The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-11-01
tho surrounding country, but which some
BODY will have to pay for TO their cost.

tho surrounding country, but which some
body will have to pay for 70 their cost
A BEAUTIFUL VIEW.
One place / saw ia described by its name.
II is not yet dignifed with the title city"
but may IN time become worthy OF 1t. Buena
Vista | had supposed TO be Of modern origin;
and had derived it's name from It's beautiful
location. Not SO. however. Nearly a century
ago IL had received It's name from IT'S situation,
but was made more famous by the character
of the iron prepared from the ores found IN
that region.
An enterprising Scotchman. as / am in
formed. first set up a furnace IN this beautiful
vale and began the production OF IRON by
the primitive process known ut that day.
The products OF his enterprise soon began 10
be appreciated in the surrounding. country
and finally became so we'll known that thelt
fame reached the remOtest part OF the state.
The iron made from the ores here iound was
tough though maileable and easily wrought.
Il was. therefore peculiarly useful tothe iarIh-
ing Interest,". At that time private lofges or
blacksmith shops did the business o. 1.-THE couh-
irwin this line. Piow points. nails hammersand
most Of the other implements tor domestic
use we're made. OF wrought instead OK cast
iron. Steel and cut-nails were unknown. III
a little time after the furnace OF buena vista
/ had been established the fame OF its IRON had
reached over beyond the Alleghany ana the
Blue Ridge mountains. Wagons came nun
| dreds Of miles over mountain passes ana from
the far Of plains Of the lower yalleyt0 get the
bar and rod IRON OF this furnace. This proht-
able traffic continued for many years, during
which the furnace changed ownership ~
continued inheritance and several purchases;
/ myself remember when q prominent and
successful farmer sixty miles eastward over
the Blue Ridge sent regularly 70 this
place for the metal used IN his blacksmith
aud whoelwright shops and TINS continued
10 be tho case until railroads were constructed
and begun to interfere with the home indus
tries OF the State by according better and
quicker transportation 20 the people,. The
furnaces off the valley Of south river thuslOst
tneir patronage. New Inventions IN the man
ufacture of iron sprang uD among the denser
populations of the North. which not only
seriously affected the prosperity of "Buena
Vista but ultimately well-nigh destroyed al
the other iron interests Of Virginia and the
entire South. But. somehow. merit VIII uiii-
mately effect its own vlndIcatlOn as well as
VIII truth III all its other multltariOus forms.
II may be, therefore. that this place.
whose prestige we have seen began nearly a
century ago. may have under ITS present
feeble foundation the dormant germs of a
great and important iron Industry. II Is a
good sign that of ali these new urban enter
prises. it has not yet cluimed 10 be a city"
] confess 10 an infinite disgust at the recent
introduction into Virginia OF TINS false and
preteDtlOus dlgnlty attached % the mere be-
ginning o.. what may or may not turn out 10
he either hopeless failures OF positive frauds.
Especially do 1 suspect the motives OF the
founders when / r~ecOllect IRON what
region they have imported this symbolic
reminder Of lankee deceit and financial
fraud. in the olden time. when the English
first settled in Virginia. certain Identities were
honOred with the names OF those under whose
patronage they became parts Of the British
dOminions. Thus the county and town Of
james Cttie" and the county OF Elizabeth
Cittie" derived their names. But in these
modern days this variety Of commercial cant
is in most cases tho outcome Of a purpose TO
get money under false pretenses instead of a
real desire to add TO the prospects Of the
country.
TREES pINISG WAX.
But let us leave the crowded streets of
the cites and seek once more the purer air
of the country. J shall not detaln you longer
than TO say that "a serious disaster has be-
fallen the pine forests OF the Blue Ridge.
where / have been this summer. I noticed
along the mountain sides and IN the al accent
villages large areas OF u bright reddish
brown color, suggestive OF the noun
tain fires that sometimes spread over
whole districts OF country, destroy
ing timber and fencing aud often
his cabin. Under the light Of n bright day
these shiny spots presented a peculiarly at
~tractive appearance, but whenl was informed
of the cause. the conviction OF a new trouble
10 the land-holder produced All unpleasant
revolution in my feelings.
The destruction II cODiined TO the red pine.
the only variety of this tree found in these
mountains from which good lumber can be
gotten. 1t seems 20 be an inferior specimen
Of the tall red pines so common along the
Atlantic coast from Virginia through North
southwark. In some parts Of the
SHa ftagf,la arA sf,+ftft DOM, fha /
trees in anticipation of their destruction by
the worm for the reason that after this takes
place the wood becomes worthless as timber.
1t IS said the devastation began bY the trees
being first attacked by an insect hereto
fore unknown, which pierces the bark and
then deposits its egg. The latter Is soon
Matched into a yOracious worm, which rapidly
destroys the soft and sappy alburnum pecu-
TO the trees of the pine variety. So rapid
has been the progress OF this new enemy that
II Il few months his campaign has extended
hundreds Of miles-frOm James river 10 the |
heights of Loudoun. and on the eastern as well |
IA the western slopes Of tie mountains. Of
many are the theories accounting for /
this new phenomenon. | was seriously IN
by "a knowing one, who thou Int him
self wise IN wOOdcrait that tue whole thing
was due TO the fact that II you cut down "A
tree and let it lodge against a pine
the latter would become pOis ned and die in
~ Il very short time, and that from tins single /
death all the pines in the country would be-
come victims to the disease. whateyer. it
might be. This fierce and unrelenting cpl
demic among the heretofore salubrious re-
gions Were tho wholesome pine 50 sweetly
dispenses its spicv Oders IN the early spring
and summer. IS regarded among the
getters with something OF
the apprehension lately engendered by
the appearance OF diphtheria IN less favored
spots among the human race. it Is IL notice.
able fact that yisitations of this sort. both in
the vegetable as well as in the animate world,
manage 10 accomplish i~mmeasumble results
the causes are detected and prophy-
tactic agencies established.
Should tins letter be acceptable, Hope to
send you another in which
Nor rural sights alone. but rural sounds, ex-
hIlsrate the spirits"