Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-07-28

ing the Piedmont valley evidences of |
the decay of the east, as far as agri-
culture at least is concerned, were to
be seen. The part of rural Virgin
la through which we passed is more
thoroughly popu ated than are most
parts of North Dakota. Z On either
hand SJwere old farms worn out in
the earlier days by the growing of
tobacco, and now are woodland
wastes, much of the timber being
second growth pine. Here and
there attempts are being made to re-
claim the land, and we see evidences
Of the Yankee thrift in the new build.
ings and more improved methods of
farming. / remarked to V'rginian
who boarded the train at Richmond
that the rural sections did not pre-
sent very prosperous appearance.
This was admitted and it's cause at
tributed to the scarcity of labor.
White labor was out of the question,
and the negroes were becoming so
independent that it would soon be
impossible to procure help of any
Kind. Virginia soil has long been
noted for its. fertility, but it looked
very sterile, indeed, to US after see
ing the rich dark loan of the CEN
trail and western states, and it real
3ly seemed that the land would need
to be fortified before it would be
fit for making bricks. The scarcity
of labor may now be the occasion of
the decay of the state, but it seems
to me that it's real cause lies in the
inability of the east to successfully
compete with the great west in ag-
ricultural pursuits. In the west we
can afford to pay good wages and
can get the labor.
We reached Newport News early
Friday evening, and at once crossed
by boat to Norfolk, which was to be
our headquarters while we visited
the various points of interest. Our
way from Newport News to Norfolk
lay across Hampton Roads, around
which are more historic associations
than has any other body of water in
or bordering the United States. We
passed model of the old Monitor,
anchored at the identical spot where
the original met and administered
such a drubbing to the Confederate
Merrimac, and at the same time,
gave to the world the model for bat
tleships which has been used ever
since We passed then through a
1eet Of vessels of all descriptions on
the Roads. On the left, opposite
Pine Ridge, was the battleship Tex
as and near her the cruiser Brook
lyn. In the distance, near Old Point
Comfort, were three more represen-
tatives of our navy, the Minnesota,
the new Maine and the Ohio. On the
right, between Norfolk and Ports
! mouth, were anchored two stately
ships belonging to the navy of Brazil.
These two vessels are, believe, the
only foreign war vessels near the
exposition grounds. In every direc'
iton passenger and freight vessels
were passing to and fro and present
ing an agreeable contrast to tbs
sleepy land scenes we had just left
There were not many exposition
visitors in Norfolk and we found ne
/ difficulty in securing good quarters
\ The people of Norfolk, as well as thu
visitors, do not seem to be very en-
tthusiastie over the exposition, and
think we We're able to guess the caus,
before we left. Early Saturday morn
ing we took the trolley for Cap
4 Henry, twenty miles east of Norfolk
! This is the spot on which the Eng
4 lish landed in the spring of 1907
The cape is a rough, storm swep
i point, dreary enough now with it
4 few buildings and lighthouse, Blu
how much more SO must it have al
n peared three centuries ago, when tn
:. little band of adventures steppe
{ from their boats to its sandy beac
and beheld before them only scru
j pines half buried by sand dunes. y
u is no wonder that they looked fc
j more hospitable shores. These the
i found forty-fve miles inland on th
1 banks of the James river.
/ OF the exposition itself do nj
8 care to say great deal, for our sta
t there was brief and there is DANCE
+ Of not doing 1t justice. We wei
d much disappointed; and that SCENE
o to be the case with most Of thos
e we met. It is true that there are
e number Of fine exhibits and some
o the state and federal buildings Al
4 excellent, but there is around Il
= whole an air Of incomp leteness whit
81 you did not expect at a place OF tn
!, hind IS Few of fI,a exhibits were q