The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-08-10
SOME WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL POOR IN
SUBURBS.

The Most Delightful Resort Is the
Natural Ridge of Virginia-Some of
the Civil War BattIefieIds Revisit
ed-The Home of the Sixth Lord
of Fairfax-A Story in Connection
With the Natural Bridge-In His
"NOtes on Virginia" Jefferson
Wrote the Best Account of the
Bridge-Other Matters of General
Interest
Washington, Aug. S.-There is no de-
nying that the Nations Capital is eX-
tremely poor in suburbs" as COM
pared with New York, Boston, Phila-
delphia and other cities. Congress-
men, who are often detained here in
long sessions till midsummer indus
trious citizens tied hand and foot to
business, heads of departments and
other employees of the government,
have pretty nearly Hobson's choice in
the way of desirable place where
their wives and children may stay
during the heated term, far enough
away to escape the fiery furnace of
the city asphalt and not too far to be
reached at nightfall. By going further
a field-to Winchester, Harpers Ferry,
Smokers Gap, etc.-the weaker yes
means separation of families, the fire.
quent journey being out of the question
for the busy men who must therefore
endure-alone, as best they can. the
discomforts of Washington summers.
The most delightful resort within
days ride of the national capital is,
by all odds, the Natural Bridge of Vir-
ginia, and the journey thereto,
through the beautiful Shenandoah VAL
ley, is truly "a joy forever" You leave
Washington about II a. m. by the
Metropolitan branch of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railway, and change at She
nandoah Junction for the valley
which the Father of his Country loved
to speak of as "the Garden of Vir-
ginfa." For many miles the road runs
through a romantic region lying be-
tween two ranges of @the Blue Ridge,
drained by that tranquil river which
the Indians named Shenandoah
Daughter of the Stars" 1t is historic
ground, every rod of it haunted by
"reminiscences, not only of the Civil
War, but dating back to the earliest
days of the Old Dominion. First there
is Harpers Ferry. the scene of John
Browns raid-with his foolish old fort
still standing, amid other ruins left
py that most un-Civil War. Close by is
Jetferson's Rock" away up on vine
cad cliff overlooking the surrounding
h'!ls-so high that the Shenandoah,
now hoyden daughter" romping
InolSlly over the rocks to meet the
Sotomac, is nc longer heard-where
president jefferson used to sit while
writing his Notes of Virginia" The
superstitious natives whereabouts tell
creepy tales of a spook, in queue and
Knee breeehes, that is frequently seen
sitting upon the rock, scribbling away
as for dear life. 1t does not require a
powerful Imagination to fancy that
gentle historian on his favorite perch,
ana IN view of later events. in the line
OF iynchings and other acts of law
IeSshess, one would think he would like
20 return and revise some of his flat
.erlng laudations of Virginia. About
'"enty years ego some remarkable
,dNes We're discovered in the neighbour
mo9d OF Harper's Ferry. of such before
,uin.he9Id-of extent ana beauty as to
literally beat "all hollow" the caverns
~ Luray and the Mammoth of Ken
spoky: but with the characteristic
-'''llessness OF the region, they have