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Show RAMBLES IX VIRGINIA. Spots or Historical Interest YMlcd Dnrlng a Sojonrn In Tbat Slate. V ' f BCTESA--V1STA, Rockbridge sCo., Virginia, April '50, 1690 Correspondence Corres-pondence of the Deseret News. Rockbridge County is In Uio northwest north-west part of Uie State, lying between Uie Blue Ridge Mountains on Uie east and the Alleghany Mountains on the west. Jt derives Jts name, from the famous "Xatural Bridge of Virginia." Itis a rolling country coun-try ln tho valleys and is farmed quite extensively, tho principal cmfi being" wheat, command tobacco. to-bacco. Tho crops are looking well at this time. I noticed wheat heading out yesterday. Virginia had a very mild winter too mild In fact, for In January all the peach trees blossomed blos-somed out and Uien came a frost and nipped Uicm. Therefore peaches will lie very scarce this season. Tho real estate men are working up.i boom ln this county which seems to lie creating quite a stir amongst the natives. At Green Forest, a small village of fifty people, peo-ple, one year ago, a new town was laid out and building lias so rapidly progressed that uow Uie place numbers num-bers 1000 Inhabitants. It was called Buena Vista, and two railroads run through it. viz., the Shenandoah Valley road and tho Richmond & Alleghany, a branch or the Chesapeake Chesa-peake A, Ohio: so that Uie town has splendid faclliUes In this respect. It was formerly a fertile plain, devoted de-voted to agricultural pursuit.", but Is now Uie scene of much activity in Uio matter or street grading, the laying of waltrplpcs, and building of business houses and residences. The hotel Buena Vista is a new and attractive structure. Its location on a li 11 affords a charming view of the new town and the North Bivcr. Along the river numerous industries indus-tries are Icing established, such as iron works and pa per manufactories. Industrial enterprises have lieen already started by the Buena Vista Iron Co., Wiltourn Saddle Co., Wise Wagon Works and Buena Vista Kcncc Co. (whicii turns out comblnaUon feuce something like the Burton-Gardner at home), and the Buena Vista Taper Manufacturing Manufactur-ing Co. There is also a large tannery tan-nery here, employing a great mauy hands. A newspaper is likewise published, lheJIucna'Uia ddrocate. I recently visited the famous Natural Bridge which Washington, when surveying under Lord Fair-far, Fair-far, climbed and upon which lie engraved his name. This can yrt be seen quite plainly ln the solid rock. Taking tho Shenandoah valley route fruui this place, it is a run of thirty-die mmutisto the Natural Bridge iaUon;uo tbtn had a pleasant pleas-ant walk of two and a hair miles to the bridge, passing through a lovely country along the ban'-s of Uie Jamts river aud up a country covered cov-ered with green Vines and evergreens. ever-greens. Four grand hotels stand near the bridge, and these arc surrounded sur-rounded with law nsand promenades a delightful ;pct at which to spend a portion of tho heated season. The bridge Is Uie. principal object or interest, in-terest, however, to all visitor. It is a solid llmestono structure, over which runs a wagon road, and a person unacquainted wllh the locality lo-cality can pass over it without knowing know-ing it is a bridge, as trees aud shrubs grow thereon. On approaching approach-ing the edge of the bridge the scene is grand Indeed. Standing upon Pulpit Rock one can look down the giddy abyss a distance of "15 jatt. A man standing at Uie bottonnboks like a child, while the trees appear like small bushes; but to see the place in its true grandeur Uio visitor must descend to the glen. A stream of water flows under the bridge, called Cedar Creek, an J this is crossed by rusUc btl Jges. The watcr-falls watcr-falls up Uio glen, with fcrns,nowcrs, evergreens and trees, contribute to make Uie place fascinating In the extreme Lexington Is the county scat of Rockbridge County, and Is a sleepy town of about 3)00 inhabltantsywlth a good representation of tho colored race. Hire are situated the Virginia Military Institute and Washington and Lee University. Generals lloben E. Leo and "Stonewall" Thomas J. Jackson, Uio Confederate general", have their final resting-places resting-places here. The military institute was erected IulSGH, nndmanyof the Conredcrale generals were educated at that Institution. It Is an imposing1 impos-ing1 structure, built or brick, with octageual towers, and surrounded bycxtcnsiio grounds. We applied fir admission and were politely shown through the building by one or Uie cadets. We saw the Stonewall classroom, where Jackson occupied Uie chair fiir ten years as professor, and Uie cadets' quarters, where each cadet has a regulation room, Uie furniture consisting con-sisting of a folding bed, chairs, a table covered wiUi books, uuiform, firearm.", etc They have a fine library, although ft has been collected collect-ed elncelho war. The Institute was hlirnnl n lull Hill 1W4. llT Ft- crals under General Morgan,and the library was completely destroyed. Hanglngupon the walls are numerous numer-ous painUngs of Confederate general", gener-al", among the most notable being thoso or lce and Jackson. I also observed a fine statuette or General Lee on horseback, by Volrk. In front or tho institute is a bronze etatuo or General George Washington, on a square granite base. On either side is a large ancient brass guu, wrested from the French by the British. They bear date 1600. There are also other French guns used by the French when fighting for the American cause during Uie revolution. revolu-tion. The university Is a fine building build-ing and immediately in front of the same Is a chapel erected by General Lee for the religious training of the students. Just behind Uie pulpit is tho monument erected to Lces memory. It is a fine work of art, binir a full lencth fac simile of Lee at rest. It is of pure white Vermont Ver-mont marble and was executed by Mr. Ed. Valentine, or Richmond, Va., at a cost or $15,000. The entire en-tire section in which the tomb and monument are situated is fire proof, not a piece of wosd leing used In Its construction. At Uio 1cxington cvmitcry lies the body orStoEcwall Jackson, with a neat marble scroll at his head, surrounded by a neat iron fence. I understand Uiat during this season a monument will lie erected In lib honor there by Mr. ValenUne. To a student of Uiegreat civil war, which cost so much blood ami treasure, trea-sure, these places cannot fail to arouse deep interest, and will well repay a visit. E. J. E. |
