Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-01-27
improvements in Rockbridpe in
Past Years
For The Gazette.
SWEET BRIEF BRANCH, Jan. 90.

county and pay for same. | would
IL prefer in this to speak of our efforts
e liz years past to get thoroughfale >
=, over which to take our surplus pro
q ducts to market.
One hundred years ago and less our
only outlets were over dirt roads,
Z often badly located and poorly con-
q structed, leading over the Blue Noun
: tain TO far off markets, Richmond.
Lynchbnrg, Scotsville, Baltimore, etc.
Farmers hitched up their big horses,
five to six constituting team, to
: heavy homemade wagons and loading
their surplus farm products. trading
some for groceries and other neces-
say supplies and spending from one
to three weeks on the trips.
have heard old wagOners tell that
it took good wagner TO stop on top
of the mountain at the Rockfish Gap
crossings if he stopped too soon his
, wa on would run back and if too far
it would run forward They locked
their wagons down this ml untain on
the east side by claiming a Lind wheel,
causing it to slide; the decent being
four miles it was necessary to change
the lock so as not to wear the tire too
much At one place. The rubber lock
was invented and put in use about
1880 to 49,, to the delight of all the
old wagoners
Also we constructed then little keel
bOttomed boats along North River
and back II the hills hauling Them on
wagons to the river. They were built
narrow and long. TIL cargo was
packed in the middle of the boat and
on either side Of the load the rowman
walked, showing the boat with long
poles. The down stream travel was
easy, requiring but little showing, yet |
very dangerous on a high tide. |
have heard of these little boats run
ming down through Balcony Falls,
keeping up with wild ducks on the
wing This sounds unreasonable. |
cannot vouch for it.
Our first effort at public improve
ments in our county was to subscribe
to the capital stock OF the James
River and Kanawa Canal, TO help
build the branch from Balcony Falls
to Lexington. The amount Of sub
scription | think was $500 doubt
not that the construction ofthiSbranch
was great help, giving us cheap
water way to Richmond and other
points, but much complaint was made
OH account OF frequent washOuts.
We finished paying this debt good ,
many years ago.
Our next venture was TO build
plank road entirely through our
county, from Lexington northward to
the Augusta county line and south
west from Lexington to the BotetOurt I
county line, a distance of about 80
miles. ] don't think we ever fully
the job The read did not
prove satisfactory; the sun soon
cupped and twisted up the planks
and after few years it was found Fl
necessary to take up the planks and -
use the road as a dirt road. This
line of road in the main is well located a
aud could with little expense be fitted n
or gravel. i do not know how the
money was raised for the building OF "
his road or the cost of same.
Our next venture at public inn
)rove'nt nts was to subscribe $500 '
100 for STOCK in the Valley X. r. and .
M account of road not being built the \
whole distance through our county 4
We compromised by giving our obi v
alton for S4GO, 600 This certainly was
large dett for our county. If am
rot in,stake n we have three fourths ~.
+ $500, 600 of the original debt paid;
lso all interest OH the unpaid amount
f about 100000.
NJ. w. q. Mcdowell is well posted .,
II the financial undertakings OF our w
ounty, having Interested himself in Ba
he same 10 the county's profit, and ms
ANY Of his county friends would be e W
e'ighted to have him prepare for pub in
cation statement showing the CIT
mount of principal and interest poid aP
y the county on canal stock, cost of ,'
uildng plank road and amount paid
VALLEY r. X. subscription, principal
nd interest. ] would like the people
} know the amount we have paid on
lese several stocks and to remind n
lem that we have never derived one sto
mt Of dividend OH the whole of In
lem. We paid toll on the plank
'ad, and for any service done for us 70
: either Of these companies we have
aid for in full,
am Of the opinion that vs. taye, =,
thin the last 30 years, paid on Valley or
r. subscription all of $500, 600. /
lore Mr. Mcdowell will give the Bil
act amount Now, sir, this EN- ms D.,
laszes in a very emphatic way our ont
'iity to put up in less time than 30 10
ars many miles Of good macadam the
ads. - ca
Bar
ops the Cough, Works off the Cold mo-
Laxative BrOmG lqlnine Tablets
re cold in one day. No Cure, No
ny. Price. % cents.
60 x