.A.**- ' PUBLISHED BY THE. DEPARTME.NT OFAGR1 G ANDIMMIGRATK COMPILED UNDER THE; DIRECT A HAND BOOK OF VIRGINIA Information s~ for the Homeseeker and Investor Compiled under the direction of G. W. KOINEB, Commissioner of Agriculture and Immigration. Published by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Immigration, Richmond LYNCHBUBG, VA. J. F. BELL COMPANY, INC. 1 © O 6 !? partmetti of Agrtrulture and Sfmmtrjratum of the ^>iate of Virginia fiEORGF W. KOINER, Commissioner E. W. MAGRUDER, Chief Chemist State Board of Agriculture and Immigration MEMBERS DISTRICT P. 0. Address J. H. C. Beverley First Congressional District Chance Second Congressional District York town Third Congressional District Richmond J. Thos. Goode Fourth Congressional District Skipwith J. M. Barker Fifth Congressional District Axton Sixth Congressional District Seventh Congressional District. Eighth Congressional District Ninth Congressional District Cowan's Mills C. W. Heater Middletown W. H. Eggborn Eggbornville James E. Goodwin.... Eggleston W. B. F. Leech Tenth Congressional District Oakdale J. M. McBryde President otthe V. P. I. (ex-officio) Blacksburg (Dflfcera of tfr? loaro President C. W. HEATER Middletown, Virginia Treasurer Secretary G. W. KOINER E. B. CHESTERMAN Richmond, Virginia MEMBERS OP THE STATE BOAED OP AGRICULTURE AND IMMIGRATION AND THE COMMIS- SIONER. THE NUMBERS DESIGNATE THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT REPRESENTED. 10 W. B. F. Leech *J. M. McBryde (ex- officio.) 1 J. H. C. Beverley 4 J. Thos. Goode 2 A. O. Mauck 5 J. M. Barker 3. A. R. Scott 6 John T. Cowan 7 C. W. Heater 8 W. H. Eggborn 9 Jas. R. Goodwin ■> VIRGINIA INTRODUCTION Almost evei\y man born outside the borders of the Old Dominion has found occasion to comment on the enthusiasm with which Vir- ginians discuss their native State. Indeed, the Virginian among strangers is regarded as something more than an enthusiast — he is put down as a rhapsodist. No clime, whatever its charms, can divorce him from his native hearth; his thoughts ever revert to the State of his birth, and, like the Celestial who prays that his ashes may repose in the land of his forefathers, he always turns to the Old Dominion when he feels that his days are being numbered. Regarding the matter from the standpoint of one who has never dwelt in Virginia, this home instinct of her people seems almost incomprehensible, but the fact finds ready explanation among those who have lived in the time-honored Commonwealth. Once a house- holder establishes his hearthstone in the Old Dominion, the subtle charm of the State holds him enthralled and adds the stranger to the long list of the so-called rhapsodists. In days agone it has been said that the people of the State which claims Washington and Lee as her sons are wont to dwell in the past and to drowse their way through life with memories of what has been. And, surely, if ever this species of lotus-eating were pardonable in any case, it should be in the Virginian, for behind him are three centuries of glorious history. But the charge of inertia has now grown obsolete ; today it would fall for want of truth. Time was when it seemed as if Virginia had grown inert and supine, but out of this very inertia was to be born her salvation. Staggering under the wounds inflicted by the war of secession —staggering when other less spirited communities would have fallen never to rise again— she bravely faced the changed conditions and wrought order out of chaos. Surely this was no task for rhapsodists. • 6 And yet it must be admitted that the Hand which tempers the wind for the shorn lamb guided Virginia in these dark days and opened her eyes to opportunities within her borders which never before had been realized. Mayhap the Old Dominion, even after the first light of her illimitable resources had burst on her vision, was still slow to see and understand her wealth; but today it is fully recognized, and her people are rejoicing in her blessings. When the quaint little ships Discovery, Susan Constant, and Good Speed sailed up James Eiver one sunny April day in the year 1607, the small company, which had braved the terrors of raging seas and the hazards of fate in an unexplored country, looked upon low shores covered with flowers of "divers colors" and saw the horizon fringed with "goodly trees" in full foliage. The Arcadian land, it is said, sent a perfumed breath of its attractions far out to ocean long before these pioneers in Anglo-Saxon civilization reach- ed the borders of the Old Dominion; but it was perhaps a century later before the English saw even dimly the extent of the terrestrial treasure they had discovered. And not until two or three decades ago did the world awaken to the fact that Virginia's charms were something more than skin deep — that beneath her soil lay riches even more desirable than her superb agricultural resources. The tale, in sooth, is but half told yet, and it is marvelous in the telling. Statisticians, it is true, can mathematically demon- strate the blessings of the ancient Commonwealth, and this they have already done, but the Old Dominion, to be duly appreciated, must be seen and known by personal contact. It seems as if the Master Hand that created this favored section and limned it in undying colors on the map of the universe foresaw at the very dawn of things that destiny had writ an inspiring history for Virginia — that after her metamorphosis from a wilder- ness into a smiling panorama of plantations she was to undergo the travail of hideous wars, which in turn were to be succeeded by conditions almost Utopian. With all her proud traditions of the past the Old Dominion has yet to reach her zenith. The years that have been put behind her are the years of a formative period; the decades that are to come will mark the fruition of her hopes. Henceforth industry, as exemplified in a hundred forms, M r il] be her gracious helpmeet. And with such support what State can fail? Nor must the Virginian of future years walk in a narrow path, for he has many fields of usefulness in which he may expand. Never did any country under the sun offer more diversity of opportunity or finer chances for the founding of fortunes than does this State. Geographically speaking, the Old Dominion is little short of amazing. Within her borders are the immaculate shores of the Atlantic, a plenteous Tidewater section, and then a rolling Pied- mont country that gradually undulates from green hillocks to blue hills, which in turn are succeeded by fertile mountains of no mean altitude. The man who feels himself affected in his daily work by the surrounding landscape can take his choice of any style of scenery. He will find it all in Virginia, provided he does not demand that Titanic ruggedness which, though astounding to the eye, is the synonym of barrenness and desolation. The landscape features of the Old Dominion, in short, may be described as "peaceful." And well it should be so, for the old State yields her riches readily and gives plenty to those who show industry or even a moderate degree of perseverance. Her soil is ever grate- ful and her very atmosphere invigorating. No feature of this venerable "Mother of Presidents" is harsh — neither her scenery, her climate, her laws, nor her children. This doubtless is what makes Virginians love her. Those whose forebears * have lived within the limits of the Commonwealth know that she is a gentle, kindly mother, and this responsiveness and gratitude of her sons is necessarily innate. But for the stranger, Virginia has the same welcome which has been accorded those who claim her as the place of their nativity. "Benevolent assimilation" might well be adopted as her motto. When one recalls the history of Virginia, it soon appears that the present conditions existing in the State show a wide departure from the original plans of those who felled her virgin forests and pushed the red man aside for the people of today. The colonists to whom we owe our existence were prompted by not altogether unselfish motives in founding an English settlement at Jamestown. Their prime object — or rather that of those who financed the movement — was the discovery of gold. For some fantastic reason it was believed that Virginia would prove an El Dorado, and many were the months — if not years — wasted by the pioneers in vainly seeking for the yellow metal. True, gold in recent years has been discovered in the State and even now is mined in no incon- siderable quantities, but it is not to this metal that the Old Dominion owes her prestige. After the English abandoned this senseless occupation, the whilom argonauts drifted into the cultivation of tobacco, and for decades, this was their chief occupation. This crop, which even today is one of the staples of the Commonwealth, had a far-reach- ing effect upon the economic conditions of the State. The colonists, in cultivating their tobacco, found that the plant constantly re- quired new soil, and, as a consequence, they pushed farther and farther into the wilderness from Jamestown. This policy soon pre- vented centralization of population and rapidly began to make Virginia a State of huge plantations and comparatively small settle- ments. The conditions in New England were just the opposite. For nearly two centuries the same process of territorial expansion went on in the Old Dominion, and today its farm lands reach from the ocean to the high hills on her western borders, while no vast cities have been created to menace her peace and draw away her . rural population from the fields. But although Virginia tobacco still has a world-wide fame — a name to conjure with — the aromatic "weed" no longer is King in the old Commonwealth. Farmers long since have discovered that the sod of the Old Dominion, aided by a delightful climate, is a willing producer of scores of pro- fitable crops which would sustain the people luxuriously even though there were no such blessed thing as tobacco. Indeed, scores of new industries have come to the front in recent years, and though the tobacco planter still works his stately fields, he finds thousands of Virginians who never give this fasci- nating crop a thought. In some sections the fruit-raising industry has a monopoly and the products of its heavily-laden orchards are gaining a degree of celebrity which is transoceanic. Albemarle apples, in fact, are said to have daily graced the tables of the late Queen Victoria, while the State's vineyards are producing wines which lack nothing to put them in competition with those of France and Germany. Although farming in the Old Dominion was never so profitable as now, and although the early tendencies of the colony indicated that Virginia could never be aught but an agricultural State, in- vestigations of recent years have proved almost the opposite. The :State is as rich in minerals as she is in her vegetable products. It is little short of astonishing to note the variety of her minerals .and the richness of the veins in which they lie. The southwestern part of the State, wherein are located most of the miaes today, fairly hums with machinery, and year by year, •as the railroads extend their branches, this favored section is in- creasing in prosperity and wealth. There are many who predict -that this part of Virginia is destined to lead all the State ; but the past ha, i shown that it is not safe to prophesy about the Old Dominion. Nor could one persuade a fox-huntinsr Virsrinian from Tidewater that his environments had lost one whit of their charms, while those in the rolling Piedmont region would be equally as -stubborn in making concessions. The truth is that Virginia's post ■ helium renaissance has meant improvement in every direction — practical results that would have seemed incredible to our fore- fathers or even to the good people of fifty years ago. This state of affairs, however, is not attributable alone to native Virginians. Much of it is owing to those from other states and •countries who have settled here. Millions in wealth have poured into Virginia since the surrender at Appomattox, and every day sees new families in the Old Dominion. The welcome for all of these •is warm. It could not be otherwise, for the hospitality of the Virginian is innate — a precious legacy of picturesque ancestors, whose