Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1916-07-21

population were mere villages. lie
| SC called pixies were not to be naileu
in the same breath with the mode-
pl;ke,s C: 1916. Here ard there WEI
stately homes, but probably MAORI
y CT the people knew no other aDoae
than the log dwelling. In Wotu'
the impress of TIE pioneer epo.h
was ctill very null in evidence IN
1872.
Yet the above facts are net TO Dc
construed in o implying that the PEI
lie of tho Greeabricr Valley were az
tually backwocds fold and deserV-
ing CT commiJeratton. They were an
Industrious people, their homes Wel'
generally comfortable, and there WIS
no small degree of wealth. Scc'a >
religious, and educational needs re-
ce:vcd very fair degree of attention..
But with rc.occt to transportation Ia
CITIES, Ibis Valley was tagging De
hind the times.
In 1872 the Virginia Central. when
| for more than a dozen years had peei
stalled" on the farther bank OF
Jackson's River, was renamed the
Chesapeake ard Ohio. Under the
brisk California training of Z. +.
Hun .ington, who was ably secGndeu
by Gen. John Echols, of Monroe IL
was energetica1ly pushed across west
Virginia to the Clio River and Cln-
cinnati. Physical geography nad
kindly placed the lower section OF the
Greenbrier Valley on a natural turn
pike route. Man had now made the
| hint effective by supersedfng the pike
with steel rails. The Valley was now
crossed by one of the leading trunk
| lines of the Union. By the SUISSE
quent building of the Greenbrier PlE.
vision, beth Greenbrier and Poea-'
hontas have become quite adequately
supplied with railway advantages.
Such, unfortunately, is not yet the
case with Monroe
The iron horse is a history maker.
1t changes things to suit itself. In
our Valley it proceeds to create, al
most over night, the important COM
mercial towns of Ronceverte, Alder
son, and Hinton. 1t caused Hunters
VILE to part company with its county
seat interest and therby to sink into
a decline. But on the historic Mar
lin Bottom it speedily built mueh
larger town, that of Marlinton, and
1t. distributed new places of smaller
size all along the 100 mics of5the
tGreenbrier Division. 1t opened the
way for. White Sulphur Springs to
become palatial resort. Yet, on the
other hand, it turned cold eye to
the once prosperous watering places
of Monroe. Once again, it has per-
mitted the county seats of G:eenbrier
ani Monroe to lose in relative i'm
portance. But by way of general
compensation, all portions of the Val
ley are much more easy of access
from the world outside. Aat4
Still another result of the coming
of she locomotive was to scatter saw
mill plants along the whole course
of tie Greenbrier and Thereby thin
out, in a very marked degree, the
natural forests.
The Old field school, which had
supplied the intellectual forage of the
antebellum population, wen. down in
the battle CT the great war. 1t was
at once supplanted by the free school
which, with all its shortcomings in
practice, has been step in the dlre2-
ton of progress. 1t remains 10 add
that the new dispensation has not at
tempted to/dethrone LewiaOurg as
the educational center of our Valley
Tae balf-eentury has witnessed
very large increase of population. 1t
has dotted the valleys and the lime
stone piateaus with very up-to-date
farm homes, even if it he's not yet
entirely relegated the log house to
the status OF curiosity. There mas
been a fairly good effort to keep
abreast of the times. Shortages Will
here and there suggest themselves TO
the mind of every progressive cltlzen.
However, if everything were ennre7
ly as we believe it ought to be- mfght
we not become altogether too mucn
at ease in Zion ? &
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