Evening star., 1928-05-13

| raised company and marched forth
| into the war of the Revolution.
From Woodstock to New Market Is a
distance of 20 miles On the right are
| the Shenandoah Caverns, and on the
, left the caverns OF Luray and Endless
CavernS. All of these are OF limestone
| formation that have been discovered
reaching far down into the bowels oi
the earth. Chrystal Caverns. although
smaller, are found farther up the valley
on the right. These cavernS. each and
every one. are examples of Natures
craftsmanship. The tints of the various
formations that the action of time and
water upon the soft limestone has
caused. are ranked with the present.
day wonders of the world.
New Market was the scene of one
of the most noted encounters OF the
Civil War. Virginia's resources being
exhausted. the Cadet Corps of the Vir-
ginia Military Institution at Lexington
was thrown into action against picked
Federal troops. The cadets. all under
20 years of age, turned the tide and
for a while the advance of the Union
the battlefield Just north of the town,
on the right-hand side of the highway,
has been erected by the State of Penn
Sylvania to commemorate this battle
and memorabilia the soldiers of the
North who were killed. At New Market
the road from Luray by way of War
renton joins the valley pike.
Harrisonburg Is Reached.
The pike, now in gentle slopes. con-
tinues on to Harrisonburg through
Lacey Springs. distance OF 10 miles.
Here we're spent the boyhood days OF
NrAl HsFta fan
Veterans Hospital in Washington is so
named. On the left a road leads to
MaSSanutten Caverns. another mold
ing of limestone by Mother Nature. A
road branches off to the right, leading
to Covington and White Sulphur
Springs, but the Natural Bridge motorist
continues straight through the city
toward Staunton, passing through Mount
Crawford and Mount Sidney, total dis
tance of 81 miles To the left are still
more caverns-the Massnutten Cayerns
and the Grottoes At Mount Crawford
Gen Turner Ashby was killed. The bat
tlefields continue all along the route. now
called the Lee Highway. into Staunton.
a city situated between two mountain
ranges. To the right leads another
route to Covington and White Sulphur
Springs, and by far the better one. To
the left is the jefferson Highway whicn
continues through Waynesboro and
Charlottesville into Richmond In
Staunton Woodrow Wilson was born.
and his home is visited by many tourists.
Continuing through Staunton the
route passes over a newly completed
macadam road to Lexington. distance
OF SO miles. passing through the small
towns Of Mint Spring. Midway and
Fairfield.
At Lexington are buried both Lee
and Jackson. Located there are Viz
ginia Military Institute and Washing
ton and Lee University. Lee was made
president OF what was then Washing
ton University at the close Of the
Civil War. Jackson was . professor
at v. NJ. /. prior to the war. Both
shrines Of the North as well as the
South. In the limits OF " NJ. l. is a
statue by Moses Ezekiel. graduate OF
v. M. I. The statue is called "Vir-
ginia Mourning Her Dead" and be-
meath the statue lie the bodies OF sew
eral cadets killed In the battle OF New
Market A route leads out of Lexing-
ton TO Covington and White Sulphur
but q detour now existing should deter
any one going that way. In the de-
tour stretch is ! dangerous roadway
full OF loose rock that extends any
way but gradual and contains many
sharp curves while winding It's way up
mountain 1000 feet above sea level
Arrival at Bridge.
But as before, the Natural Bridge
tourist keeps straight on and reaches
his destination after passing along i6
miles Of good macadan. gradual slopes
and well banked curves. Nearly the
entire way between Lexington and Nat
urai Bridge affords and rewards the
n1otorist with beautiful mountain views.
The Appalachian and the Blue Ridge
come close together. some of their
SUBMITS being more than 1000 feet
high.
But here we come to the bridge at
last The estate controlled by the
Natural Bridge OF Virginia. Inc, the
twelfth owner since jefferson, now con-
tains 1900 acres. The beauty of it's
surroundings is unsurpassed Over the
span itself the Lee Highway continues
/ on for 80 miles 10 Roanoke and points
/ south. To the left q road runs To
| Lynchbslrg. The largest variety OF
| flowers and plants are 10 be found
nearby A grove OF giant arbor vitae
/ shrubs. estimated 10 be 1000 years old.
flank the approach 10 the bridge
Mulberry trees. planted by Jefferson
still are growing Near the bridge a
large saltpeter cave is located. from
which saltpeter was taken dur
/ up Cedar Greek Is the Lost River -
/ For a short distance this whirlpool
/ pIunges forth from the rocks only 10
! dash into another creyice and is seen
no more. Still further up the walk
along the creek that once made Nat
! uFsl Bridge Is Lacy Pals. where the
waters Of the creek splash nerriiy down
q series of sianting rocks.
/ But the bridge Itself. 1t is mag
niheent, The span. 2l2 feet above the
water, Is 30 feet across and 100 feet
! wide II is Of limestone. touched with
( the tinte that Nature only can paint
Trees and shrubs grow from the few
inches Of earth on the top and sides
I Of the rock The initials Of Washing.
/ ton on the side seem 10 link mankind
and Deity.
But. visitor. wait until nighifaIl
Since year ago the bridge has beer
illuminated At night. President Cool.
idge In Washington pressed a button
that put on for the first time o food
Of light from 80 electric lamps q tota
light display Of 1000 900 eandiepoWef
The current IL obtained from ths
dsmHing of Cedar Greek a short dis.
lance below. More than Is miles oI
I wiring Is used
The lights are not turned on all al
otfe ~ blind the swgtruek Traveller
BY degrees they are turned on and
from various angles At times II wouie
s2ep 9s II the fun moon were risinl
behind one Ut the sides. At times Il
Is sunrise. then sunset. and again tn.
bridge frames a picture of yerdan
landscape In the background The IN
spring work NJ Nature Is flttingiy dis
el0sed
Future Of Bridge,
AZ 70 the future of the bridge, IN,
Ists DF, Charles D. Walc0tt, seeTetaT,
VI the Smithsonian Institution said
AS IL is IL yill be- many centuries
before the natural process Of erosion
now 81 work upon II snd within thi
arch VIII completely break II down