isolation made them rejoice at the very sight of a new-comer. Fortunately, however, the charms of the State have drawn hither -only the most desirable classes — people whose presence would •strengthen any community. The Commonwealth has been spared -the heterogeneous hordes that invade many other States. While, as has been explained, the cultivation of various crops -in early times at once marked Virginia out for an agricultural •State with widely separated towns and villages, her cities recently 'have gone forward with tremendous strides and are rapidly taking first place in the galaxy of American municipalities. The capital •of the Commonwealth — Richmond — is a town which could never lose her individuality, her stability, or her charm. Her history -alone would perpetuate her, but today she stands strong and serene -on her seven hills like the Eternal City and presents a curious com- posite picture of culture, thrift, progressiveness and quaint adher- ence to old traditions and customs. No degree of prosperity and 10 no influx of wealth could make Richmond abandon some of her social ideas, nor would she surrender the pride in her past for all the riches of Golconda; but she has profited by observation none the less. From her people have emanated practical ideas and prac- tical suggestions, which have attracted attention everywhere. Her lessons have been learnt at no little sacrifice; having been learned, they have been productive of splendid results. And nothing less should be said of the other cities in the Com- monwealth. Some of these are well-nigh as venerable as Rich- mond, while others, equally as thrifty and almost as well populated,. have sprung up almost in a night as the result of new industries never dreamed of five decades ago. The time-honored Common- wealth, indeed, now walks with quickened step despite the lapse of nearly three centuries. Her elasticity is the child of prosperity. A magnificent exposition to mark her tercentenary will show to the world in 1907 what Virginia has been, is now, and what she will be in centuries to come. This grand enterprise means much for the Old Dominion, but after all it will only be a colossal tableau vivant, whose details are already known to all those who have lived in Virginia. Strangers, however, will be amazed by what they behold. 11 But enough — another Virginian may be accused of rhapsodizing,, for these lines are penned by way of preface. Were they to appear in this volume as an after-word — a word following the detailed account of Virginia's charms and resources — the most unrespon- sive would say that their apparent hyperbole is more than justified. And could the alien who reads this book visit Virginia, he would admit that no rhetoric describing the Old Dominion can be much too fervid or too florid. Evan, E. Chesterman". WHAT THE GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA SAYS. The following extract from Governor Claude A. Swanson's in- augural address delivered before the Legislature February 1, 1906, presents, in brief, an excellent review of the climate and soil and the agricultural, mineral and commercial resources of the State : "There is a Virginia of the past resplendent with the heroic achievements of a great and glorious people ; there is a Virginia of the present crowned with possibilities that can surpass the splendors of the proud past and make all that has gone before in her history but the prelude to a greater destiny. "No State in this Union has richer or more varied resources than Virginia. Her mild, warm, equable climate furnishes a refuge alike to those scorched by the suns of the South or chilled by the winds of the North. There is not an agricultural product known to the temperate zone that cannot be profitably, and is not suc- cessfully, raised in Virginia. In extreme South-side Virginia are seen great white fields of cotton, as rich in beauty and luxuriant in growth as can be found in North Carolina or Georgia. In Pied- mont and Southern Virginia are produced the great crops of tobacco which largely contribute to the world's supply. The magnificent 12 Valley of Virginia, raising great crops of wheat, corn, oats and hay, is almost unspeakable in her prodigality of production. The heantiful hilltops and mountains of Southwest and Northern Vir- ginia, with their spontaneous and perennial growth of blue grass, have browsing on them herds of cattle and sheep. This lovely •section, with its witchery of scenery, salubriousness of climate, rich return for investments, forms a combination rarely seen and unsur- passed by any section of this Union. In Eastern and Tidewater Virginia we have large truck farms and gardens, which furnish the vast population of the Eastern cities with their vegetables and foods. The profits of this industry are already immense, but the industry is still in its infancy and its possibilities for the future are immeasurable. Nowhere can fruit grow to greater perfection than in Virginia, and her great crops of apples, peaches and grapes •are bringing her immense returns and have brighter promises for the future. There is not a farm product known to the temperate zone that cannot be raised in the varied soil, climate and conditions •of Virginia. Everywhere in the State are seen evidences of in- telligent and scientific farming, of progress and prosperity. The increase in farm products and values in recent years has been •striking and excelled by few States in the Union. We have pro- duced this immense agricultural wealth, and yet not more than half our land is under cultivation. When the population of Vir- ginia, which is each year rapidly increasing, shall put under cultivation the entire soil, the farming wealth of the State will be amazing. With near and accessible markets, no State offers finer opportunities or greater inducements to farmers than Virginia. "coal and ores. "But, great as are our advantages in agriculture, our superiority in other directions is still more pre-eminent. There is scarcely a useful mineral known to modern civilization that is not found and cannot be successfully mined in Virginia. We have zinc, copper, iron and coal mines all in profitable operation. We have demon- strated that iron can be produced here as cheaply as elsewhere, 13 and the products of our furnaces are distributed to all parts of the world. Coal is the foundation of the marvelous industrial advance of this century. Upon it Great Britain built her naval,, commercial and manufacturing supremacy. Already in Virginia and the Eastern part of West Virginia, which, from its location, must be used and developed through Virginia, have been disclosed almost as many square miles of coal, and of superior quality, as that upon which Great Britain established her great pre-eminence. The imagination cannot picture the vast manufactures, the varied industrial enterprises which the possession of this vast supply of coal will bring to Virginia. Besides, the rivers that run from our mountains to the seashore, the Potomac, Shenandoah, Bappa- hannock, Appomattox, James and others, are possessed of immense water power, capable of operating large and innumerable establish- ments. "In Chesapeake Bay, which skirts our Eastern Shore, we have the finest and safest harbors on the Atlantic coast. This bay is the finest body of inland water in the world, and upon its smooth sur- face could ride almost the world's fleets and navies. There mag- nificent harbors offer opportunities for greater mercantile and com- mercial enterprises, world-wide in their trade and scope. The great increase in our exports and foreign commerce give proof of the future greatness of these ports. The nearness and cheapness of coal to these harbors furnish the best location on this continent for manufacturing industries with products to be distributed in the markets of the world." The Manufacturers' Becord of December 21, 1905, says : "While it is true that the industrial development of the South is going forward with amazing rapidity, it is nevertheless true that,, by virtue of the extent of the agricultural interests of the South,, agriculture is yet the foundation of the business of that section. 14 A change from poverty to prosperity of the farmers, and a change from land -without a selling value to land in demand at an advance of 50 to 150 per cent, over the nominal price of one or two years ago, is the most far-reaching development in Southern advancement of the last quarter of a century. It is far-reaching in many ways. It means that within the last year or two Southern farm properties have increased not less than $1,000,000,000 in value, probably at least $1,500,000,000. "The realization by the people of the entire South, bankers, merchants and formers, of the power of co-operation in the proper handling and mprketing of the two great staples — cotton and tobacco — has brought about a community of interest which is ■destined to exert a ^ T ery great influence upon the entire business interests of the South and of that portion of the business world which is in any way dependent upon these staples or upon the general prosperity of the South." The Virginia people set such esteem upon the agricultural inter- ests of the State, and the promotion of the various departments of its agricultural industries, that they have incorporated in their ■constitution, their organic law, a department of agriculture and immigration to be under the management and control of a bureau of agriculture. This publication is made by the Commissioner of Agriculture in accordance with the requirements of an act of Assembly. It is the object of this hand-book to present the agricultural and industrial features of the State, together with its climatic and topographical advantages, in such way as to show that the State of Virginia, old in its history and hoary in its traditions, is exhibiting a new life of activity and enterprise and, turning her back upon the past, is setting her face towards the rising sun whose advent is gilding the East with a golden splendor. A free use has been made of the antecedent text-books, and their descriptions, statements, and statistics have been availed of in th^ preparation of this manual. "I take all knowledge for my pro- vince," said Lord Bacon. In that spirit the author of this hand- hook has appropriated whatever seemed of practical value wherever found. 15 GENERAL DESCRIPTION. No State in the Union offers more attractive inducements, and extends a more inviting hand, to the home-seeker than Virginia. In climate, diversity of soils, fruits, forests, water supply, mineral deposits^ and variety of landscape, including mountain and valley, hill and dale, she offers advantages that are unsurpassed. Truly did Captain John Smith, the adventurous and dauntless father of Virginia, suggest that "Heaven and earth never agreed better to frame a place for man's habitation." Virginia is centrally situated in the Atlantic tier of States, being midway between Maine and Florida. It lies between the extremes of heat and cold, removed alike from the sultry, protracted summers of the more southern States, and the severe winters and devastating storm and cyclones of the north and northwest. Its limits north and south are the latitudes of 39° 27' and 36° 31', corresponding to California and Southern Europe. The area of the State is 42,450 square miles, of which 2,325 are covered with water. There are 40,125 square miles, or 25,680,000 acres, of land. The State is a little larger than Tennessee, Kentucky, or Ohio, and not quite so large as Pennsylvania. The extreme length of the State along its southern border is 440 miles. The extreme width from north to south is 192 miles. NATURAL DIVISIONS. Virginia is divided into five natural divisions, consisting of belts of country extending across the State from northeast to south- west, and succeeding each other from the Atlantic coast to the west- ern State line. They rise in successive steps from the sea level, and differ in natural scenery, climate, soil and productions. These natural divisions are known as Tidewater, Middle Virginia, the Piedmont, the Valley, and Appalachia. The Tidewater, or coastal plain, is part of the lowland that skirts the seashore from New York to the Gulf of Mexico. The visible outer or eastern boundary of Tidewater is the coast line of