The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-05-27
TOURISTS NAY SEE
MUCH Of INTEREST
here N VIRGINIA
BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS
MOST BEAUTIFUL OF ALL
Famous Caves in Virginia Cannot be
Excciled for Magnificcncc and
Curious Intcrcst-The Grottocf
Have Become Widely Known.

Booker T. Washington, on one &C.
casion, speaking before a tremendous
audience of his people, and urging
them to awake to their opportunities.
told q story of crew on a. derelict
ship, with compass gone and SEEM
ingly wandering into nowhere and de-
struction. Their supply of drinking
water had been exhausted. and they
were dying Of thirst. Men were be-
coming frantic in their craze for q
drink Of water, and the sight OF the
ocean about them. rolling and surg
ing, made them the more eager for a
few drops OF the precious fresh water
that would save their lives. But a
message came to them from one or
their number. more farsighted than
the rest: Drop down your bucket
where you are" They lowered q
bucket, and--they found they had
drifted into a stream Of pure fresh
water. and would have died OF thirst
with millions of gallons OF thirst-re-
dncing fluid at their grasp but for
the voice that set them sright.
Each year thousands of virginians
have spent their summers In travel,
abroad and in the far-away sections
of America, hunting the beauties that
nature has stored up for the eager
eye of the sightseer. They have gone
away from home. at great expense
and trouble. to view giant mountain
RACES. natures phenomena of all de-
scriptions and have come back home
filled with the giories OF what they
have seen. still ignorant OF the beau-
ties that are ever within an easy
reach OF the hand. Those who are
the best informed. will not leave the
Old Dominion for a glimpse at ma
lures pictures, bat will follow the
admonition laid down for his race by
the greatest of black men. Drop
down your bucket where you are"
visit the Blue RidgeA
No more splendid formations on the
face of the globe are there than the
Blue Ridge mountains OF Virginia
Famed in story for generations, and
sung about for years. these mighty
ranges rise In picturesque beauty until
they rival their brothers. the Rockies.
in ma gnihcence. Through hese
mountains the giant hand OF long
ago has fashioned mysteries and won
ders that cannot be surpassed. In the
famous Shenandoah valley. on the
Norfolk and Western railway, IL a
region renowned for fts scenery, and
celebrated for its historical associa-
tons. At Luray. in Page county. are
the famous caverns of Luray. dis
covered by some stumbling explorer
in 1873. and shortly thereafter opened
10 the public
These caves have Furnished ma
terial for the pens OF historians, and
with their subterrenean depths have
puzzled the naturalist for years. The
full extent of their proportions was
not known until recently, when
thoroughly equipped exploring parties
dug ont frepi. their reeesses the deeEt
mysteries Of the forces that should
fill hill with myriad OF solemn
chambers as IL fashioned by some
fairy hand or sonsa whimsical archi.
tect of nature. Within the past few
years the visitors to these far-famed
caves have increased. until men from
all parts of the earth have come
there to explore. The sightseeing
tourist need seek no further for a
wonder that wilt live in memory until
memory is gone
Again In the valley OF the beautiful
Shenandoah. and 4 ten minutes walk
from Grottoes station. on the Norfolk
and Western, the Gro'toes another
of natures curious formations. Is
found. A visit to these exquisite ca
verns is worth a many davs' trip.