Year: 1873

correspondence 1Vm xSOCrDA4u5Cs


The Crops-Io6acco all important-The Baths


and Goshen Pass-Rock6ridge Future and


Staanaton's Destsny-L1'on and other Mines


Political Se,stimaent-T Thomas J. Niche, Esq


Capt. Jos tSherrard, Jr., &C.


BALCONY FALLS, VA, May 6, 1878.
Editor Spectator:


In rapid trip from Staunton to
this place, have picked up few items that
may be of interest to the readers of the old
Spectator. The appearance of the wheat from
Staunton to Goshen, and from there here, by
way of Baths and Lexington, fully confirms
statement made by you In paper of the 29th.-
Some fields are being pfoughed up and good
one is the exception to the general rule. The
fly, the cold winter, and raw spring have so in
jured the crop that, In this county especially,
it viii not be one-third the usual average
Here, in this beautiful and fertile Forks Val
ley, surrounded and protected as it is by noun
tains, the crop will not be an average and it is
better looking here than elsewhere. The oats
is coming up well and large crop has been put
in. But little corn planted yet, and gardening
more backward than for years. The fruit will
be an average crop. A larger tobacco crop
than usual will be planted here and the general
impression of the intelligent farmers have
talked with is, that our Valley farmers will be
forced (by the reduction of the prices OF corn
and wheat caused by the accessibility of the
Western grain crops, over 9. q o. Z. r. to
place their main dependence for profit on To-
Dacco hereafter. The importation Of few
skilled laborers from this section or TuckahOe,
will soon teach the art of its successful cultiva
ton and the superior management, greater ln-
dustry and energy of our Valley people will
soon introduce all the modern improvements of
curing and cultivating, now so successful in
Connecticut and the Ohio Valley. 1t would be
well for some of the Eastern Virginians, now
living in the Valley, to discuss this question
through the Press, for it is one OF pressing and
vital Importance, and L am sure the Peoples
Column in the Spectator will give them ample
room, most cheerfully.


The Messrs. Brown are at,work preparing the
Baths for the springs season, and will open in
style for transient customers the 18th OF May,
and for boarders June lst. Many new sttrac
tons will be added. Under the new road law
of Rockbridge the road from Goshen to Leg
lngton will be made smooth; Laferty's steam
er will be transported and have q run of 1000
yards on the river around the springs tri
weekly paper published; new walks made and
o regular conveyance to the famous Jump
mountain provided. When the remains of the
great Maury pass through the Goshen Pass the
Messrs. Brown have in preparation beautiful
tribute, typical Of his life, to place permanent
ly in the Pass, near the Grand Turn" which
will be kept ever fresh and blooming with the
Laurel he loved SO well. We will not antio-
ipate the pleasant surprise this new feature of
the Pass will convey to the traveller, but leave
it for general report of the passage Of the re-
mains, escorted by the Cadet Corps.


Though one case of small pox was reported
in Lexington it was very dull, and even the
light Of our friend Col. B. Christians genial
countenance failed to give it animation, but
the people are more hopeful Of Valley r. r.
since the Rockbridge Supervisors acted on the
Spectator suggestion, in agreeing to make
subscription and demanding the letting of the
road to Salem or q release and chance to look
elsewhere [ have firm faith in the ultimate,
if not speedy completion, of this line and then
Lexington and Rockbridge will show the world
what they can do. No county in Va. has such
mineral and manufacturing resources, better
lands or fairer destiny, and the railroads, now
certain, will open to her people future as bril-
liant as her past few years have been dark and
gloomy. Staunton is now far beyond the place
where a railroad passing her can retard her
growth and every acre of new county drawn in
to connection with her energy and life will nec-
essarily go towards increasing her wealth and
prosperity, until In few years the whole Val
ley will ack nowledge her to be, what her people
now know she is, the great interior city of the
State and the towns that now envy her will take
pride in her success, and emulate her example,
Lexington ahead of all


In former letters [ so fully outlined the i'm
mense iron resources Of this section that have
nothing to add now, but that Capt. Echols and
others are daily adding to the number and ex-
| tent of the deposits already known and that