the State; but in reality it continues seaward many miles, forming a great submarine terrace, or shelf. Its inland or western boundary is a line extending from Widewater on the Potomac river below 16 Alexandria, through Fredericksburg, Eichmond, Petersburg, Em- poria in Greensville count}', to the North Carolina line. This west- ern boundary, though somewhat irregular, does not vary much from a straight line. The Tidewater section is penetrated by four navi- gable rivers that cut deep channels, with alluvial bottoms of rare fertility, and inland ports for ocean steamers. Middle Virginia is a wide, undulating plain extending from the western boundary of Tidewater to the Piedmont belt. It is the largest of the five natural divisions, and comprises more than one- fourth of the State. The Piedmont Region, as the name implies, lies along the foot of the mountains, and forms the base of the Blue Eidge, varying in width from twenty to thirty miles. It is a portion of the belt that begins in New England and stretches thence southward to Georgia and Alabama. It extends, therefore, across the State from Mary- land to North Carolina. The Valley of Virginia is the belt of rolling country lying be- tween the Blue Eidge on the east, and the broken ranges, known collectively as the Alleghanies, on the west. Its length is over three hundred miles, and its average width about twenty. It is the most productive and picturesque portion of the great limestone valley that stretches from Canada to Alabama. Though one con- tinuous valley, it is subdivided into many minor ones by detached ranges and the troughs of five rivers that penetrate it. It is very fertile, producing grasses and grain in abundance, and is often spoken of as the "Garden Spot of the State." The Appalachian region is the most western section of the State, consisting of twelve rugged counties, traversed by the Alleghanies proper, and their numerous spurs and minor ranges, being a portion of the Appalachian system of mountains. These ranges inclose long trough-like valleys that are admirably adapted to grazing, as are also the sides and slopes of the mountains. Comprehensively stated, the above are the five grand divisions of the State according to its natural conformation. There are other and smaller subdivisions which bear names that have a local signification. These are the Eastern Shore, consisting of the counties of Accomac and Northampton that compose the southern termination of the fruitful peninsula which separates Chesapeake 17 Bay from the Atlantic ocean; the Northern Neck, a long and nar- row strip, lying between the Potomac and Eappahannock rivers ; the Peninsula, distinctively so called to discriminate it from the other and smaller necks of land formed by many of the rivers and estuaries of the Tidewater section: this Peninsula lies between the York and James rivers; the Southside, composed of the counti s east of the Blue Eidge and between James river and the southern border of the State; and Blue Eidge, consisting of the three pic- turesque counties of Floyd, Carroll, and Grayson, with an area of 1,230 square miles, forming part of the elevated plateau into which the Blue Eidge chain or system expands in the southwestern portion of the State. MORE PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION. A somewhat more particular description of these natural divis- ions of the State, their topographical features, productions and resources, water-ways and climate, may be of interest. Tidewater Virginia, or the Coastal Plain, as it is sometimes called, comprises approximately one-fourth of the State. It receives the name of Tidewater from the fact that the streams that penetrate it feel the ebb and flow of the tides from the ocean up to the head of navigation on the line that separates it from Middle Virginia. It consists altogether of lowlands, having an average altitude of about 150 feet along its inner or western border (the line that separates it from Middle Virginia) and inclining sea- ward until, at the coastline, it dips beneath the Atlantic. It con- sists chiefly of broad and generally level plains, while a considerable portion, nearest to the bay, is occupied by shallow bays and estu- aries, and by marshes that are in most instances reached by the ocean tides. These marshes abound with wild duck and sora. Tidewater is mainly an alluvial country. The soil is chiefly light, sandy loam, underlaid with clay. The alluvial deposits are enrich- ed by the decomposition of shells, forming extensive beds of marl. Its principal productions are fruits and early vegetables, which are raised in extensive "market gardens," and shipped in large quantities to northern cities. This is called "trucking," and is a lucrative business. The trade in potatoes, strawberries, pea- 19 the State some $12,000,000. The fertilizing minerals — gypsum, marl and greensand — abound, and their judicious use readily re- stores the lands when exhausted by improvident cultivation. Middle Virginia is a wide undulating plain, crossed by many rivers that have cut their channels to a considerable depth, and are bordered by alluvial bottom lands that are very productive. The soil consists of clays with a subsoil of disintegrated sandstone rocks that supply additional elements of fertility. The soil of Virginia varies according to the nature of the rock from which it is formed. The lowlands of Tidewater are marked by light, sandy loam with substratum of clay, enriched by the decomposition of shells, form- ing marl banks, or beds. In Middle and Piedmont Virginia the surface, in general, consifts of clay, with subsoil of disintegrated sandstone rocks. In tlie Valley and Appalachia, limestone soil predominates. This section (Middle Virginia) has for its eastern border the rocky rim of Tidewater, where the average elevation above the ocean is about 150 feet. It gradually rises towards its western limit at Piedmont, where it attains a maximum elevation of 500 feet. This is the largest of the natural divisions, and con- tains some 12,500 square miles. Nowhere on the continent can there be found a region so generally penetrated by navigable streams. Four large rivers, having their sources in the Piedmont nuts, etc., is especially large, and last year yielded altogether in and Appalachian region, traverse the Tidewater and Middle Vir- ginia sections. The Potomac below Washington, the Kappahan- nock below Fredericksburg, the York, and the James below Eich- mond, rise and fall with the ocean tides, and are navigable from Chesapeake Bay. Below the tidewater line (or head of navigation) they broaden, and are sometimes miles in width. The principal agricultural productions of Middle Virginia are corn, wheat, oats and tobacco. The tobacco raised in this section and in Piedmont, known as the "Virginia Leaf/' is the best grown in the United States, and has a world-wide reputation for excellence In this section, as in Tidewater, the low bottom lands along the streams formed by the sediment of the waters, are exception- ally productive. The second bottoms, as they are called, be- ing a more elevated terrace, have usually a subsoil of dark, but sometimes yellow clay; these are very rich and susceptible of constant and severe tillage. 21 THE PIEDMONT SECTION. This belt (for it is properly a belt, extending as it does through the State, with a length of 250 miles and an average width of only 25 miles) is marked by hills and minor mountain ranges and spurs, with valleys of varied form between. The surface is diver- sified and surpassingly picturesque. The line of separation from Middle Virginia contains wide plains of excellent fertility, which spontaneously cover themselves with nutritious grasses when not in cultivation. The elevation of this belt varies from 300 to 1,200 feet. The soil is heavier than that of Middle Virginia, the subsoil being of stiff and dark-reel clay. The disintegrated sand-stone rocks supply elements of fertility. On the slopes of the Blue Eidge. grapes of delicious flavor grow luxuriantly. These produce ex- cellent wines, and the clarets have a wide fame. The pippin apples of this section are of unrivalled excellence. THE VALLEY. The "Great Valley," as it is descriptively called, is, in its general configuration, one continuous valley, included between the two mountain chains that extend throughout the State; but it is, in a more particular sense, made up of five smaller valleys that succeed one another in the following order, from northeast to southwest: the Shenandoah Valley; the James Eiver Valley; The Roanoke Eiver Valley; The Kanawha or New Eiver Valley; and the Valley of the Houston or Tennessee. It is 242 feet above tidewater at Harper's Ferry where the Shenandoah, uniting with the Potomac, breaks through the barrier of the Blue Eidge, and gradually rises until it attains the height of 1,687 feet at its southwestern extremity, where the waters of the Holston leave the State and pass into Tennessee. The Valley is much higher along its western side, next to the Alleghanies, than on its eastern side. It is one of the most abundantly watered regions on the face of the globe. Deep limestone beds form the floor of the Great Valley, and from these beds the soil derives an exceeding fertility, pecu- liarly adapted to the growth of grasses and grain. One who en- joys its varied and picturesquely beautiful landscapes; the long 23 undulating line of the ridge that takes the name of Blue from the heavens that bend to bathe its summits in their own soft tints; its abundant crops of cereals; its cattle grazing upon its grass-embedded meadows; its orchards bearing every fruit known to the temperate zone, and its vineyards bursting with the juices that produce delicious wines, will not wonder that it bears the name of the "garden spot" of the State. APPALACHIA. This is the mountainous section to the west of the Great Valley. It overlooks the Valley to the east, and passes into the rugged upland of the Cumberland plateau on the west. Its altitude varies from 1,000 to 3,000 feet above the sea level. Some of the valleys and slopes are of sandstone, some of slates and shales, some of limestone, so that they present a great variety of surface. The sandstone ridges are poor and unproductive, but the valleys are fertile, the soil being enriched by limestone. These valleys and mountain slopes are heavily carpeted with grass, upon which large numbers of cattle are raised. It is noted as a grazing country. It is an abundantly watered region, and its mountains are covered, their tops and their sides, with forests that yield a variety of valuable timber. FAVORABLE CONDITIONS. The advantages and favorable conditions that invite the home- seeker may, in general terms, be included under the following heads: (1) Situation and Topography, (2) Climate, (3) Agri- cultural Eesources, (4) Rivers and Water Supply, (5) Forests, (6) Fruits, (7) Minerals and Mining, (8) Commercial Facilities. In these several inducements Virginia holds a place second to no State in the Union; probably the pre-eminent place over them all. Let us briefly consider these inducements in the order named. 