The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-08-07
FROM THE OLD DOMINION
BRANDYwINE STATION.
CULPEPPER Co. VA.
,July oath. 1896,

BRANDYwINE STATION,
CULPEPPER Co, VA.
July Gath, 1896.
l desire through your columns. to give
an account of the country that | am IN,
and some of the incidents of the trips that
have taken during the summer months
The duties to be performed in my official
enga gements, take me some of the time
many miles from home, and in this way |
have travelled over many parts OF the
States of Maryland and Virginia. At
present you will find that l am in the lat
ter State, and in one of the most favored
portions ofthe grand old Commonwealth.
NV first visit in this section was IN the
month of May, when l went through Eau
quier, a part of Loudon and Rappahan-
mock counties. The country was then
just in the budding time of spring life
| The farmers were busy in the planting OF
their corn crops, and in the many prepar-
atoms that are to be made for the summer
| campaign. The fields give promise "t
rich return in grass and grain the stock
| for fattenning had Just been turned In up
on the luXuriant growth of blue grass the
| picture everywhere was one of great beau
tv and filled with hope that gladdens the
| farmers heart In this section OF Virginia
grazing is largely reSOrted to. ana IL was
| an ever increasing wonder, to see the
MANY herds of cattle and sheep. that liter
all d ,ttei the fields. The prosp,ct was al
! together a most delightful and pleasing
one Certainly without exagge:ation this
| is a grand part of the State. The scenery
| is ever shifting and varied. The face OF
| the country is rolling, and ever ascending,
! until it reaches the everlasting hills. Here
indeed was beauty: the mountains in the
distance, with the light haze OF early
summer, GROWING their heights, and from
foot to summit, clad in the rich sheen OF
| early yerdure There is something of an
awe inspiring feeling, that overcomes one
| in the presence of these giants OF the
| earth at all events such is the impression
that is ever made upon the mind of the
writer. Just here let me give a pen pic
ture of one of the ideal estates, in the
county of Fauquier, that is celebrated for
| its richness of soil. The farm is known
as the Marshall estate, and was the place
of residence of the great Chief Justice.
1t is now owned by one of the Maddox
family The is house surrounded by a beau
tiful grove of oaks and native trees, and
| stands upon an eminence that overlooks
the 700 acres of land contained in the
farm. 1t is one of the old fashioned
plantation houses of a generation long
since passed away, that could be better
described as palace, for no dwellings of
of that day could be much surpassed in
generosity, and lavish hospitality, even by
a palace. 1t is large and cOmmodious.
and has been improved by the aid of mod
ern inventions. Water is conducted
through the dwelling from a large force
pump that stands in the lawn and all the
conveniences in the way of out-houses,
neatly built and looking tidy and well
kept, will easily convince one of the sub
stantial comforts from such home. There
is beautiful drive way from the public
road that divides the estate, up to the
mansion. Then in the near distance, look
out upon the mountain scenery, and there
IA picture of natural loneliness that is
rare to be found any where else. This cs
tate is divided up into fields of about 100
acres each, and there was large herd OF
cattle upon the grass, that the owner toC
me, had been in sod for over forty years
) This was revelation to me. and to my
surprise the information was given, thai
) they could be fattened upon it, without
the aid of any other grass. 1t seemed i'm
, possible to be done, because the grass wa:
: then very short, but the explanation wa:
given, when | was told, it was blue gras
sod and would afford ample forage unit
frost Well it seems to me that | have
rambled somewhat and will endeavor t.
, get back to the point of beginning.
have spoken of the early cultivation o
the crops, and the fields of grass ant
, wheat and oats, that were then growing
Now am in the same country, when thu
harvest has been gathered and the corr
is in the ear. Such evidences of plent,
that are on every hand, would induce thu
belief that here Isl locality where thu
: farmer must be prosperous and In gOot
circumstances. Abundance of everything
that goes to make the wealth of the peO
/ pie is at hand. Such acres of corn, sucl
fields of hay, such acres of grain, the mos
of it threshed, such herds of cattle that arr
| now nearly ready for the market, all pro
clam Il land of plenty. Surely nature, la
wish always in her gifts, has done her full
/ share, and the toll of the laborer has ac
complshed what has been required of hi
/ agency. Yet, let me state IA paradox, Their
5 is want behind all this evidence of pros
2 perity and abundance. What is it. 1t i
the fact, that the market value of it all
is below the cost of production, and thu
: farmer after all is poorly off, when hi
balances his accounts. This is what cause
the unrest and disgust among the rura
classes, and there is an universal clamo
} for q change that will bring relief. Grea
hope for this result, is had in the success
of the silver question, and it is rare t.
S find any one in this section who is not il
favor of the Chicago nominees and TIN
t platform. Almost the identical condition
= prevail in the counties of Montgomery
5 Frederick and Washington among who's
people l have lately been. In our count,
e it is nearly the same. if not entirely so
and it can be taken as truth, that TIN
same controlling reasons are operatin!
, elsewhere, over people similarly situated
go this coming week further south, an,
will endeavor to prepare letter from tina
l section. H.