Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1909-10-15
THE REPORTER ON THE sOuTHsIDE.

The CITIZENS reporter made an inva-
sion of the Southside and for day or
so sojourned in the ancient town of
Urbanna. Though written down as
ancient Urbanna, it bears few of the
marks of decrepitude, save some very
ancient and venerable buildings and
trees, relics of days when the town
started as contemporary of Philadel-
phia. Though both were founded, so
legend has it, the same year, Urbanna
has marks which distinguish it from
some Virginia towns which, starting
on the county road go up one side of
the street and down the other, for it is
we'll formed, with wide streets and
spacious openings. Urbanna creek.
which is its port of entry, is a beauti-
full bit of water, shut in and handbook
ed. but with deep water and salt at
that. 1t has the Virginia oyster for a
basis, so to speak, and these have the
characteristics peculiar to those of the
Rappahannock in general-a flavor that
tickles the palate as few bivalves else
where can. Two steamer landings are
made in the creek and one just outside
West Urbanna, a mile away. The
Rappahannock, here three miles wide
and deep enough for the biggest sort of
navigation, is grand stream and if in
England would have hugh ships and
busy cities on its banks, and Urbanna-
ties are still dreaming of the day when
the ships will come, the towns built
and boom more steady and successful
than that of the Virginia Valley of
years gone by will be started.
But the town is after all a rather
busy one, with some IL or Is stores and
places of business, some of them big
ones. Here some retired magnates
have settled and made homes that vie
with any for real magnificence. State
Senator Cochran, of Pennsylvania, has
splendid farm and fine mansion just
across the creek, and DR.. Kilmer, of
Swamp Root" fame, Is spending lot
of money on an old estate, with many
workmen building a mansion and he
also has half hundred laborers devel-
opiag his farm.
Three miles away is the old Colonial
church, Christ Church." built in 1910.
the original walls still standing and so
solid that they look as if they might
endure through the ages. This county
(Middlesex) has been fairly we'll devel-
oped. and the farms are, many of them,
in fine condition. The land is well
adapted to Embarrassing and only needs
little help, but here as elsewhere the
great trouble is to obtain labor. 1t is
the same story all through Tidewater,
the river and bay tempt the workman.
and fish and oysters are too tempting a !
harvest to be resisted. But most of
the oyster-folk are thrifty people and
have good dwellings and comfortable
homes.
1t is not commonly known that when
Mcclellan was planning his campaign
against Richmond he seriously contem-
plated and in part arranged to make
Urbanna his base of supplies. but af-
terwards decided on West Point. Is
miles away. so Urbanna was saved
from dire affiiction.
Here is the home of the Southside
Sentinel. breezy and up-to-date week.
ly journal, and its proprietor. Mr.. Ry-
land, has all the cordiality of the genu-
inc Virginia country editor.
l heard no politics In Middlesex.
People seem to feel that the Democrat
ic situation In the county is satisfactory
and safe.
Like many of the Tidewater locations
on the Virginia rivers not a few of the
men of our State who have been lead
ers in state and national politics have
had this as their birthplace, and we
might make quite list of names of
those whose voices have been in past
days influential in shaping the opinions
of the country.