24 SITUATION. As heretofore stated, Virginia is mid-way of the Atlantic tier of States, removed alike from the severe winters of the northern States, and the long, debilitating summers of the States farther south. She possesses every variety of surface: bold mountains, broken uplands, valleys, meadows, lowlands, and the swamp lands of the coastal plain. The two ranges of mountains that extend through the State from northeast to southwest protect it from the storms and tornadoes that devastate the northwest. At Hampton Eoads, she has the largest, deepest, safest, and best sheltered harbor on the Atlantic. Her ports of Norfolk and New- port News are nearer than is New York to the great centres of population and areas of production, of the northwest. Chicago is fifty miles nearer by direct line to Norfolk than it is to New York. CLIMATE. The climate of Virginia is mild and healthful. The winters are less severe than in the northern and northwestern States, or even the western localities of the same latitude; while the occa- sional periods of extreme heat in the summer are not more oppres- sive than in many portions of the north. The diversified physical features exercise a marked influence on the climate, the tempera- ture varying in the several sections according to their elevation, latitude, and distance from the ocean. The variation is from a mean annual temperature of 64° in the low Tidewater belt to 48° in the elevated mountain regions. The average temperature of the State is 56°. The summer heat of the Tidewater is tempered by the sea-breezes; while in the mountain section the warm south- west trade winds, blowing through the long parallel valleys, impart to them, and the enclosing mountains, moisture borne from the Gulf of Mexico. As a place to live in all the year round, Virginia has no equal. The summers are not debilitating, and the occa- sional days of oppressive heat are succeeded by nights of refreshing sleep. The winters are never marked by extreme or protracted severity. Snow rarely covers the ground for any great length of time, and the number of bright, sunny days, even in the winter 25 season, is unusually large. In the spring the bright sunshine, pleasant days and budding nature invite every one out of doors, .and hooks and reel are in demand. Autumn, to many, is the most delightful time of the year. The bright, warm, sunny days, ■with just enough edge to the air to make one feel like moving, the cool nights unsurpassed for sleeping, the rich and varied colored wild flowers and the many colored autumn leaves, all conspire "to make one stay out of doors and absorb health and life. Par- tridge and pheasant shooting, and fox hunting in the glorious :autumn weather, furnish the finest sport for the most exacting sportsman. The number of murky, foggy days is very small, and converse- ly the number of sunny days is unusually large. The United States Weather Bureau gives as the number of fair and clear days for Hampton Eoads 258.8, while for Boston 237.6. Thus the number of days when one is kept in doors on account of the "weather is very small. In the more western portion of the State the temperature is lower generally, and in the southwest mountains the snow some- "times lies on the ground for a considerable time, but the health- fulness of this region is most excellent, and the size and physique of the men is superb. Along the eastern slope of the Blue Bidge there is a belt of -country between 1,000 and 2,500 feet above sea level, in which the humidity is exceedingly low, and in which the number of sunny days is very large. This region has little dew at night, owing to its low humidity, and has been found beneficial for con- sumptives and those troubled with pulmonary diseases. Virginia is also exceptionally free from wind storms and hurri- -canes, never having any like those which frequent the western plains and the States of the southwest. Such a thing as a dwell- ing house being blown over is a practically unknown occurrence. Below is the mean monthly temperature of Virginia, Fahren- heit, for the last five years taken in July and December by the U. S. Weather Bureau of Bichmond : Mean monthly temperature July T>ec. 1901 78.6 35.7 1902 76.5 37.9 27 1903 .. .. 75.5 32.S 1904 73.5 34.4 1905 .75.4 37.7 The westerly winds are the prevailing winds. The annual rainfall is from forty to sixty inches. It is fairly well distributed through the entire year. AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES. Although Virginia has very large, varied and important in- terests outside of agriculture, still agriculture has been, and is, her greatest and most important interest, and is the occupation of the great majority of her people. She is essentially an agri- cultural State. The principal agricultural products are tobacco, corn, wheat, oats, buckwheat, barley and the native and cultivated grasses, which, together with the clovers, yield an abundance of hay. In the seaboard section, particularly in the vicinity of Norfolk and on the Eastern Shore, there are extensive areas devoted to truck-farming, an industry which annually sends millions of dollars worth of garden and farm vegetables and pro- ducts to the markets of Baltimore, Philadelphia, Few York, and Boston. In this same section, especially in the counties that form the southeastern portion of the State, between the James Kiver and the North Carolina line, the cultivation of the peanut is an extensive and profitable industry, the annual value of the crop- being about two and a half million dollars. Virginia raises more, and better, peanuts than any State in the Union. The cereals are wide-spread over the State, but the Valley is pre-eminently the grain-producing region. Tobacco is, in a very large part of the State, the staple principally relied on as a money-making crop. Only one State in the Union, Kentucky, produces more tobacco than Virginia. The "Virginia Leaf," the finest tobacco raised in the United States, has a world-wide reputation for excellence. It thrives best in the uplands of Middle Virginia and in the Piedmont. In Halifax, Pittsylvania, and Henry counties, bordering on the North Carolina line, midway of the State and in smaller areas of contiguous counties, the famous "bright tobacco" is raised. This- always commands a high price. 28 There is every conceivable variety of soil in Virginia, from the almost pure sand of the sea coast to the stiff clay of the west- ern portions. Although of such variety, there is one noteworthy fact, and that is the ease with which nearly all of the soil can be cultivated, and its ready response to judicious treatment. Owing to the great difference of altitude of the various parts of the State, giving rise to a great diversity of climate condi- tions, and to the almost endless variety of soils within her bor- ders, Virginia can, and does, grow practically everything raised in the United States except the tropical and sub-tropical fruits. If there is anyone, anywhere, who desires to take up any special branch of agriculture or desires to devote his time to the raising of any variety of cereal, grass, legumes, fruit or animal, he can find in Virginia land and 'conditions ideally suitable to that identi- cal thing. Under the head of agricultural resources we might appropriately treat fruits. But they will be assigned to a separate head. NORTHERN AND WESTERN FARMERS IN VIRGINIA. The following letters from a few northern and western farmers who have settled in Virginia, selected from a number of other similar communications^ and one from Hon. J. Sterling Morton, Ex-U. S. Secretary of Agriculture, will be found interesting to home-seekers : By J. Steeling Morton The New York Sun says: "J. Sterling Morton, Secretary of Agricul- ture, has discovered that the late Horace Greeley's advice to young men, to 'Go West,' is no longer sound, and owing to changed conditions in the South, the well-wishers of Young America should now urge them to go to Virginia. "Were I young and about to buy a farm — and if I were young, buying a farm is exactly what I'd go first about — I'd get a farm in Virginia. I was out through the State the other day. To say that I was amazed would not any more than express it. I was fairly astonished. I never saw better fields or finer crops anywhere. It's a garden. One has, as some fellow said about some other locality, but to tickle the soil and it laughs with a harvest. Corn? I met face to face with as vigorous and robust fields as ever waved in Illinois. Other crops were the same. 29 "As a mere crop producer, the Virginia farm would stand shoulder to- shoulder with any in the West, and yet, while you buy a farm of 160- acres in Texas, say, for $8,800.00, ill take the same $8,800.00 and buy and locate myself in Virginia, within three hours' drive of the capital of the country, on a fraction over five hundred and eighty-six acres. Just as good land, as I told you before, only, instead of one hundred and sixty acres,, you get five hundred and eighty-six acres for $8,800. I am not an advertising medium for any particular piece of Virginia real "Yes, I said I could cite farms and figures to support what I suggest, estate, but, skipping names and boundary lines, there are eight hundred acres, twenty-six miles from Washington, with the Potomac river wash- ing its feet, covered with forest trees, and you can buy it for fifteen dol- lars an acre, just $12,000. A friend of mine bought a splendid farm of one hundred and sixty acres, richest kind of soil; magnificent brick house, one of those old timers, about 100 years old, but in as perfect shape as if carpenters and masons got through yesterday. What do you think he paid? Perfectly appointed farm, remember; brick barn, all in the best of shape, and within half a day's drive, with the buggy, of Washington. Now, what do you think he gave? Four thousand dollars; just twenty-five dollars an acre. The place would have been worth $16,000 or $20,000 in Iowa. It made me want a Virginia farm myself when I saw it." J. Sterling Morton. Ex-Secretary Agriculture United States^ FROM SOUTH DAKOTA. I came to prince George county in 1902, from Spink county, S. D., where I resided since 1881. After spending a number of years traveling about, visiting nearly all the States east of the Mississippi, in search of a genial climate and good soil, I was convinced that Virginia was the place. I purchased a farm of 400 acres and am now getting it in a very fine state of cultivation for all the cereals and stock raising. This section is exceedingly well adapted to the raising of cattle, hogs and sheep, all of which I am raising successfully and making money. There is nothing would indiice me to go back to South Dakota to live, since I am able to live here in comfort and receive larger net dividends that I ever could expect to realize on my former farm. I am more than pleased with my investment. Yours very truly, (Signed) Wm. H. Denton. FROM CALIFORNIA. I moved to Virginia with my family six years ago from California, where we Avere very much disappointed in the climate, the heavy fogs of the coast causing rheumatic troubles and the intense heat of the inland valleys in the summer we could not stand. Have visited nearly every State, and can honestly say I know of no climate as equal and pleasant, where the water is so soft and pure, where the soil respond so quickly and abundantly to proper cultivation and encourage- ment, and where there is absolutely no malaria or mosquitoes. Our winters last about three months. Have plowed at times in all win- ter months. Our garden soil was never frozen over 3 inches at any time. Dr. J. B. Ross. 30 FROM ILLINOIS. I came to this State several years since and purchased a farm near Forest Depot, paying $14 per acre for the same. I did not expect to make more than a fair living for several years, but from the very first season 1 made much more than I anticipated. I produce all kinds of cereals, stock, and small fruits, and trucking, all of which has a home market at much better prices than I could hope to receive in the West. I am raising more and better crops than I could produce on $40 land in South Dakoto or $100 land in Illinois. I cheerfully send this word of greeting to Northern farmers who are in search of a better climate, good lands at low prices and where the seasons are of sufficient length to garner the crop without being in haste all the time. T. J. Ong. FROM INDIANA. I came to Virginia broken down in health and bought a broken-down farm about six miles from Lynchburg, which had not been worked since the war, thirty-six years previous. I was very unwell and could not do much work at first, but notwithstanding that, I made a fairly good crop and sold off a quantity of bark and Avood, and made more than I would have done at home. There is a ready and good market for all you can raise, and the prices are good. The people are glad to see you and aid you in every way in their power. There are good schools and churches, and I have never received more attention or been better entertained that I have been by some of the old ex-rebels I fought against in the late war. My health is good, and I feel like a new man, and would not sell my place at 50 per cent, advance; and I can say if Northern people come down here and attend to their business, they will be received with open arms and can do well. E. R. Btjbr. FROM IOWA. To any person seeking a home away from the long and cold winters and the ever-existing danger of cyclones in summer, we have this to say, come and see us at South Boston, Va. For thirty-four years we lived in the State of Iowa, and for the last five years in Southside Virginia. We know there are many people who live in constant dread of the cold winters, the deep snow and the awful blizzard. These can all be avoided by coming South, where one can find a most hospitable people, with many beautiful homes and ever ready to give a cordial welcome, and back of all this, cheap lands There are thousands of acres of timber land here that can be bought at from $6 to $10 an acre that would furnish grazing for sheep and Angora goats. The Angora cleans up the brush and brings the land in condition for more grass for the other lines of stock. We have many creeks and springs of excellent water, so that one -can have living water in all fenced lots. W. W. Stockweix. FROM NEBRASKA. I came to Virginia from Nebraska fourteen years ago with very little money and purchased a very poor farm of 200 acres, for which I paid $5 per acre, making a small cash payment; then went to work. The soil, while worn out, has responded very quickly to good farming and natural fertiliz- ers. I soon paid for my farm and improved it in every form, until now I have it in fine shape, and have it well stocked, including improved ma- chinery. Only a short time since I purchased a second farm of 200 acres for cash. I am very much pleased with Virginia and am convinced that it is all right. John Sedrtg. 