The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1899-03-17
DOWN IN OLD VIRGINIA.
Eber Harnden Writes Interestingly OF that
Country Where the Magnolia Blooms.

Eber Harnden Writes Interestingly OF thai
Country Where the Magnolia Blooms.
Mr.. James Menzies,
Editor EXpositor,
Yale, Mich.
Dear Sir:-Thinking that our peo-
pie might be interested in reading a
letter from the sunny South" l will
give you a short description of a trip
am now making. / left our town on
Friday afternoon, March Bird, on the
f. ~ Z: M. for Virginia. We passed
through some very fine sections of
country, while some other sections did
not look so inviting. Was especially
interested in the thousands of oil wells
lying on both sides of the Checking
Valley" road from Toledo to Columbus
for a distance of 90 to IS miles, and
reaching out as far as the eye could
see. AT Columbus, Ohio. boarded the
Norfolk a. Western cars for Norfolk,
Va. | reached Kenova, w. Va, Sat
urday at midnight. This is quite a
distinguished place, on account of bOr-
dering on and lying in three different
states, viz, Ohio, Kentucky and West
Virginia, and derives its name from
the three states aboye, (Ken from Ken
lucky, o from Ohio and va from Vir-
ginia.)
Leaving Kenova Sunday morning the
9th, we rolled along over mountainous
country, running around mountains
aud through tunnels. The mountains
comprising the Alleghaney range were
very picturesque, as were also the Blue
Ridge and Northumberland. We met
with frequent delays in this section
caused by heavy storms and landslides
through the mountains. At some places
the train would be held up by these
land-slides. which would rush down
from the mountain side from distance
of 1000 feet, and would require the eff
forts Of the entire train crew and wreck
ing parties to open up the way so we
could proceed. The tunnels mention
ed above are great feat of engineer
ing cut out through solid mountains
for mile in length at some places
Through this section lies the celebrat-
ed coal fields and mining country.
The Norfolk d Western II. II. haul
hundreds of cars of coal daily from
this section to their terminal at
Norfolk, for shipment to seacoast cities
and for export to foreign countries.
This road also handles thousands of
cars of grain from the great West that
is run through their Norfolk Elevator
and exported to Europe.
The next station was Bluefeld. Here
we met with another delay caused by
washouts on the road between Blue
field and Roanoke, Va. Bluelield is
quite a pretty place. nestled down be
tween the mountains, which reach at
some places 2, 800 feet above the town.
Having few hours to spend here, /
went up one of the mountains and had
a splendid view of the surrounding
country for miles on every side, this
mountain being 60 miles long and al
most level for the entire distance.
Leaving Bluefield we had open way
to Norfolk, passing through some of
the good old Virginia towns, such as
Roanoke, Lynchburg, and Petersburg.
L arrived at Norfolk without further
delay on Tuesday morning the eth.
These delays on this road are not fire.
quent, but happen only during heavy
snow storms, wind and rain. AS a
whole the trip was an exceptionally
pleasant one and enjoyed to the full
extent.
At Norfolk was agreeably surprised
to find hustling, metropolitan city of
about 100000, bright warm sunshine,
and a pleasant and sociable people. L
am being entertained here by Mr.. n.
L. Robinson, who is manager of The
Standard Hay Co., with whom we are
doing some business in hay, and have
had a good "old Virginia welcome"
Have been all around to see the sights.
The harbor of Hampton Roads is con-
sidered to be the finest on the coast,
and as Norfolk lies within almost
speaking distance OF Portsmouth, Berk-
ley, Newport-News and smaller places,
it has very superior advantages, ana is
destined to be a very large and pros
porous city. The people here are ener-
getic and hustle early and late. There
is quite large Navy Yard here, with
warships in harbor almost constantly.
Fortress Monroe lies just across the
harbor, which is at this time the best
protected fort on the entire coast. AS
whole / have had a most pleasant
visit, and shall leave here likely today
or tomorrow on my return trip through
Washington, ID. c., and Baltimore, Md,
with pleasant memories of Norfolk,
Va, and her hospitable people.
Thanking you for your valuable
space, and hoping to give you another
letter upon my return home, l am
Yours very truly,
Eber Harndon.
Norfolk Va March 9th 1899