Connecticut western news., 1892-10-27
VIRGINIA PENCILLINGS.

Ten years ago the writer made his first trip thro' the "Old Dominion" and we'll remembers Q conversation with one of the State Senators in which the min eral and lumber wealth of Virginia was eloqently set forth. and the financial in- ability of the natives to properly devel- ope it. He said there was iron enough to supply the furnaces of the world, coal enough to feed all it's fires, and almost inexhaustible stores of the finest tim Der, the only thing needed being capital from outside to make them available. Today capital is taking hold and the change from ten years ago Is startling. Cities are springing up like magic, the iron road is pushing ahead, the state is rapidly becoming grid-ironed, and com mercially it is forging to the front.
 Lynchburg 10 years ago had only about 1000 population. Today it has nearly 30.000, and is one of the most picturesque cities in the state. Every thing Is humming and it seems to have entered upon an era of prosperity. The old shanty which so long did duty as 8 railroad station has been replaced by one of the most elegantly designed and convenient stations to be met with any where. and this is only type of the changes in the city during the last de- cade. It is said Lvnchburg was named in honor of Judge John Lynch who ran the ferry over the James river at this place and who was the author of that speedy variety of justice known as "Lynch Law" It is the gateway of the Virginia Blue Ridge and from there westward the railroad mounts higher and higher until an altitude of 2700 feet above tide water is reached.
 Fiftv-three miles from Lynchburg on the Norfolk and Western is flourish ing city that seems to have sprung up in night, Roanoke. at the junction of the Shenandoah and Norfolk and Vest ern Rlys. Three years ago when there I heard Governor Mckinney say that ten years previous he was on that spot when there was not house, and, the place was called Big Lick, the cattle coming there to lick the salt deposits here and there found. Seven years ago there was less than 1000 people there. today there is 1ourishing city with all modern conveniences, and a population of over 20, ,0O0. The COW pastures of a
 
 some residences. The churches, busi- ness houses and public buildings would be credit to any city. Its water sup ply is wonderful, being obtained from 8 spring two miles away, affording five million gallons every "A hours. No spot seems to have profted more by the new ly discovered wealth in mine and forest. Railroad works, rolling mills. furnaces, bridge works. carriage works and other minor industries all seemed to be flour ishing.
 Forty-one miles further west we reach ed Radford. and hero is remarkable piece of engineering skill, g curved bridge over New River, which I was proudly told was the work of Virgin ian civil engineer. It is piece of work any man might we'll be proud of
 Fifteen miles further is Pulaski, a very pretentious town, being literally "a city of magnificent distances" with houses scattered here and there. Un- like Roanoke it is suffering from an ex- hausted boom. The prettiest thing in it is the Maple Shade Inn" which is attractive in appearance, elegant in its fittings, satisfactory in it's culinary de- partment, courteous in its attendance and reasonable in it's prices.
 My design in stopping at Pulaski was to visit colored Methodist Conference, viz, the East Tennessee Conference, which was in session under the presid- ency of Bishop Foss. There were about fifty preachers present, of all shades from a tint so slight that up North we would never suspect there was any black blood at all. to the blackest black with out particle of shine. There IS one white member of the conference, Prof. Hill the president of the Morristown Seminary, oolored institution who left the white conference and joined the col ored, believing his work would be bet ter served. Some of the members were men of marked ability and would dc honor to any pulpit. There was much of interest, amusing and pathetic. was introduced to a presiding elder, 8 magnificent looking man, who, when he was ten years of age was put up with g calf and sold within ten miles of where he now lives. Others there knew what it was to be sold on the block like cat tie, and as looked at them and won dered, thanked God such thing wal no longer possible. In the reports ire quent references were made to the re | suits of convict labor in Tennessee, il having brought disaster to number O. | charges on the Knoxville District. con vict labor driving out honest labor. One of the colored preachers reported "elev en and half conversions" "what dt you mean by half?" the Bishop asked and to the amusement of all he said "I'l tell you bushop. he didn't quite ge thro." Another, bright, fine lookint | young fellow. reported that because o
 business troubles he had only received S75.00 salary "but Bishop if you sent me back I'll go willingly" he said
 "How did you manage to live, m.
 brother?" asked the Bishop, 1T took o1
 my coat and worked at the carpenter
 trade" was the reply. "Did you have
 bed to lie on?" 'Yes Bishop, as goo,
 as any man could wish" "Well' sai,
 Bishop Foss, "You are like your Mas
 ter in one particular, and not like Hir
 in another. He was carpenter an
 so are you, but you have a good bed
 lie on. and He had not where to lay Hi
 head" The sensation caused by thi
 can be imagined, but not described
 The singing, except when they tried
 sing white folks songs, was inimitabl
 and indescribable, the weird, swee
 tones, the peculiar words touched on
 to the quick. Their gift of improviss
 ton is wonderful, and the only thing
 be feared is that contecS swith whit
 people will make such singing thin
 of the past. The photograph might
 good work in preserving for gener,
 tions yet unborn the songs sung by tf
 colored people. During the preachin
 of sermon by one who certainly wi
 no half breed, colored man in fror
 got wonderfully excited, and he begs
 urging on the preacher, rising to b
 feet and striking out with his arms an
 crying out, ''Let her go!" Let her g