The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-13
T0AN0, VILLAGE in
I TRUCKING SECTION
Virginia's Great Re
sources That Come Up
in a Small Way.
SPLENDID SCHOOL
IN RURAL REGION
Charming Country Life in Old
Virginia-Good Homes, Big
Schools and Libraries, and
All in the country-A
Wonderful Trucking
Region.
by FRANK s. wOODsoN,
Industrial Editor.

Especial to The imes-Dispatcil.1
Toano Va, February 12.-Last week
had something to say in this column
ABOUT the Norwegian settlement OF
Norge. two miles east OF here, ara
tried to tell how the Norwegians, who
, came from the cold Northwest to this
favored section of the old Dominion
had made things hum and the land to
| blossom as a rose. did not say too
| much about the good work of the
| NorweSians. for the story was confined
strictly to the facts in the case. How
| ever. my good friends, c. c. Branch,
| Professor II. NJ Mac Manaway, DR..
| II. u. Stephenson and others, have
| reminded me that there are some
1 hustlers in this part of the trucking
/ region that are of the old Virginia
| stock, and they have made some roses
! bloom and some Irish potatoes grow.
and many other things to sproul here
before the Norwegians came. To
make sure of it all, they invited ma
! to come and see Toano and the good
! regions round about. I came. and now
I want to tell about the good things
saw in Toano and this flourishing
and lovely part of James City county.
\ Tonne 1t Is.
Toano is not an incorporated town,
but Just a country settlement, a village
of truck farmers and land-workcrs. so
to speak. True, it has bank,
good hotel splendid high school and
library, livery stables. several Indus
trial establishments. numerous stores
and handsome homes, and other things
| that go to make up a we'll regulated
| town, but 1t has no town government,
/ and does not need any, for all of the
people are law-abidins, God-teartng
and peace-loving folks. They don't
want a Justice John or a police force.
Toano is twelve miles north of Will
lliam sburg, exactly half way between
Richmond and Newport News. on the
Peninsula branch OF tho great Ches-
apeake and Ohio Railway 1t is located
on high ground. In fact. the sur
veyors and civil engineers who nave
spied the country out say that II IS
higher above sea level than is Church
Hill. in Richmond This may be true
as the surveyors instruments see II,
but I hardly believe it. Certain 1T is
the ground does not look like II IS
that high not to a layman'5 eye like
mine.
The trucking country for many miles
around Toano is thickly settleo WIN
potato-ra.sing farmers and melon
growers and corn-raisers, and tnere u
probably no part of Virginia that Is
more beautifully built up with hana,
some and imposing farm houses ana
delightful homes than the section sur
rounding Toano.
Outside .aoney Flows In.
These things naturally follow the
good business done here. and they are
the results in cash of the good things
that are made out of the rich lands
hereabout. I have been allowed TO
take a peep at the books of the agent
of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway,
and I find that Toano is the largest
shipping point on the Peninsula
\ 49, ia Ia,
Road between Richmond and Newport
News, as the following figures will
show, and all OF the shipments are
grown in one way and another out OF.
the ground within few miles around
the village. Last year. which. by the
way, was not a very good crop year.
$4,000 barrels OF Irish potatoes wers
shipped from the station. AS the agent
managed to put $50 barrels In car.
a this made sos carloads Of potatoes that
/, left this station for various Western
y and Northern markets. was sur
!. prtsed to learn that largely more than
: half Of these potatoes went to Western
!. Observation-Disclosures. Pittshurg. De-
= troit, Chicago, Milwaukee, Buffalo.
:, - balance to Northern markets, such as
y New York, Boston, Providence, Spring
field, etc.
Outside Money Helps.
That Is what makes Virginia great:
the making OF things that sell beyond
20 20 the State limits and bring outside.
20 money into the State. Last year was
- not good potato year, SO the truckers
~ say, but all the same these shipments
= netted the farmers around Toano $3.50
- barrel, and that brought considerable
o o. Western and Northern money TO the
=, good old county. and brought it early
:, In the season. too, for be 1t UNDER
=, =, stood that the bulk of these shipments
~ were made between June and Septem-
!, Der.
Tho shipments of produce from this
9 station were not confined to Irish po-
- tatoes. The shipments OF sweet po-s
= tatoes and other kinds OF truck We're
I at least half as large. and then came
in the output of the canning factory.
which was enormous, and to this is
10 be added the lumber and wood
!. shipments. The busy season OF the
;. railroad agent Is from June to Sep
;. tember, but the lumber and logging
. and wood business keeps him going all
i the year around.
n The region round about Toano is
n famous for corn, and while the far
~ mers keep much of this grain at home
;. for the feeding of stock and the fat
:, tenlng OF hogs. they ship large lots
!. to Richmond and other markets. Tha
!. farmers hereabouts have caught on to
- the grass and hay raising methods.
Ten or more years ago the farmers
about Toano bought the most of the
hay they required for the feeding OF
stock in the winter months. Now
A they arc hay sellers. Clover. alfalfa
q and other kinds OF grass are made on
" the lands. aud they not only Keep the
/, farmers from being hay buyers, but
r they help TO enrich and improve tnn