and service, and which will not be
excelled by any in the country. They
make this statement fully approaching the
| fact that there are some great hotels both
| In the South and North. We propose"
| said Mr.. lesson, "to build such hotel
and provide such service as will compel
the patronage of the most cultured peo-
pie of the country. We VIII make the
resort as famous rs the best IN Europe
| and better than many. There shall
| be no steam or electric roads within two
and one half miles of the bridge, and our
! TRANSPORTS will be fashioned and regulated
after the STYLE of those of the Profile
| House. We propose to have roads that for
! beauty and design shall be marvels Of engi-
| neering skin. 1t is our purpose TO make a
| hunting-park of the country on the west
side of the bridge, and we may devote the
| entire stretch of 800 acres to the scheme.
IL viii be stocked with deer aud other
| choice game. 1t il also the intention OF
\ the COMPANY to stock the waters OF Cedar
creek. which flows under the Natural
| Bridge. with the best varieties of trout.
| II will DO necessary to dam tho creek for
this purpose"
In commenting upon the natural scenery,
ADVANTAGES AND CHARACTERISTICS
of tho locality, Mr.. Leeson. who is bota-
| MIST and naturalist of some repute, was
ante enthusiastic. He describes the sur
rounding country "a marvellously beauti-
| ful and compares the climate 10 that Of
| Bethlehem, n. H., both points being at
about the same altitude. 1T possesses"
he said. tho erandest combination Of
mountains, shrubbery, forests, streams,
| and rocks that it has ever been the delight
| of nv vision to behold. Professor Sar-
gent, our New England expert IN forestry
| and botany, told me that 1t was
the richest country in timber and
| fora that he had ever seen. In this por-
| ton OF Virginia can be found all the
| varieties of fora indigenous TO the SOUTH
| ern. middle, and northern sections of the
| strip east of the Alleghanies. Near the
| base of the Natural Bridge are several
| specimens of the largest arbor-yit@ trees
! known 10 exist in the world. They have n
| oirth of TWENTY-FIVE feet. The closest
| parallel to the Cedar rivulet that boils up
| from the mountain springs and flows
| through the great rock that spans 1t at an
| elevation higher than Bunker Hill monu-
| ment il the Israel river in the White
mountains. That romantic and mysteri-
Gus fact in nature. the Lost rivera sub
| terranean streams upon the property,
and also Cedar glen, Hemlock island-an
| immense pyramid of evergreens-Saltpetre
cave. interesting because il was worked
| for nitre during the war of 1879 and by the
| Confederate Government during the war
| between the States, and also other objects
| of interest"
The new company proposes to diverge
from the policy pursued by previous
owners of this section of the country.
Heretofore the proprietors would not sell
land for building purposes, lest thereby
| they might injure the business of the
hotels. The greater portion Of the 1000
acres on the east side of the great anchor
shaped monolith will be divided into lots
| for the erection of cottages. These will
be placed upon the market IN good time.
Mr.. Breed, one Of the new owners of the
property, said: I'VE have the most de-
| lightful site in the county for one of the
| greatest resorts of fashion and culture that
| the future or rather, the near present can
bring forth. But we have as yet decided
upon but one detsil-we propose to have
TIE FINEST HOTEL IN TIE COUNTRY,
| if money can secure it."
The Natural Bridge approaches Niagara
| in grandeur and exceeds It in height and
| mystery. 1t is single block of limestone.
| with many shades Of color; height. 2l5
| feet: width, 100 feet span. 90 feet. It is q
mighty monolith, and whether formed by
| a great CONFUSION of nature or by the
| slow wearing of waters or slower gnawing
! of gases is unknown. The earliest mem
\ 80, of the tridpa ia nv Dnvpoby ~, rrkQ