Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1924-11-28

Became Newspaper Manager at Is;
Started Another Newspaper at
20-Saw Possibilities in Apples
and Is Now Largest 0rchardist
In East-Helped Rebuild Valley
Pike-0ne Of Patrons Of Laws
Establishing and Recognizing
State Highway System.
Senator Harry Flood Byrd is the
SON Of Richard Evelyn Bryd and
Eliza Boiling Byrd, a sister of the
late H. D. Flood. In 1913 he mar
ried Miss. Annie Douglas Beverley
and they have four children. At
the age of fifteen he began to work
for his living as manager of Win
chester Star, of which he is now
he publisher. Five years later, at
he age of twenty, he started the
Martinsburg Journal. In three years
the Journal was on prosperous
basis, when he sold it to Martins
burg interests.
In 1906 he leased ten apple or
chards and after successfully OPP
Grating them for some years he dis
posed Of the leases and bought and
planted orchards. He Is now per-
haps the largest individual orchard
list east of the Mississippi, giving
personal and direct attention to all
details of the business He has $4,000
trees which produced in 1928 1885,
bushels or 500 car loads, about one
twenty-fifth of the entire Virginia
output of commercial apples. He
has his own selling and manufac-
turing organization, selling in this
country, South America, Cuba and
Europe. His barrels are mainly
manufactured in plants at his or
chards.
Organized Cold Storage Co.
With other fruit growers of Fred
erick County he organized the Win
chester Cold Storage Company, the
largest storage exclusively for ap.
pies in the world, with a capacity Of
100000 barrels, or 1000 car loads
He is now and has been from the be-
ginning the president of this stor-
age company.
Besides apples, he is interested In
peach culture and general farming
Mr.. Byrd is chairman Of com.
mittee appointed by the Virgins
State Horticultural Society to stan
dardize the pack of apples in thu
State and to advertise Virginia ap.
pies. Through the efforts Of thi'
committee Virginia growers produc
ing $4,000 barrels executed con
tracts to pack under the STANDARD
grades, the State inspectors appoint
ed by the Dairy and Food Commits
sion and paid by the apple grower
conducting the inspection. Thi
Standardization has been of grea
value to the Virginia apple indus
try. An extensive advertising cam
paign of Virginia apples has beel
conducted, the cost paid by the grow
number of barrels produced. othe
work was done in conjunction wit
the Division of Markets and the Ell
tension Service of the Virginia Poly
technic Institute. The other mem
bers of the committee were e. y
Wayland, of IHeards, and e. D. Mir
niger, Of Roanoke.
| He is a director of the Farmers
and Merchants National Bank,
Winchester, the National Fruit PIT
duct Company, and a large stool
holder and manager OF the Hal
risonburg Daily News-Record. +
is q vestryman in the Episcop'
Church. As chairman of the Built
ing Committee Of the Winchest'
Handley Board Of which he Is
member, he supervised the bull
| ing of the Handlsy School Buildin
which il one of the most comple'
and extensive school buildings
the country.
II Helped Rebuild Valley Pike
Mr.. Byrd became President of Il
Valley Turnpike Company in 100
at which time the Valley Pike NJ
| rapidly deterioriating due to the .
vent Of motor traffic. During b
Presidency, which lasted ten yeal
he made the Valley Pike one Of Il
] best roads in the South During th
! period the Valley Pike was one
. the first roads in the country to g
J pertinent with the bituminous bin
. er.
II In 1918 the Valley Pike wnS tur
ed over t. the state Of Virginia vi
! I cut cost ,lneludlns toll houses q
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