Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1907-11-08
A Trip to jamestown

We went to the exposition about
the middle Of September and spent
a week there. We went over the
c. 4 D., and enjoyed the beautiful
scenery from Millboro, where we
took the train, to the foothills on
the other side of the Blue Ridge.
Beautiful green fields where fine
cattle and sheep were grazing, fine
farm houses nestled in vines and
trees, big red or white barns, filled
to overAowing with grain and hay,
fields of corn yet uncut, but show
ing premise of big yield, were
some of the sights that greeted us
from the commencement OF our
trip until we had passed through
the famous Rock-fish valley and
had emerged from the foothills OF
the Blue Ridge; then we noticed
such difference in the vegetation.
1t wa. only occassionly a stack OF
hay was seen and very small lop-
sided stack it usually was.
The corn was scarcely half as high
as in the Valley, and the ears were
small and Indifferent.
The farm houses were mere cab
ms, sometimes surrounded by rail
fences, oftentimes none around it..
A lot Of children usually around
the door, and few BACKED boys
wandering around with a human
disconnected air. Only about the
towns was there an air of thrift and
energy.
One can travel miles and see on
ly at long intervals few negro
cabins, or cabins of similar kim
occupied by white renters. Still
this same land seems capable Of be-
ing greatly improved. noticed in
barren looking field whore hay
,, stack had stood the previous year,
growing there was clover a foot
high, green and luxuriant looking.
| believe if some Of our good valley
farmers or our farmers from Bath
or Highland would take one OF
those run down eastern Virginia
farms they would in a few years
have a model farm. At Hanover
Junction we saw some of the ia.
nous watermelons, that have made
this part of Virginia well known,
and had the pleasure of eating
some Of them; they were excellent,
but no better than We can raise in
the valley of the Cowpasture.
At Gcrdonsville, the statioE-plat-
form was covered with vendors OF
chicken sandwich, grapes, peaches,
coffee, etc. All these sellers are
colored, fat and sleek looking, sun
ningly happy as the day is long.
We noticed such a difference in
both the looks and manners OF the
negro in eastern Virginia and here.
There he is the smiling, chattering
and happy mortal we are accustom-
ed to find him pictured in books
| and novels. With US he has more
the look, AS a rule, and the man.
| ners of the caucasian. To great
| extent he has. lost the fat nose
| with distended nostrils, wide mouth
and prominent teeth. You will
| still find in many Of the negroes
east of the Blue Ridge all of these
African characteristics. The ne
groes here are much more morose
and as rule aspire to greater So
cial equality with the whites.
We found the exposition all we
fhad expected and more. We had
heard so much to its disadvantage
before going, but found nothing
to criticise when wegot there. The
buildings aie gems of architecture,
| and made 1t different from most
fairs is that most Of these build.
ings are built of permanent mater
ial, brick, stone or logs, instead OF
staff and the fimsy materials that
the usual exposition buildings are
built of. MANY Of these buildings
are to remain where they stand as
a jamestown memorial. No more
beautiful in the vi IL world is 10
seen, I'm sure, than Raleigh Square
with its fountains, lagoons. flow
ers and statutes, but it is night
that the exposition looks like Fai.
ryland, with its roofs, turretss and
spires outlined with electric lights
| Caau frnm Asnnkou Roada al