The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-03-04

considerable fruit of various kinds
apples. peaches. piums. grapes. figs,
cnerries--and also wild berries IN
abundance.
There are quite a number of cam
ming plants In operation over the
week. wnere fruits. particularly
peaches and tomatoes are canned.
Numerous Country Stores.
Country stores arc numerous and
prosperous. There are no large towns,
but quite number Of villages, all
showing evidence of prosperity, and
In each there are comfortable coun-
try hotels, with good accommodate
tions at reasonable rates. We visited
Reedsville In lower Northumberland
county, n village of some $50, and
there everything attested the thrift
OF the people. Five thousand to ten
thousand dollar houses arc not rare,
and some costing $25, 900.
This place Is in the center of the
Menhaden fisheries OF the coast.
where about rs per cent. Of the whole
industry is conferred in the imme-
date vicinity. The factories boil the
fish, extract oil and sell the residuum
latter drting) to the fertilizer mills.
Last year the yield Of oil was 5000
tons. The rsiduum, "chum.' amounts
to $4,000 tons per annum, and goes
to Norfolk, Baltimore and Richmond
| fertilizer factories. Average price
s33 per ton.
Steam coal consumed by these fac
tories amounts to $4,000 tons per an
mum. 1900 tons hard coal, 200 tons
noval stores. 100 tons gasoline. whole
| Neck uses three cars per month: 1900
tons salt. 200 tons bag ging, and large
quantities OF dressed lumber.
| At Reedsville the value of fish in
dustries will aggregate: Fish. $780,
600 per annumt oystera, 100000 per
annum.
Herring. 1850 tons: primarily to
mining districts of West Virginia and
Kentucky.
Rappahannock fisheries are about
one-third in size TO fish, and several
times larger as to oysters.
| The whole Neck receives $4,000 tons
/ of commercial fertilizer and a large
quantity OF agricultural lime. In this
latter the Neck would take 5000
! tons IL the proposed railroad was
built. At present 1t is costing 81 to
iss per ton.
| The whole Neck receives 400 tons
| of oil barrels. besides vegetable bar
| rels, crates. cans, can crates, suffi-
Gent to take care of about 2T5.000
cases OF canned goods shipped out an
nuaily.
| On the Northern Neck there are
seven State banks and one national
bank. aggregate capital $2i0. 900. de-
posts 100000. These deposits only
represent one-third, as the balance
| Is in the banks of Baltimore. WASH
| ington and Alexandria.
! Population OF these four counties.
| 1900 to $4,000. being about fifty to
the square mile.
| Valuable Farm Property.
The farms run in average $1,000
rare) from 500 to 400, and many rs
! to $50 acres. Many of the large
farms are subdivided. In driving
through the country you are generally
| In sight of three farms at one time.
! Timber: Due to the numerous wa
ter courses the timber has been con-
siderably thinned out. yet there Is
much left, and some of II virgin for
est.
The water is good. a great deal of
II being furnished by artesian wells.
and the healthy conditions, with rail
facilities, would actually invite immi-
grafton. and In the country through
which the proposed railroad passes
the trucking and agricultural poten-
| tiaiities are enormous.
The country lying between Tappa-
hammock and the Chesapeake and Ohio
embracing the counties of Essex. King
and Queen. King William, does not
compare In fertility to the Northern
Neck. outside their tobacco and ium-
Der interests. Their people do not
know Richmond. but railroad faciii-
ties would change all this.
Mr.. Darlington is having prepared
map OF the route OF the proposed
1 exhibition at the smoker TO be held
by the chamber next week