The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-06-14
IN OLD LUNENBURG:: /
KENBR|DGE TOWN
One of the Finest Agricultural
Regions of Solid Old
Virginia.
BRIGHT TOBACCO TO- 'FRONT.'
Homes on the Farm With ALI
the Comforts of City
Mansions. s.
BY FRANK $. wooDsoN.

Kenbridge, IunenburR County, Val
June IA day or two spent in the
good old county OF Luncnburg has
opened my eyes to a good deal OF
twentieth century development res
member when 1 was but little moro
than an infant hearing my father, who
was a native of Prince Edward County
and may have had n erudge against
l-unenburg. tell about the backwards
ness and the out-of-datcness of this
county. 1t was doubtless backward
and out of date in the old times. and
might have continued so until this good
day had not an air line railroad found
Its way through the centre of the
county and opened up its vast forests
to saw mills it's fine agricultural pros
poets to twentieth century farmers and
two mighty good little towns to In
dustrial development. one of which
am Just now writing from.
Kenbridgc is indeed a live town. It
was not on the map six years ago. 1t
Ia very largely on the map now. Ample
proof OF this statement may be found
in some information i pumped out OF
Postmaster Kennedy this afternoon.
Mr.. Kennedy has been postmastcr In
these parts for many years. He was
the postmaster for TinkiinC Springs
away back yonder. soon after the war.
Later when the United States govern
uent or the post-otIice department OF
said government. got In the habit OF
cutting down post-oflice names to ono
word he became the postmaster of
TinklinG. Later still. after the rail>.
road came through here and Thinking
became n municipality. and. ut the
| suggestion OF n newspaper reportorial
tramp. who happened To bc along here
| about that time. changed its name to
! kcnhridgc. Mr.. Kennedy became tho
| postmaster of the new town. and holds
that position yet. Thus 1t appears that
he has been postmaster for three
| places and hns ncvcr moved an inch
| from his original habitat. and the
| post-""icc itself has never. moved
| more nam thirty feet from the original
| location.
POST-0FFICFi FIGURES ALWAYS
TELL. PROGRESS STe>IlIES
| originally. when the post office was
| known as 'rinkling Springs the pay
| OF the postmastc was less than $40 a
! year. Under the name OF Tinkling tho
| increase did not reach over $40, but
! after the railway came along and the
town of Kenbridge bccaua a reality
The pay of the postmaster increased
! with his duties until il go, 10 be some-
/ tiinS worth talking about and some2
/ thinG to arouse the enthusiast SIM of ali,
! enthusiastic man like Postmaster Ken
| nedN guess that is why ne enthu-
siaslicaily informed mo Yesterday that
! The kenbr:dgc Office is now n presi-
! dcntia! appointment proposition and
| mat on and after July IL will pay
q "'lary of Si,a00 per annum, and al
low clerk ut 4 salary OF something
| over $500
| am making public this confidential
'aik OF inc postmaster to give an idea
OF the growth of this new town within
| the past six years, for on figures 7
banN here, or the wholesale stores
or the retail stores or the tobacco ware
houses on the fertilizer factory or tho
raiiroad Offices. or the two big real
| estate Offices. or the two hotel reyIs.
ters, or the high school records or tho
rhurch hooks or tho quarry nav rolls
! or anywhere else could clvc n betto
ar ni"re succinct idea OF tina growth OF
the place from the insignificant cross
road country store OF Thinking Spring
to the present prosperous and vigor-
| Gus town OF kenbridge And IL has
all taken place within six years. mind
YOU.
RACK TO THE SOIL, THE
SOURCE OF ALI WEALTH
what has made Kenbridge great?
| wen, business men took hold of it
early in the action and they have made
| IT great In Il way. Its bank has helped
10 make kcnbrtdSe known all over tho
state and all over the country. Tho
railway company has not failed to lei
the world know that Kcnbridge Is one
oil It's brag stations. The real estate
agencies have done their part ann the
BUSINESS Mems Association. ono of the
nvelest organizations of its kind in
the state, has done a great work for
NcnbridGc. and all of these agencies
working harmoniously together, az Is
their habit when county politicians car
be Kept In the background. are going
to make kenbridgc IA real cityisome of
theso days. But. after all that can
be said along these lines. has been
said and 1t cannot be too often ress
pe&ted, for the KenbridGe shirt is wor-
thy oI being heraldcd abroad, the fact
n;
bridgc has is the magnificent farming
country that surrounds il.
Until tho Virginia Railway came
along through the centre OF Lunenbure.
County. making Kcnhridgc It's prin-
cipal station In the county old I.unen.
burg was practically cut off from ali
the world. Without interior markets
and with n poor chance OF getting to
outside markets the people had poor
SHOW to develop their truly rich lands.
and so Lunonburg remained until six
or seven years ago practically a virgin
forest and Il virgin soil. pretty much
like that which John smith md tba
other Smiths found when they landed
at jamestown. -
was over here soon after tho road
opened up. in fact, before il became !,
through life. and | thought then there
were great possibilities ahead for Luz.
nenburg, certainly that part OF 1t jusl.
"'""iu i\SiipriuSS. ana the records will,
show that I then predicted Innch
Srowth TO: these parts, but had no
idea then that in the short space or
SIN years there could be "a much de-.
vciopment as has come to pass have
made an auto tour around Kenbritlee.
ana must say that have never seen
anywhere as much Improvement IN ~, Z
matter OF farming ana farm home .lirei
TWENTY-FIVE CENTURY FARM
AND THE PROEIrl, ~ S ~,
Within circle of five miles around3
kenbridge, and that is as far as I bavs
this week investigated. I saw farms
That SIX years ago were waste places
now under thorough cultivation. and;
upon them homes that AFFORD all, Of II, i.
comforts that n city man can look Tor
Think of IL. where two log cabling atoo,iI
CONTINUED on Third Page.1 -y----ss55;