Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-10-27
Delivers Characteristic Ad-
dress at Land Show at
Pittsburg, Pa. Saturday
EULOCzES THE OLD DOMINION
Asserts That There is No Other
Place in World Like Virginia,
Describes Its Resources

ing a glowing tribute to his state,
Hon. Harry St. George Tucker, at
the Land Show held here today, de-
livered an address which constituted
one of the principal features of the
occasion. The brilliant Virginian
spoke in happy vein throughout, his
remarks being coated with charac-
teristic humor. He dwelt at length
on the resources and advantages of
the old commonwealth, and at the
close he was given what practically
amounted to an ovation. Mr.. Tucker
said in part:
1.-The position of a Virginian in
Pittsburg today is somewhat changed
from what it was about 1875 years
ago,-when, it may be surprising to
you to learn, the laws of Virginia
were enforced in Pittsburg because
it was claimed as a part of the Old
Commonwealth.
1.-THE sturdy resistance of an old
justice of the peace to the claim of
Virginia in asserting her right to
Jurisdiction here caused his arrest
at the hands of a military company
which marched with drum and fife
from Winchester in the Valley of Vir-
ginia to Pittsburg to put down the
turbulent spirit that was defying her
laws. And the sturdy old Pennsyl-
vanian was brought back to Virginia
and landed in the county Jail of Au-
gusta County located at my old home
in Staunton.
Had the original claim of Virgin
ia to this territory been recognized
l would not be here to-day inviting
the good people of this section to
come down and settle in the old
State.
"My text for today's talk is found
in the following statement:
eff a Chinese wall were built
around the Commonwealth of Vir-
ginia to-day high enough to prevent
OSA Coo olu 4hS1 Ooo, ethA AAf y AAAAAAOAo
of people were placed on the inside
of that wall, believe it is capable
of demonstration that those people
could live longer and more comfort
ably with all of the necessities
and many of the luxuries of life, than
could be obtained in any like number
t~f fha 70 Of
earth; and at the end of their lives
l believe more of them would be
translated to heaven above than from
any other territory in the world. 1t
is this proposition which I am here
today to demonstrate to you.
1.-THE physical conditions of Vir-
ginia, in most respects do not differ
generally from those of many states
in the Union. Bold mountains,
pleasing valleys, limpid streams and
broad acres of cultivated fields are
not peculiar alone to this State. But
no mountains are so blue as ours,
no streams so pure and no fields cap
able of greater returns.
"The total area of the State is
40,262 square miles.
Her poulation in 1909 1900
was 2,O42,220 1,S54,1S4
Expenditures for schools
over 100000 100000
Capitalization of National
banks $13,513,500 $5,171,000
Individual deposits
were s64,4O5,O72 s2O,473,45S
Railroad mileage
was 4,54S 3,795
Iron ore mined
tons 100000
Corn produced
was 47,326,OOO 2S,1S3,760 |
Wheat S,758,000
Coke over 100000 6S6,156 |
Cotton Mills
spindles $4,000 10000
Looms 9,443 4,6OS
Cotton consumed
pounds $4,000 1900
''The beautiful Shenandoah Valley
the great wheat section of the State,
has in the last few years, been turn
It's attention largely to fruits, and
wheat products therefore have not
But the marvellous in
crease in fruit is much more profit
able. The value of the fruit and
vegetable products of the State as
ar back as 1900 amounted to $12,-
595, 749, and while the exact figures
have not been able to obtain from
he last census as yet, it is within
.eason to believe that during the
past year the fruit and vegetable
product of the State has amounted to
20,OOO,O0O.
Gin Tidewater, Virginia, and on
he Eastern Shore of the State as
high as $4,000 is realized from an
acre of land in potatoes; $4,000 an
acre in strawberries and as much as
$4,000 an acre in apples.
thousands of acres of wheat land
las been turned into apples and
beach orchards in the Valley OF Vir-
sinia and in south western Virginia
along the base of the Blue Ridge in
Piedmont Virginia from Loudon
county to Franklin, hundreds of
thousands of acres have been plant
ID in the most approved fruit, until
he country presents beautiful view
If orchards from one end of the
state to the other along the Blue
Ridge Mountains.
"South West Virginia, the richest
part of the State, because of the blue
grass soil underlaid with coal, iron
and other minerals, is country of
1nequaled possibilities.
"In 1900 the total output of coal
n Virginia was 2,993,000 tons, while