31 FROM NEW YORK. I am a former resident of the Empire State, and came to Virginia a number of years since; induced to do so on account of the genial cli- mate, geographical location and the great future which I saw in the fertile, neglected farms in Virginia. I did not remove to my farm until 1898, and have resided here ever since. My plantations are now well im- proved, and last year a crop of 75 acres of wheat averaged 29 1-2 bushels per acre, some of this running in excess cf 40 bushels per acre. A neighbor of mine raised in excess of 100 bushels of soy beans per acre; this by a Canadian farmer, who, like myself, does not care to return to the rigorous climate we left. G. C. Jacobs. FROM OHIO. After living here two years I And Virginia more pleasant to live in than Ohio. The people are friendly and sociable, and the lithia water has been a "God-send" to me. It has cured me of eczema after doctoring for thirty years without relief. In regard to the land, the best improved here is fully equal to Ohio land that sells for $25 to $100 per acre, and if the Virginia land were side by side with it, it would bring the top price and this land can be bought for from $5 to $15 per acre. Next the crop. Last year's wheat was of good quality and averaged 15 to 20 bushels per acre; corn was unusuallv fine — as good as any one could ask, while fruit of all kinds was plentiful. I am glad I came down to this healthful climate, this wonderful water, these big-hearted people, and other conditions that go to make life worth living. I have no desire to return North. Geo. E. Ltjsk. FROM WISCONSIN. Two years ago I came to Appomattox from Wisconsin and purchased a farm. When I arrived I was unable to do any farm work. Now I can attend to my farm and my health is greatly improved. I like the country so well that last year I purchased another farm for my son. I would rather live here with my present health on one meal a day than in Wisconsin on three. 1 have paid every dollar on both farms, and like the land better every year I live on it. We can raise anything in Virginia that can be grown in the North or Northwest. I consider this a great country, and the lands are far below the real value in price. John V. Phillips, Sr. THE POSSIBILITIES OF SOIL PRODUCTION IN NORFOLK COUNTY. It is both interesting and wonderful to note the productiveness of the soil in the trucking belt around Norfolk, Virginia. A leading farmer and trucker this morning said, "Without doubt the trucking lands around Norfolk, Virginia, are the finest in the entire United States. h .-This gentleman was entitled to a very respectful hearing, and ■we had the greatest confidence in his judgment and intelligence, for his experience, as a trucker, was the very best possible evidence in favor of his statement. 33 Our attention was called to a little 4-acre patch of land, in snaps (beans), now just nicely in the pod and ready to go north in a very few days. Answering our questions the owner stated that in September last he sowed spinach on said four acres. Between Christmas and 1st of March following he cut and sold the spinach at the rate of 100 barrels to the acre, at a price ranging from $2 to $7 per barrel — an average of $4.50 per barrel. Early in March the 4 acres were set out to lettuce, setting the plants in the open air with no protection whatever, 175,000 plants on the four acres. He shipped 450 half-barrel baskets of lettuce to the acre, at a price ranging from $2 to $2.75 per basket. Early in April, just before the lettuce was ready to ship, he planted snap beans between the lettuce rows ; and to day, June 2d, these are the finest beans we have seen this season. Owner says he will have 150 half -barrel baskets to the acre; but we think he will surely have nearer 250. However, 150 will be enough, for he will sell the same for from $1 up to $2 per basket ; perhaps even higher. The last week in May he planted cantaloupes between the bean rows, which, when marketed in July, will make four crops from the same land in one year's time. The canteloupes will be good for 250 crates to the acre, and the price will run from $1 to $1.50 per crate. A careful investigation of these "facts, figures, and features" will show that his gross sales will easily reach $2,000 per acre, and his net profits depend largely upon the man and the management; but they surely should not be less than $1,000 clear, clean profit to the acre. This is for farming done all out doors. No hot house or hot bed work — not a bit of it. It is all out-of-doors work, with no extra expense for hot beds, cold frames, hot houses, or extra ex- penses whatever. We are each day more and more thoroughly convinced that "intensive" thorough tillage and care of the soil will not only pay remarkably well here; but it will pay better here than at any other point or place in the United States. Without any doubt, whatever, the soil is the finest market garden or trucking soil in the entire country. The climate also is largely in our favor, as the late and early frosts are kept off by the near proximity of the sea. 31 In regard to cost to get our farm products to market, we are within twenty-five miles of fully 10,000,000 consumers, that is to say, measured by freight rates, we are within twenty-five miles of 10,000,000 hungry consumers of our soil products. If measured by hours, we are within twelve hours of 20,000,000 consumers. Upon the soil, climate, and markets depend the suc- cess of the tillers of the soil — and these three factors are decidedly in our favor. FRUITS. Virginia is one of the most highly-favored fruit-growing States in the Union. Indeed, when the variety, abundance, and excel- lence of its fruits are considered, it is doubtful if any other State can compare with it in this respect. Apples, peaches, pears, cher- ries, quinces, plums, damsons, and grapes are in great abundance, while the smaller fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, black- berries, gooseberries and currants are plentiful. The foothills of the Piedmont and Blue Eiclge are specially adapted to the apple, some orchards producing as much as from $450 to $500 per acre. The peach, requiring a somewhat warmer climate, abounds more plentifully in Middle Virginia and Tidewater. The eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge are especially prolific in grapes, Albemarle county taking the lead in their cultivation. They are of excellent quality and flavor, both for table use and wine making. The Monticello Wine Company of Charlottesville, Albemarle county, enjoys a world-wide reputation for its wine, particularly its clarets. At the Paris World's Exhibition in 1878, this was the only American wine that received a medal and diploma; and such was also the case at the Paris Exposition of 1889. Apples may be said to be the principal fruit crop of the State. They are extensively grown, and there is a yearly increasing num- ber of trees planted. In one of the Valley counties a 17-year-old orchard of 1,150 trees produced an apple crop in 1905 which brought the owner $10,000, another of fifty 20-year trees brought $700. Mr. H. E. Vandeman, one of the best-known horticulturists in the country, says that there is not in all North America a better place to plant orchards than in Virginia. He says : "For rich apple soil, good flavor, and keeping qualities of the fruit, and nearness to the great markets of the East and Europe, your coun- try is wonderfully favored." 35 The trees attain a fine size and live to a good old age, and pro- duce most abundantly. In Patrick county there is a tree 9 feet 5 inches around which has borne 110 bushels of apples at a single crop. There are other trees which have borne even more. One farmer in Albemarle county has received more than $15,000 for a single crop of Albemarle Pippins grown on twenty acres of land. This pippin is considered the most deliciously flavored apple in the world. Sixty years ago the Hon. Andrew Stevenson, of Albemarle, when minister from this country to England, presented a barrel of "Albemarle Pippins" to Queen Victoria, and from that day to this it has been the favorite apple in the royal household of Great Britain. Although the Blue Eidge and Piedmont sections are more particularly adapted to the apple, they are grown in great abundance in every part of the State. The fig, pomegranate, and other delicate fruits flourish in the Tidewater region. We have mentioned the cultivated fruits; but in many sections there will be found growing wild, in great abundance, the straw- berry, the whortleberry, the haw, the persimmon, the plum, the blackberry, the dewberry, a fine variety of grapes for jellies and for wines, the cherry, the raspberry, and the mulberry, and also will be found the chestnut, hazelnut, the walnut, the hickorynut, the beechnut, and the chinquepin. RIVERS AND WATER SUPPLY. Eive large and navigable rivers, with their affluents and tribu- taries, drain five-sixths of the State. These all empty into the Atlantic, four of them through the Chesapeake Bay, and one through Albemarle Sound. The four that empty into the Chesa- peake are the Potomac, Eappahannock, York, and James. The one that empties into Albemarle Sound is the Eoanoke or Staun- ton. These are all navigable to the head of Tidewater by large steamboats and sailing vessels. Besides these there are other long and copious streams or rivers, the Shenandoah that flows through the valley, and New Eiver and Clinch in Southwest Vir- ginia. These rivers are 'all supplied by multitudinous streams: rivulets and creeks; many of these long, and of sufficient size to entitle them to the name of rivers. Some of these are the Eoto- 37 mac creek and Occoquan that flow into the Potomac; the Eapid Anne that is a bold affluent of the Eappahannock ; the Mattapony and Pamunkey that at their confluence form the York ; the Chicka- hominy, Appomattox, Eivanna, Willis, Slate, Eockflsh, South, North, Cowpasture and Jackson, tributaries, of the James ; the Dan, Otter and Pig that flow into the Eoanoke. These affluents are but a few of the hundreds of streams in every part of the State that fall below the dimensions of rivers but which, in conjunction with the bolder streams, irrigate the country, furnish inexhaustible water power, supply numerous varieties of fish, furnish channels for in- land navigation, and by enlivening the landscapes, impart a picturesqueness to the scenery on all sides. Never-failing springs of pure, sparkling water abound in every section, many of them possessing medicinal properties of a high order. The statement is made, upon high authority, that no State possesses such an abundant supply of mineral waters. The rainfall is abundant and evenly distributed, there being two sources of rain -supply, one from the Atlantic by the southeast winds and one from the gulf by the winds from the southwest. The annual rainfall is 35 inches in the southwest, and 55 inches on the eastern coast, the average throughout the State being about 43 inches. From the above statements, ii can easily be believed that Vir- ginia is one of the most abundantly watered countries upon the face of the earth. There can scarcely be found a square mile, on which there is not either a running stream or a bold spring. There is probably no other area of the world's surface, of equal dimen- sions, that is so abundantly and uniformly watered. WATER POWER. In this busy age, when every accessory of human industry is eagerly utilized, it may not be amiss to call more particular at- tention to the marvelous supply of water power which the rivers and streams of the State afford. In this connection we will quote the following passage from the pamphlet entitled "Information for the Homeseeker and Investor," published by this Department (the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Immigration), more particularly for the purpose of distribution at the recent St. Louis Exposition. 