Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1905-02-22
Manufacturing Centre of Clarke County


draw in closer, the country becomes
more rolling and broken and the streams.
increasing in size, flow through deeper
valleys on their courses to the Shenan-
doah river.
At Pigeon Hill begins q long and
rapid descent to the crossing of the run
at Old Briggs Station-by the
high steel railroad bridge, which affords
a grand undergrade passage for the
Wildwood and Berryville turnpike, thence
extending three miles to where Mill
wood nestles among its mighty hills.
Chapel Run, rising in the Annefield
survey has worn deep gorge, close in
to the high divide of Grindstone ridge.
until turning at Old Chapel to unite with
the ice-cold waters Of that spring Al the
railroad bridge it flows riverward. and
not far below gives power to Briggs
mill.
Here, at Old Chapel, we reach the
geographical centre aud religious genesis
of Clarke county. We are opposite
some of those great bends of the Shen-
andoah between Berry's aud Castleman's
Ferries, which call TO mind the windings
Of the James below Richmond. The
river, which at Berryville was six miles
distant, has now come within three miles
and this and the high elevations explain
the rapid descent OF the water courses
and the power developed. Here too we
turn away from the original survey for
the railroad, which first ran by Mill.
wood, below the great ridges.
But now changing our bearing on the
bridge, and taking the great curve up
Grindstone ridge, we catch a glimpse OF
beautiful Annefeld up the Valley 10
Chapel Run; and, passing the great ex-
eavations made for the fill at the bridge.
we soon arrive al the little 5 curve AZ
The summit; and, as we emerge from the
cut and straighten out on the long
descending tangent, the panorama of a
part Of the great watershed Of the Spout
Kun, the largest stream wholly in Clarke.
opens up before us.
This great watershed is spread out
like palm-leaf fan, with its top reach.
ing TO the OpeQuon divide, and three
main ribs or arteries gathering to a mar.
row handle at Powhatan Seat, adjoining
wildwood, and there the united waters
burst through the high ridge with in
creased declivity; and below Wildwood
and at the foot of the ridge, uniting with
the great Spring at Carter Hall. flowed
through deeply depressed valley 10 a
grand fall at the river.
From Grindstone ridge, about two
miles away, may be seen the mansion.
house of Pagebrook, whose spring is the
source of the most easterly branch. the
Pagebrook Run; after mile of descent
we cross the new steel bridge at this run.
where twice in five years the fill and the
track were swept away as if they were
things of paper, and once the bridge and
the masonry were thrown about like MIA,
things
Now half a mile to BOyce station and
summit, and three hundred yards 10 the
middle branch-tLe Saratoga Run-the
southerly branch we cross a mile and a |
half from BOyce, near the water-tanl, |
upgrade continuing beyond White Post |
so that the railroad across the fan one
mile from the handle is about four miles
long.
All these branches have springs for
their sources, and many springs, small
and large, add their waters before the
is reached.
The height of the surrounding ridges
even 10 6lO feet by the contour man. the
eievatlon OF the water itself and the
snort distance to the river easily account
lor the many water powers along its
II has been said by a noted eneipeer
hat water from the spring at the source
of the central branch could be mined
INTO Boyce by gravity, the spring being
only mile away.
spout Run Is to Clarke what the
famous Abrams creek is to Frederick
a number OF It's water-pcwers have been
iuii|ed In former years, and some are
stiI today. The principal ones are
bryarly's mill, the upper and lower mills
Al WILDWOOD, the water-works mower AT
Darter Hal the saw mill and the Tilt
hammer mills at the river. Some of ma
an sun recall Inc great stone dam at the
over wildwood mill, which. with the
Vater-wheel at Carter Hall, was carried
way by the great freshet of 1860 or 1861
nd which washed out some of the fan
It the river.
Beside these water-powers on the
,pout Run there are closely available {
he river ripple not far below its month. s
ma the swift shoals not far above s
5errys Ferry, and one or two powers
IN the Opequon nearby; while Bovce
'nords railroad facilities.
hese reflections, Mr.. Editor. have !
'een induced by the very interestino .
lble and timely editorial of the BaIti' +
more sun in its issue of December RI
yo4' entitled, Utilizing Small Water h
lowers" 8
MS editorial, which should be rennh. c
lshea by every country newspaper in !
10 which il makes speciaI 70.
erence, shows how the country ia 10 no
eylVlned as TO manufactures and con. a
enlences, and how and whyit is cbeaner
o manufacture in such districts than in L
ne crowded centres of population: the l
esult arising from electrifying the small :
waterfalls and meeting the question of q
ransportation by placing the factory At
he railroad track Also. I think the s,
acts have given should be Considered
the Trolley Company in decid;ng G.
mat route through Clarke TO cboose