Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-10-24
VIRGINIA AFFAIRS.
TIE STRANDED BooMs ARE ONLY
AHEAD OF TIME.
They win Recover and Prosper - the
Wealth and Attractions of the Noun
tain Regions-The Dual City.
Mcclure in Philadelphia rImes.l

A. X.
Bpuror. Va. October H. date this let
tor Bristol. Va. because / happen TO be
s,opping on the east side ofthe main street
or the city. Had happened to stop at
hotel on the west side of the street L
would now be writing from Bristol, Tenn.
What was a struggling settlement In the
early part Of the century in the beautiful
valley in which nearly ten thousand peo-
ple now live and beeaf, their dual city IN
regulation style finally saw its main. high;
way mado the line between Virginia anu
Tennessee. In point OF fact there arc TWO cI,les
named Prisiol-Brirtol. Va. and Bristo, Ienu.
but tho TeunesseeaDs happen TO have the POST
Office on their side q the street. and outsiders
know only Bristol, Tenn, although haii inc popu,
lation worship al the sacred shrine oil the oin
Dominion.
There are some odd antics inspired by an
active and progressive mountain CITY with AT
ferent municipal and stete jurisdiction on 0p-
pOsite sides OF the same main street. Each city
has ifs municipal authority enacts its own local
laws and enforces them In its own way, and each
has different State laws regulating LICENSES,
Sunday observance, schools, elections, etc anu
a citizen committing crime on one side OF the
main street can be reached only by Executive
regulstion warrant from tho other state ~ inc
criminal steps across the street and chooses 10
remain there Now and then this anomalous
condition OF things causes serious irritation, e.
pecially when speculative Interests come Ia uon-
tact. Two water companies supply the twin
cities, and they came to the verge OF clvi ~as
before the interests Of tho rival corporations
were adjusted They finally attained peace py
allowing each water company TO lay mains on
the opposite sides OF the street.
THE POPULATION.
The people OF this section are n sturdy race.
Their ancestors were the mountain pou .ae ~
who always preferred rebellion TO submission 10
tyranny. Eastern Tennessee. that begins on the
western side Of the main street OF Bristoi was
tho mos, rcbeous OF all southern communities
against tho southern rebellion. JonesDOro, tne
FIRST capital Of the State, Is only an hours travel
by rail west Of this city. IL was there mat the
brilliant. erratic and tempostuous Parson bIo"n-
low was reared. He published his weekly jones
boro' Wig fifty years ago, swung his pistol
In n street fight every month or so. ana
preached To the mountaincers on Sundays. a
few miles further toward the setting sun -
Greenville, the nome Of another OF tho cOnspi-
cuons types OF this regiOn-Andrcw Johnson.
After thirty years OF perpetual, always hitter
and often violent. political conflict, these Two
rugged gladintOrs came together as champions
of the cause OF tho Union, and they inspired re-
bclliOn within the rebellion throughout the
mountains Of East Tennessee. Both have At
tanned IN the grave tho peace that NE refused
them, and modest stone column on Anon OUT,
de of the ancient ami practically unchanged
village OF Grecnville marks the rc-ting-place ol
the once unettsred mountain tailor who ruled
tho nation IN uncxainplcd Violence
ROMANTIC ATTRACTIONS.
The Virginia mountains and valleys from tho
Poioma, 10 this point arc most interesting
study. The first impression made by journey
through them Is that the region has been boom
ed TO death by ill-adyised spectators, but
more careful inquiry will prove that these
tosiling boous and the many new cities which
exist chiefly in OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES plans on
paper, arc smply more or less IN advance o. tho
times. There s vast and varied wealth along
the whole liue Of the Norfolk nni Western
frrgol fffqT
fractions OF scenery and climate are unsrr-
passed. You can travel u whole day and never
he outside Of what seems 20 be complete circle
OF mountains, and yet many ih-ms on thls line
would do credit TO the famed Cumberland Valley.
Iron, coal. aud many other valuable minerals
are abundant IN the northern portion, and iron
is abundant all along the line' with coal OF easy
access everywhere, because OF tho rapifly-e1-
panding network Of railways through the noun
tains.
NEW HOTEL
Ono Of the remarkable features Of all the new
or projected towns is tho attractive new hotel
that ia seen in all Of them. The first necessity
OF a projected town seems 10 be pretty and
often imposing hotel, Gn1 a number of the en-
bryO Virginia mountain towns have progressed
but litfie beyond laii-Out Streets two or three
real es ate Olces, and % hotel, usually
OF uncommon Architectural beauty, conf
pleted or in an advanced state OF con-
struction. These DOOMED towns are now
AT q stand-still. They were struck by the
panic and, being speculative, they were the iIst
TO feel tho shocA OF the Barring failure and they
will DO hard 10 move again when The effect Oh me
panic Is over; but they will all be successiul
sooner OF later. A few had advanced sufficiently
to move on regardless Of the sudden financial
pinch, az they had many lots sold, houses erected,
and factories completed and ia operation, but
the large bulk Of them were nipped last wnen
chill halted everything.
OUR WONDERS.
1t IL safe to say that the next decade viii see
almost one continuous hive OF industry and an
unbroken lido OF Advancement along the rail-
ways in tho Virginia mountains. The railways
are rapidly equpping themselves for cheap and
rapid transit, and the bOundless wealth, tho
lovely climate. the cheap lands, and the excep-
tional natural attractions Of the region must
bring progress with increased momentum each
year. The Luray Caverns are unequallcd in boau-
Is In this or any other country ana the srande ~
OF Rll OF natures creatiOne IN our mountains IL
the Natural Bridge OF virginia had never
seen IL until yesterday, and the memories or ITS
rugged beauty can never be cDaced. iew
miles north OF the bridge is the new develop
ment of Glasgow, where Ex-Governor Lee ~ IN
charge, backed by heavy American and English
CAPITALISTS and whore will soon be one Of the
most important industrial settlements OF tho
State, and, doubt not. one OF the most prosper
Gus. Their hotel, now nearly completed, VIII
rival the best on the line. and they have noun
tain ana river scenery beautifully blended, win
two through lines Of railways passing within
few feet OF the hotel.
TGPANCy.
There will be many disappointments for n
time in these Virginia boOms, but they Will all
be wanted in very few years. The whole sec
| ton IL only in the infancy OF Development ana
there must be constantly increasing tides OF peo-
| pie, i'll search OF profit, pleasure, and health
| through the Virginia mountain valleys now de-
yeloped by railroads. Those most favored In re-
source Will not long be sirangled by the temporary
| financial depression, ana the success OF Gil VIII
| DO only question OF time Tho Wild speculative
| ideas Of the original boomers will perish and
some will retire with lOss but more legitimate
methods wall succeed them az progress keeps up
| iis march, and The time is not far distant when
| the Virginia mountain regions now irayersed by
| railways will be studded with diversified and
prosperous industries and attractive homes.
Naval Notes and Naval Orders.
| lBy telegraph 70 the Dlspatchl