The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-01-10
FROM THE OLD DOMINION.
]. H. II. Lewis Writes About The Natural
Bridge, The Big Tunnel, and Beauli.
iul Scenery.
PEOPLE GENEROUS AND HosPIrABLE.

tdlnS-Jno AlleSnenleS, Ille due
Ridge, and the Cum berland-be-
long to the Appalachian System.
The we'll known Mountain
Lake summer resort is situate in
this county. The lake itself is a
beautiful sheet of water $500
feet above sea le jel, and so trans
parent is the water that the bot
tenn of the lake is visible from ev-
cry portion of the surface, al
though 1T has an average depth
of 80 TO 90 feet. The mountain
scenery is grand and beautiful
beyond description. The great
est wonder IN the State is the
Natural Bridge, over Cedar
Creek in Rockbrldge county.
The bridge is huge mass of
rock spanning the bed of the
creek at a height of 225 feet. A
wagon road leads across it. and
forest trees and shrubbery grow
on each side of the road, hiding
to some extent the sides of the
bridge; hence one might drive
across, if not acquainted with the
conditions, and not kI ow he had
crossed bridge. Within short
distance of the bridge is the lsa-
bella Stairway, a natural under
ground fight of stone steps. Tue
stairway begins in beautiful
cavern, and winds upward under
numerous arches to height of
400 or 500 leet-opening, at last,
to the sky. TINS Is, perhaps, the
only such stone stairway yet dis
covered.
In.Scott county Is the Natural
Tunnel. The rock formation
here is something like that of the
Natural Bridge, but the tunnel is
not so high nor so long. A branch
of the Chnch river runs through,
as does also a railroad.
The state of Virginia is very
rich 10 minerals, and 1t is noted
for the variety and beauty of It's
building stones. Granite of the
finest quality, brownstone and
sandstone are found in abun'
dance. Large quantities of sail
are found IN the Great Valley, il
Washington and IN Smith coun
} ty. The salt is obtained by the
evaporation of brine which hows
from artesian wells bored dowr
into bed of solid rock salt
Virginia famlliarly known al
, the Old Dominion, was settled by
the English, and named for Queer
Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen
The jamestown Exposition vii
be held next year to celebrate
the first settlement of Virginii
300 years ago.
The public schools of Virginia
are supported ny State taxation
This however, is supplemented
in many counties and towns b.
t local taxation.
The brunt of desolatlon which
this state sustained during tn
Owl War Is appalling, but sh
] has arisen from her desolatlon
q and as the years have gone by
prosperity has attended her ei
forts, until now-she stands anon,
the most prosperous of tn
t States; and her people-no NOR
4 generous and openhea rted peupl
o exist on the face of the globe.
+ Northern people, | think, hav
an idea that Virginia is oyer-ru
I
with negroes; but such is not tn
y case. There are comparatlvel
: few darkies They have largel,
e migrated north or to the larg
+ cities. Those that remain ar
worthless, lazy, and improvideni
: The people in this section tray
ell mostly on horseback- bot
. women and men. | have see
r more side sad dies since | hay
besn in Virginia, than for man
# day up north. A womaL vi
mount a hose, hang her marke
basket on a horn of the saddl,
place her baby IN her lap, an
: think nothing of riding away fiy
! or six miles to country store
70 / might add just here that the
Y, ha re fine saddle horses.
y Many northern people eomin
n to this country, interest then
d. selves in working up timber, Z
H. which there is an abundance.
: saw d large poplar tree yeste
= day "a feet in circumferen TO-
p said to be the largest tree IN Il
State.