38 Even in Tidewater, the flattest part of the State, the numerous smaller rivers and creeks have sufficient fall to furnish ample water power for grist mills and, of course, the same power could be used for other purposes. Where Tidewater joins Middle Vir- ginia, there is a rocky ledge which rises up quite abruptly, and over which all streams have to pour to reach the ocean. In pouring over that ledge rapids are formed which give magnificent water power. This water power is especially fine just above Alexandria, on the Potomac; at Fredericksburg, on the Eappahannock; at Eichmond, on the James, and at Petersburg, on the Appomattox. To take only one locality as an illustration : At Eichmond, in a distance of three and one-half miles, there is a fall of 84 feet, and in a distance of nine miles there is a fall of 118 feet. The other streams mentioned have practically the same fall. This enormous water power, occurring just at the head of Tidewater and deep water navigation, gives the manufacturer who uses this power the benefit of both railway and water transportation. As the mountainous region is approached, every river, creek and branch is capable of furnishing fine water power. The effective fall of the James from Lynchburg to Eichmond, a distance of 1463/2 miles, is 429 feet; between Lynchburg and Buchanan, 50 miles, the effective fall is 299 feet; between Buch- anan and Covington, a distance of 47 miles, the effective fall is 436 feet. "Indeed," as Commodore M. P. Maury says, "the James river and its tributaries alone afford water power enough to line their banks from Covington and Lexington, with a single row of factories, all the way to Eichmond." New Eiver also furnishes magnificent water power. In fact, all through the State an abundance of the finest water power is awaiting develop- ment. A very small proportion of this power is at present de- veloped. Of the four navigable rivers of Virginia that are tidal to the ocean, three of them, the Potomac, Eappahannock, and James, take their rise in the mountain region and wind through land- scapes of surpassing loveliness to deliver their waters into that Bay which, like an inland sea, washes her eastern front. The York, a wide, straight stream, navigable for the largest vessels, is less than forty miles in length, and is rather an estuary, or arm of the Bay, than a river. The Mattapony and Pamunkey, 39 that unite at West Point to form the York, drain a considerable portion of Tidewater and Middle Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay is not only the most picturesque and beau- tiful sheet of water upon the globe but it has no equal for the abundance and variety of the marine food which it supplies. It is 200 miles long, with an average width of 15 miles. It has the most abundant oyster beds in the world, and its Lynnhaven Bay oyster is confessedly the largest and most delicious specimen of this bivalve to be found in any water. It supplies, in inexhaustive quantities, every fish known to the southern waters, with the exception of the pampano, which is peculiar to the Gulf of Mexico. Turtles, crabs, terrapins, lobsters and clams abound, while birds by tens of thousands, crowd its waters, and the inlets and marshes chat mark its borders — swans, geese, ducks and sora. The canvass- back duck, that feeds on the wild celery and grasses that fringe its banks, possesses a game flavor that is coveted by the epicure. We have not overdrawn the picture of the attractive invitation which Virginia extends to the home-seeker, particularly the one who desires to reside in the country and follow the life of a farmer. With her diversified surface and varied elevation, her mild climate, fine rainfall, well distributed through the year, Virginia, with her numerous water courses and streams, and her fertile soil, presents an opportunity for all kinds of agricultural pursuits. The home- seeker can find an attractive location for any line of cultivation he may wish to follow. From the fish and oysters of the bays and estuaries, the peanut growing and trucking of the Tidewater, the raising of corn, wheat, oats, tobacco, fruits, and stock of the Piedmont, to the blue grass grazing of the more mountainous section, he has a varied field of selection. FORESTS. The forests of Virginia abound in an unusual variety of woods, especially the valuable hardwoods, so important in modern con- struction. In these forests are found every wood known to south- ern soils except the noted red cedar of Alabama. Most of the un- cultivated land consists of woodland tracts. Pine forests and cy- press swamps cover vast areas of the Tidewater section. This soil favors also the growth of the cedar, willow, locust, juniper and 40 gum, and to some extent the oak — woods that furnish the best material for staves, shingles, ship-timber, and sawed lumber. In the central and western sections are found the oak, hickory, wal- nut, chestnut, birch, beech, maple, poplar, cherry, ash, sycamore, and elm. In the higher latitudes are found the hemlock, spruce, and white pine. Oak, pines and poplar are the chief woods for building. The durable hardwoods, oak, hickory, walnut and chest- nut, are valuable in the manufacture of agricultural implements, cars, and furniture. Paper is made from the pulp of the soft poplar. Oak bark and sumac leaves are extensively used in tanning and dyeing. MINERAL RESOURCES OF VIRGINIA. Virginia presents probably the most promising field for investment in its vast resources of almost every known commercial mineral product. Building stone, granite, limestone, slate, soapstone, mica, clays of all kinds available, from the common red brick to the finest pottery-clay, coal, coke, iron, lead, zinc, tin, cop- per, manganese, pyrites, arsenic, gypsum, salt, baryta, marble, as- bestos, gold and silver are all found more or less in paying quantities. Cheap labor, fuel, timber and water are abundant. Transporta- tion facilities are of the best, and climatic conditions are such that out-door work can be carried on the year round. The mineral lands can be acquired at the most reasonable prices, and every facility is offered to induce capital to undertake the development of these products. No State in the Union produces such a variety of mineral waters nor contains such a number of medicinal springs, situated, for the most part, in a delightful summer climate in the most beautiful scenic parts of the Blue Ridge and Alleghany mountains, offering ideal locations for summer and health resorts; some of which are now world-famous, but the most of them are not utilized on an extensive scale. They, however, only lack the necessary capital and enterprise to make them equally famous with their more for- tunate neighbors. Building stones of superior quality are found in a large part of the State. Notably from Richmond west to the eastern edge 41 of the Blue Eidge. Chesterfield and Henrico granites are well known outside of the State, having been used in building the postoffices of Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Pa. Buckingham slate is being shipped to England in competition with the Scotch and Welsh slate, and orders cannot be filled fast enough. This is a guarantee not only of quality but cheapness of production. Soapstone, of a very fine quality, is produced near Schuyler, in Nelson County, and is mostly marketed as a finished product. Limestone from, the quarries of the Shenandoah Valley and southwest is well known. Clays, from that used for common brick making to pure kaolin for China clay, are found in abundance east of a line running through Alexandria, Fredericksburg, Eichmond, Petersburg and Emporia. Coal-bearing formations cover an area of about 2,120 square miles in the State. The most notable deposits are those of the Eichmond coal basin, Pocahontas Plat Top Field, Tazewell County, the Clinch Valley and Big Stone Gap districts in Wise and Lee counties, and the hard coals of Price and Brush Moun- tains, Montgomery county. Copper ore is found in Grayson, Carroll, Floyd, Halifax, Char- lotte, Prince Edward, Buckingham, Louisa, Fluvanna and Gooch- land counties, and in the igneous rocks of the Blue Eidge, notably Warren county. The most extensive development has been done in Halifax county, where there are a number of mines producing ore in paying quantities and showing most excellent prospects for extensive development. Tin is found in Eockbridge and Nelson. In Eockbridge, at least two parallel workable vein systems exist. Lead and zinc are found in many parts of the State, notably, Wythe, Pulaski, Smyth, Giles, Bland, Tazewell, Eussell, Scott, and Grayson counties. The most extensive development is in Wythe county, at Austinville, on New Eiver. Work has gone to a depth of 200 feet without getting to the bottom of the deposit. The IT. S. Arsenic Mines Co. have a plant near Ferris Ford in Floyd county, for the production of white arsenic from their mines at this point. Asbestos is found in Franklin, Buckingham, Amelia, Wythe, Floyd, Grayson, Bedford, Goochland and Fauquier counties. 42 Deposits of commercial mica are found in Caroline, Spottsyl- vania, Hanover, Goochland, Powhatan, Buckingham, Prince Ed- ward, and Amelia counties. The iron industry of Virginia is so well known that very little need be said about it. The four varieties of ore used in iron manufacture — magnetite, specular ore, limonite and spathic ore — are all found in the iron ore regions of Virginia; the first three in great abundance. Deposits of manganese ore, including high grade oxides and manganiferous iron ore, occur widely distributed through the State, particularly along the James Eiver Valley and the Valley of Virginia, and have been extensively developed at several points. Of high grade ores, Virginia has for many years supplied the greater part of the total output of the United States, the most of it coming from the well-known Crimora mines, situated in Augusta county, about two miles east of Crimora station, on the Norfolk and Western railroad. Pyrite is one of the most frequently occurring minerals, and is found in the rocks in all parts of the State. It is a constituent of the ore of all the gold mines in the Virginia belt below water level, and it is only when auriferous, or when it occurs comparatively pure and in large quanities, that it is commercially valuable. The extensive deposits of Louisa county, which are being worked by the Sulphur Mines and Eailroad Company, and the Arminius Copper Company, are of great interest and importance, contributing as they do about 150,000 tons annually of high grade pyrites — - more than half of the total output of the United States. The deposits extend in a northeast and southwest direction in the vicinity of Mineral City, on the Chesapeake and Ohio Eailway. for a distance of five miles, and consist of a succession of great lenticular masses of high-grade pyrite, lying conformably with the stratification of the enclosing hydromica and talcose slate rocks. In extent these deposits can only be compared with those of Norway, Spain and Portugal, and they possess the advantage over the European deposits of being quite free from arsenic. Gold is found in two distinct belts, crossing the State in a north- easterly and southwesterly direction, the western ore passing