Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-23

speeding through the weird and tangled
foliage and over the dark waters OF Chlcka-
hominy and White-Oak swamps. But 1t is
after Richmond, Gordonsville, and Char
lottesville have faded in the distance, the
smiling Piedmont highlands have been
traversed, and the ascent OF the eastern
slope of the Blue Ridge Is begun that one
commences to appreciate the magnitude OF
the work undertaken by the fathers OF
the road and get suggestion OF the
grandeur of the scenery that is to greet
him later. e,
At every mile almost Of the road as it
winds its way upward and along the noun
tainside 10 the mouth of the tunnel new
picture bursts upon the view, and lust be-
fore the tram plunges into the darkness OF
the tunnel hundreds of feet below is spread
out valley vision which for expanse and
diversified charm is unequalled IN TINS
country. On a clear daY when this same
expanse is bathed in sunlight, and the
1elds and woods are taking on their sum-
mer robing, the visionis an ideal panorama
of peaceful, happy, prosperous agrlcuitu-
raj life.
WEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE.
Emerging from the tunnel the great val
lev of Virginia, one of the richest farming
sections of the Commonwealth, IS crossed.
In less than an hour the North-mountain
climb is begun. the grades of Buffalo and
Panther gaps have been overcome, and
little later the traveller is at Chiffon
Forge. where jackson river bursts
through the mountain, and where, either
by the action of the water or some great I
conyuIsion of nature. arches have been
formed on each side of the river that con;
stitute one of the most remarkable ana
interesting phenomena to be seen on TINS
continent. The impression is that the
mountain has been cleft in twain with some
titanic axe.
UP TO WHITE SULPHUR BOWL. 81,
Between the western entrance TO the
Blue Ridge tunnel and Clifton Forge the
road runs by Basic City, Waynesboro', /,
Stannton. Goshen, and Millboro', and
twelve miles west is Covington: Now the
traveller is truly in the heart OF the great
AIleghanies and commences the ascent or
the grand range proper. higher ana
higher climbs the locomotive, deeper oe-
come the gorges, wilder the scenery, ana
heavier the fills, the track on that span;
ming Jerry's Run beng one hundred anu
eighty-fiye feet above the bed the stream
below. On every side is vast prospect OF
mountain, peak topping peakin successor.
as far as the eye can reach, and over eli
resting that blue haze which delights the
sense of the painter, and which he has
never yet been able to reproduce. On
the way the train rushes through several
tunnels, including the Alleghany, ana then
nulIs mn in the White Sulphur bowl, TWO
thousand feet above the sea level.
A STRIKING CONTRAST.
The placid. glancing Greenbr1er river, a
noem OF restfulness, next attracts the atten-
tion. and almost ere one has received u
marked impression of its gentle flow ne Is
passing between the Greenblier Mountains
and Great Flat Top and into the, canyons
of New river, The scene lsindeed scene
of transformation. The GreenDrler Is sci 70
fhe New as the Zephyr is to Boreas. Inc
one is a love song and suggests the realm
az maids and fairies, the other IS an epic III
whose rush and roar is heard the conten-
tions of giants and demons. The New
river is the widest. most ungoVernhole
stream in all the South, and in lts maddest
moods tosses the huge boulders IN lts
beds about as if they were peoOles.
For miles the road skirts IT'S banks
hundreds of feet above ITS angry
swirl. Below foaming, surging torrent
overhead beetling, castillated cliffs, the
cnlmInation of wildness and picturesque
meas being reached at HawksNest. Ateyery
turn of the road along New river there IS
a a,,rnrise and a lesson in the forces OF
nafure. Kanawha Falls opens up another
wild and beautiful mountain-riyer scene,
and thence on ria Charleston to Hunting-
ron the way Is through one OF the most
attractive sectlons oh Ness eusA
JAMEs-RIyER SCENERY.
The Jsmes-RiYer Division, as indicated,
follows for the most part the line. of the
old canal, and consequently the valleys Oh
the James and the North river. From
Richmond nearly TO Lynchburg tue
scenery is series OF qniet ianatscaRo tsrslI o
6elds. and undulating highlands. West OF
Ivnchburg, however, it strikes the foot
hilis OF the Blue Ridge, passing through the
latter range at Balcony Falls gie a gap sinli-
r' lar TO the Great Gap at Clifton Forge.
through which il also runs From Balcony
Eells 10 Clifton Forge It hugs the foot OF
tains aearly the entire distance, the
w;ldness VII OF the surroundings in some IN
stances yieing with that along the man
stem.
THE MINERAL RESOURCES.
The vast Iron Deposits--New Fields HeinE