Evening star., 1921-05-08

western part of northern Virginia
this part of Virginia lay within the
Union lines and Yorktown, together
with other towns. settlements and
farms, suffered those depredations
which have been the accompaniment
of all wars. These are some OF the
reasons Yorktown has declined from
its once high state as town. An
other reason is that Yorktown is
steamboat town. and it is the railroad
town which has grown fast ana pc
come big and rich. But recently there
came change in the tide OF events
which brought many people to York
town and caused several new houses
to be built and business to expand
Those events were the world war
improved roads and the automobile
The York river in front Of. above
and below Yorktown. which had been
the anchorage of British and French
fleets. became a rendezvous or paSe
for an American Meet with thousands
of men. A mile or two above York
town the government took over eleven
thousand acres Of land as Navy
mine depot and aviation field.
A mile or two below Yorktown the
government took over large tract.
including part of the Surrender farm
as a naval fuel oil station. The depot
and the station are still maintained.
but it ought not to be necessary to
write that the activity of those places
has been very much reduced How
ever. they still make such a demand
for native or resident labor and at
such wage rate that farm owners
have difficulty in obtaining labor to
till their lands. The government
opened Camp Eustice. about eight
miles from Yorktown. and Langley
Field and a balloon school are Il few
miles to the southeast
=
THE opening Of these war activities
or agencies brought boom to
Yorktown. The good roads movement
begun before the world war. was ac-
CELEBRATED and the general government
Joined in building roads for the use
of the war plants. Tourist travel in
automobiles is becoming quite heavy.
Yorktown lies good road from
Washington by way of Fredericks-
burg to Newport News. and travellers
between Richmond and Newport News
may pass through the old village over
hard smooth roads. The historic ap-
peal which Yorktown makes because
OF its situation in the revolution and
in the civil war and it's nearness to
Williamsburg and jamestown draw
to it many pilgrims by wheel.
Yorktown during the American
revolution had a population of $500.
The number of inhabitants today is
estimated to be 300, the number of
white inhabitants being 125. and ool
ored, IFS. This includes children. and
| takes in suburbs some Of which are
rather far removed from the main
district a single house and it's fami-
ly being classed as suburb. After
! one leaves the main street II requires
J intimate knowledge Of the village
boundaries to tell where Yorktown
ends and the country begins. Man
/ agement of public affairs Of the viii
lage is under a board of trustees. the
board being sydney Smith. chairma n :;
! Conway II. Shield. vice chairman; H.
NJ. Clements. Thomas Lackey, w. T.
| Cooke, r. w. Crockett and George l..
Smith. Yorktown is the seat of York
county. The county Judge is Gardi-
ner Tyler. a son of John Tyler. who
was elected Vice President Of the
United States, March. 1891. and on
the death Of President William Henry
! Harrison succeeded to the Office of
! President and served until March L.
/ ls45. John Tyler was born at Green
| way Charles City county, Va. March
| 20. 1890, and was twice married, his
| first wife being Letitia, daughter of
Robert Christian. and his second,
Miss Julia Gardiner OF New York
TO whom he was married June 26