through Floyd county and the counties to the northeast and south- 43 west of it. The eastern belt which, so far as is at present known, is the more important of the two, begins at the Maryland line about 14 miles west of Washington City, and extends across the State to the North Carolina line, passing through the counties of Fair- fax, Prince William, Fauquier, Stafford, Culpeper, Spottsylvania, Orange, Louisa, Fluvanna, Goochland, Buckingham, Cumberland, Appomattox, Campbell, Pittsylvania, and a portion of Halifax. In most of these counties mining for gold was successfully car- ried on previous to the war, but since that time little or no intelli- gent work has been done. Many attempts have been made on a small scale with inexperienced management and insufficient capi- tal and, for the most part, failure has been caused by putting all available funds into a mill to treat the ore, while in no case has sufficient development work been done to warrant this expenditure. There is no doubt that were this belt worked with capital and experience, such as is employed in gold mining sections in the west (very few of which can show such well-defined and continuous veins), results would compare favorably. It is a matter of Mint record that the mines in the State have produced from shallow workings (from 40 to 65 feet deep) several millions of dollars, and that with the crudest of mills. It is also a known fact that sulphide ores exist in the bottoms of sbme of these workings of payable value. Modern appliances, capital and enterprise is all that is necessary to develop the belt into a marked feature in the production of gold in this country. COMMERCIAL FACILITIES. In respect to ready access to markets for the products of her soil, of her foundries and factories, and of her inexhaustible beds of coal and iron, as well as in respect to facility of purchase from the markets of the world without, Virginia is' most favorably cir- cumstanced. Five trunk lines of railroads penetrate and intersect the State. These, with their numerous branch lines, and their connections with other roads, place every portion of the State in communication with every principal port and city in the country. The lines of steamboats that ply the navigable streams of eastern Virginia afford commercial communication for large sections of the State with the markets of this country and of Europe. At NATURAL BRIDGE, ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY, VA. — ONE OF THE SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD. 45 Norfolk and Newport News are ports that maintain communica- tion with the European markets by means of sea-going steamers and vessels, while from these ports is also kept up an extensive commerce along the Atlantic seaboard. The harbor of Hampton Roads, upon which these ports sit like crowned queens of com- merce, is the largest, deepest and safest upon the whole Atlantic coast. Upon its bosom the combined navies and commercial ma- rine of the world can ride in safety, and with ample berth. As has been before stated, these ports are nearer than is New York to the great centers of population, and areas of production, of the west and northwest. Chicago is nearer by fifty miles, in a direct line, to Norfolk than it is to New York. The harbor on the south- ern coast of England, between the Isle of Wight and the mainland, has been named, from its safety, the "King's Chamber." Hamp- ton Roads, sheltered by the Virginia capes from the storms of the Atlantic, may well be regarded as our King's Chamber. NATURAL WONDERS. Many of the most marvelous natural wonders of the world are found in Virginia. The most widely known of these is The Natural Bridge, in Rockbridge county, 14 miles from Lexington. It is a stupendous bridge of rock, and from it the county (Eock- bridge) received its name. It is 215 feet and 6 inchee from the creek below to the top of the span or arch above. The arch is 90 feet in length, 40 feet thick, and 60 feet wide; and across, there runs a public county road. On either side of this road there are trees and bushes, so that travelers frequently pass over the stupen- dous chasm without being aware of its presence. This bridge is part of the roof of an ancient limestone cave. In the limestone section of the State there are numerous caves. The most noted of these are Weyer's Cave in Augusta county and the Luray Caverns in Page county. There are in both of these, numerous halls, chambers and grottoes, brilliant with stalactites and stalagmites, and adorned with other forms curiously wrought by the slow dripping of water through the centuries. Crab Tree Falls near the summit of the Blue Bidge, in Nelson county, are formed by a branch of Tye river. They consist of three falls, the longest of these leaps of the stream being 500 46 feet. This freak of nature, and the unsurpassed mountain scenery of the surrounding region, attract many tourists. The Bal- cony Falls, immediately where Eockbridge, Amherst and Bed- ford counties corner, the passage where the James river cuts its way through the Blue Eidge, presents a scene of grandeur, little, if any, inferior to the passage of the Potomac at Harper's Ferry through the same range of mountains. Mountain Lake, in Giles county, is a beautiful body of deep water, some 3,500 feet above the sea level. The water is so trans- parent that the bottom can be seen in every part. Pleasure boats sailing upon it pass above the trunks and tops of large trees that are plainly seen. This would indicate that the lake is not of very great antiquity. Mountain Lake is a great summer resort. The Dismal Swamp may properly be accounted a natural won- der. It is an extensive region lying mostly in Virginia,, but partly in North Carolina, and covered with dense forests of cypress, juni- per, cedar and gum. It is a remote, weird region, inhabited by many wild animals. Its silence is broken by resounding echoes of the woodman's axe in hewing its trees that are of great value for the manufacture of buckets, tubs, and other varieties of wooden ware, and for shingles, staves and ship-timber. In the middle of this swamp is Lake Drummond (lying entirely on the Virginia side), a round body of water, six miles in diameter, being the largest lake in the State. It is noted for the purity of its amber-colored water, the hue being derived from the roots of cypress and juniper. This water will remain for years without becoming stale or stagnant, and is used by ships and vessels going on long sea voyages. EDUCATIONAL ADVANTAGES. In the pamphlet heretofore referred to as prepared by the Agri- cultural Department for distribution at the St. Louis Exposition, there is an accurate account of the educational advantages of Vir- ginia which is here transferred to this handbook: Virginia has, from early colonial days, been a leader in edu- cational matters. While the system of African slavery and the long distances between the great plantations prevented the develop- ment of a public school system like that in the New England colonies, yet some of the first free schools on the continent were 47 in Virginia. William and Mary College, next to Harvard, the oldest in America, was founded in the latter part of the seven- teenth century, and sent out from her walls fifteen United States Senators, seventy members of the Federal House of Representa- tives, seventeen Governors, thirty-seven Judges, three Presidents — Jefferson, Monroe, and Tyler — and the great Chief Justice John Marshall. Excellent private schools abounded in Virginia prior to the Revolution; but Mr. Jefferson, who believed that in a democ- racy all the people should be educated, introduced into the Gen- eral Assembly, while the Revolutionary War was going on, a bill for the establishment of a complete system of public instruction , from the primary school to the university. The bill failed to be- come a law, but in 1797, that portion of Jefferson's bill providing for primary schools was enacted into a law, but the execution was, unfortunately, left with the old County Court, which failed to carry the law into operation. Mr. Jefferson lived to see the State University opened, in 1825, but his chief concern to the day of his death was the establishment of a system of primary public schools in which the children of all the people could be educated. The General Assembly enacted a public school law in 1846, leav- ing it optional with counties and cities to adopt it. When the war of secession came on, this system had been adopted in a num- ber of counties and cities, but it was wiped out by the devastating waves of Civil War. The Convention of 1867 framed a Consti- tution that provided for a system of public free schools for every city and county of the State, and the General Assembly put the system into operation in 1870, four years before the Constitution required it. The development of the public school system since its inaugu- ration has been steady and progressive. During the last school year 9,965 schools were opened; 385,640 pupils were enrolled in them; the value of school property owned by districts was $4,250,- 000, and total amount spent for public schools was $2,667,167.24. The people of Virginia are manifesting great interest in the movement for better schools. Associations for the improvement of the schools have been formed in every section of the State, and educators are constantly delivering addresses to interested audi- ences on the value of education and the importance of increasing the efficiency of our public school system. The Co-operative Edu- 49 cation Commission, organized about one year ago, and composed of many of the leading citizens of Virginia, is doing effective work in arousing public sentiment throughout the State in favor of better public schools, and in every neighborhood the educational advantages are being enlarged. The State Constitution, ordained in 1902, contains liberal pro- visions for public education, under the operation of which the local revenues for school purposes will be largely increased. The de- mand is going up from every section for better schoolhouses, bet- ter teachers, and longer school terms. In addition to the primary and grammar schools all the cities and towns, and many of the rural districts, have excellent public high schools. So high a standing have Virginia's institutions of learning that her colleges number among their students, pupils from almost every State in the Union. The State is well provided with schools for girls. The State Female Normal School at Farinville and the - State Male Normal School at William and Mary College afford ex- cellent preparation for the work of teaching in the public schools. The Virginia Polytechnic Institute at Blacksburg and the Univer- sity of Virginia at Charlottesville are among the foremost insti- tutions of the kind in this country. The Virginia Military Insti- tute at Lexington, also a State institution, affords excellent in- struction in military science, being second only to the United States Military Academy at West Point. At William and Mary the Virginia students get the tuition free. At the University of Virginia the academical students (but not the professional) from Virginia receive their tuition free. At the Virginia Polytechnic Institute 400 students may receive free tui- tion, that is four for each member of the House of Delegates. At the Virginia Military Institute there may be fifty cadets who receive board and tuition free, one from each senatorial district and ten from the State at large. At the State Female Normal School there may be one student from each county and city in the State who shall receive tuition free. In addition to these State institutions of higher learning, there are many excellent denominational colleges. £ s 51 Lee Universit}^ for both, sexes in Virginia at which students can obtain an education in the higher branches at comparatively a small cost. Mention should also be made of the private academies and high schools which may be found in every section of the State. It will thus be seen that Virginia has a complete system of public instruction, extending from the primary grades to the uni- versity and the technical schools, and many private high schools, academies, and colleges. Industrial training has been introduced into the public schools of some of the cities and towns, and the State Board of Education has just made provision for introducing instruction in agriculture into the rural public schools. The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind at Staunton is one of the most efficient of its kind in the country. Virginia maintains an efficient system of public schools for col- ored children, and the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Insti- tute and the Virginia Normal and Industrial Institute, at Farm- ville, both State institutions, afford unsurpassed facilities for prac- tical education. VIRGINIA AGRICULTURE IN THE LAST CENSUS. The following items of interest are taken from the last census, 1900, the crops reported being those grown in 1899 : Virginia increased in the value of vegetables produced in the last ten years 491 per cent. The value of all kinds of vegetables pro- duced in the year 1899 was $9,000,000. The value of all crops was $54,900,000. Average value per acre of vegetables, $47.63. Average value for all crops, $12.06, as compared with States like Ohio, whose average value per acre for all crops was $12.59; of vegetables, $44.97. Pennsylvania's average value per acre for all crops was $13.86; of vegetables, $51.00. The average value per acre of corn last year in Virginia was $11.55 ; in Indiana, $11.59 ; in Iowa, $10.64. In wheat, the average value in Virginia was $7.31 per acre; in Indiana, $7.80, and in Iowa, $7.69 per acre. The average value per acre in potatoes in Virginia was $53.76 ; in Michigan, $50.16; in Ohio, $50.63 per acre. In hay, the average value per acre in Virginia was $17.85; in Indiana, $12.58; in Illinois, $14.70 per acre. (United States agricultural report, 1903.) 52 Virginia ranks first in the United States as producer of kale and spinach. She ranks second in the production of cabbage, and third in tobacco, and is the largest peanut-producing State. Virginia ranks eighth in the number of apple trees growing. In the following table is given a list of those counties in the State growing more than 100,000 apple trees : Apple Peach Pear 505,000 110,000 9,800 344,000 48,000 8,800 266,000 50,000 3,300 275,000 10,000 950 229,000 48,000 6,500 220,000 16,000 950 210,000 66,000 1,800 200,000 34,000 4,000 192,000 160,000 1,000 196,000 30,000 10,000 193,000 7,500 660 191,000 105,000 5,500 1*1,000 54,000 5,000 183,000 68,000 5,500 172,500 70,000 5,500 151,000 23,000 1,600 140,000 31,000 4,200 139,000 20,000 3,100 132,000 4,000 980 132,000 9,500 voo 124,000 5,300 1.100 118,000 93,000 27,000 Albemarle Augusta Bedford Patrick Buckingham. . . Nelson Franklin Bappahannock. Frederick Floyd Carroll Botetourt Boanoke. Pittsylvania. . . Shenandoah . . . Washington . . . Bockbridge. . . . Amherst Scott Lee Madison Fairfax Crop of 1899 produced 10,000,000 bushels apples and 8,000,000 bushels peaches. Sales of animal products year 1899 : Wool, $409,600 ; milk, butter and cheese, $7,000,000; poultry, $6,681,553. Increase in live stock during the last ten years : Dairy cows, 8,242 head ; neat cattle, 70,000 head; horses, 50,000 head; mules, 10,000 head; swine, 50,000 head. A remarkable report on the three principal industries in Virginia during the five years, 1900-1905, shows that the capital invested increased in that time as follows: Tobacco Lumber Flour, meal, etc. 1900 £6,508,618 7,804,563 3,198,207 1905 $23,477,649 12,527,858 5,503,101 Increase $16,969,031 4,723,295 2,304,894 53 — making a total increase in capital invested in the manufacture of these products in Virginia of $23,996,120 in five years. From the same report it is shown as follows: Capital invested in Virginia in manufactures was: 1900, $92,299,- 589; 1905, $147,989,182; increase $55,689,593—60 per cent. Wages paid: 1900, $20,273,889; 1905, $27,943,058; increase, $7,665,169—37.8 per cent. Cost material, 1900, $59,359,484; 1905, $83,649,149; increase, $24, 289,665—40.9 per cent. Value products: 1900, $108,644,150; 1905, $148,856,525; in- crease, $40,212,375—37 per cent. —From U. S. Census 1906. For further information about Virginia write G. W. Koiner, the Commissioner of Agriculture and Immigration, Kichmond, Va. CLAUDE A. SWANSON, GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA. State Government of Virginia. OFFICERS AT THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT AT RICHMOND, VA. GOVERNOR. Claude A. Swanson Pittsylvania County. Private Secretary, B. P. Owen Manchester, Va. LIEUTENANT-GO V ERNOR. J. Taylor Ellyson Richmond City. ATTORNEY-GENERAL. William A. Anderson Rockbridge County. Clerk, T. Gray Haddon Richmond City. ASSISTANT ATTORNEY -GENERAL. Robert Catlett Rockbridge County. SECRETARY OP THE COMMONWEALTH. D. Q. Eggleston Charlotte County. Chief Clerk, J. G. Hankins Halifax County. SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. J. D. Eggleston, Jr Prince Edward County. Chief Clerk, R. C. Stearns Roanoke County. COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE AND IMMIGRATION. Geo. W. Koiner Richmond City. Chief Clerk, E. B. Chesterman Richmond City. STATE TREASURER. A. W. Harmon, Jr - Rockbridge County. Chief Clerk, C. H. Urner Shenandoah County. AUDITOR OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS. Morton Marye Alexandria. Chief Clerk, C. Lee Moore Alexandria. SECOND AUDITOR. John G. Dew King and Queen County. Chief Clerk, W. Chase Morton Richmond City. Register of Land Office, and Superintendent of Public Grounds and Buildings. John W. Richardson Smyth County. Clerk, Robert C. Kasey Richmond City. 56 SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC PRINTING. Davis Bottom Richmond City. Clerk, S. M. O'Bannon Henrico County. Insurance Commissioner Joseph Button Appomattox County. Commissioner or Highways. P. St. Julian Wilson Richmond City. SUPERINTENDENT OF THE PENITENTIARY. E. F. Morgan. Roanoke County. Assistant Superintendent, F. A. Lamb Manchester. Clerk, T. R. Kemper Richmond City, A D JUTANT-GENERAL. Charles J. Anderson Richmond City. Clerk, Jos. Le Masurier Richmond City. COMMISSIONER OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL STATISTICS. James B. Doherty Richmond City. STATE LIBRARIAN. John Pendleton Kennedy Richmond City. Assistant, Edward S. Evans Richmond City. STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION. Beverly T. Crump, Chairman Richmond City. Jos. E. Willard Fairfax County. Henry C. Stuart Russell County. Chief Clerk, R. T. Wilson Richmond City. Note.— The Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Attorney-General, Secretary of the Commonwealth, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Commissioner of Agri- , culture, and State Treasurer are elected by the people for a term of four years, their present terms r six years, commencing on March 1st. MEMBERS OF THE SENATE OF VIRGINIA. Term Four Years. — (See Note.) The following are the counties and cities composing the Senatorial Districts and the names of the senators, with their postoffice addresses : First District — Washington, Smyth and city of Bristol — A. T. Lincoln, Marion, Va. Second District — Scott, Lee and Wise — J. C. Noel, Pennington Gap, Va. Third District — Buchanan, Dickenson, Russell and Tazewell — R. Walter Dickenoon, Bickley Mills, Va. 57 Fourth District — Montgomery, Koanoke city and county, and city of Radford — A. A. Phlegar, Christiansburg, Va. Fifth District— Giles, Bland, Pulaski and Wythe— P. F. St. Clair, Bane, Va. Sixth District — Carroll, Grayson and Patrick — John F. Greear, Troutdale, Va. Seventh District — Craig, Botetourt, Alleghany and Bath — Harvey L. Gar- rett,* Covington, Va. Eighth District — Rockingham — George B. Keezell, Keezeltown, Va. Ninth District — Augusta, Highland and city of Staunton — Edward Echols, Staunton, Va. Tenth District — Shenandoah, Frederick and Winchester — F. S. Tavenner, Woodstock, Va. Eleventh District — Loudoun and Fauquier — B. W. Lynn, Leesburg, Va. Twelfth District — Clarke, Page and Warren — M. J. Fulton, Front Royal, Va. Thirteenth District — Spotsylvania, Stafford, Louisa and city of Fredericks- burg — F. W. Sims, Louisa, Va. Fourteenth District —Alexandria city and county, Fairfax and Prince Wil- liam — L. H. Machen, Alexandria, Va. Fifteenth District — Culpeper, Rappahannock, Madison and Orange — Geo. S. Shackelford, Orange, Va. Sixteenth District — Goochland, Chesterfield, Powhatan and Manchester — Joseph P. Sadler, Powhatan, Va. Seventeenth District — Albemarle, Greene and city of Charlottesville — John S. Chapman, Stanardsville, Va. Eighteenth District — Appomattox, Buckingham, Fluvanna and Charlotte — Camm Patteson, Howardsville, Va. Nineteenth District — Amherst and Nelson — AubreyE. Strode, Amherst, Va. Twentieth District — Lynchburg and Campbell — A. F. Thomas, Lynchburg, Va. Twenty-first District — Halifax — H. O. Kern, Sutherlin, Va. Twenty-second District — Bedford, Rockbridge and Buena Vista — J. Lawrence Campbell, Bedford City, Va. Twenty-third District — Pittsylvania, Henry and city of Danville — William A. Garrett, Ridgeway, Va. Twenty-fourth District — 1'ittsylvania and Danville — George P. Rison, Chat- ham, Va. Twenty-fifth District — Mecklenburg and Brunswick — F. B. Roberts, Chase City, Va. Twenty-sixth District — Franklin and Floyd — S. T. Turner, Smart, Va. Twenty-seventh District — Greensville, Sussex, Surry and Prince George — Alex. R. Hobbs, Marl, Va. Twenty-eighth District — Nottoway, Amelia, Lunenburg, Prince Edward and Cumberland — William Hodges Mann, Nottoway, Va. Twenty-ninth District — Dinwiddie and city of Petersburg — Charles T. Lassi- ter, Petersburg, Va. *Deceased. SB Thirtieth District — Isle of Wight, Southampton and Nansemond — William Shands, Courtland, Va. Thirty-first District — Norfolk City— William Wilson Sale, Norfolk, Va. Thirty-second District — Caroline, Hanover and King William — Henry T. Wickham, Kichmond, Va. Thirty-third District — Norfolk county and city of Portsmouth — John C. Niemeyer, Portsmouth, Va. Thirty-fourth District — King George, Richmond, Westmoreland, Lancaster and Northumberland — (J. Harding Walker, Heathsville, Va. Thirty-fifth District — Henrico, New Kent, Charles City, James City and Williamsburg — T. Ashby Wickham, Kichmond, Va. Thirty-sixth District — Elizabeth City, York, Warwick and Newport News — Saxon W. Holt, Newport News, Va. Thirty-seventh District — Accomac, Northampton and Princess Anne — Ben- jamin T. Gunter, Accomac, Va. Thirty-eighth District — Richmond city — Charles J. Anderson, Richmond, Va. — A. C. Harman, Richmond, Va. Thirty-ninth District — King and Queen, Middlesex, Essex, Gloucester and Mathews — J. Boyd Sears, Mathews, Va. Note.— Senators representing odd districts were elected in November, 1905, for the term of two years, including Charles J. Anderson, of the thirty-eighth district. Senators representing even districts were elected in November, 1903, for the term of four years. Commencing with the election in November, 1907, all the members of the Sen. ate will be elected for the full term of four years. MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES OF VIRGINIA. For the term of two years, commencing second Wednesday in January 1906. Accomac — John R. Rew, Parksley, Va. Albemarle and Charlottesville — T. M. Dunn, Free Union, Va., and D. S. Pitts, Scottsville, VaJ Alexandria City and County — James R. Caton, Alexandria, Va. Alleghany and Craig — N. E. Spessard, New Castle, Va. Amherst — H. D. Scott, Amherst, Va. Appomattox— A. B. Thornhill, Tower Hill, Va. Amelia and Nottoway — J. A. Sydnor, Mannboro, Va. Augusta and Staunton — John W. Churchman, Brookewood, Va., and Silas H. Walker, Weyers Cave, Va. Bath, Highland, Rockbridge and Buena Vista — S. W. Sterrett, Hull, Va. Bedford— H. C. Lowry, Bedford City, Va., and Thomas S. West, Bellevue, Va. Botetourt— W. C. Barker, Buchanan, Va. Brunswick — R. S. Powell, Wood view, Va. Buckingham and Cumberland — Paul McEae, McRae, Va Campbell — Eugene Ould, Evington, Va. Caroline — David B. Powers, Jr., Port Royal, Va. Carroll — J. L. C. Lindsey, Ocala, Va. t charlotte — Boylan Green, Drakes Branch, Va. 59 Chesterfield— W. W. Baker, Hallsboro, Va. Chesterfield, Powhatan and Manchester — Willis C. Pulliam, Manchester, Va. Clarke and Warren — M . M. Johnson, Front Royal, Va. Culpeper — Daniel A. Slaughter, Winston, Va. Dickenson and Wise — W. H. Roberts, Wise, Va. Dinwiddie — T. E. Clarke, Sutherland, Va. Elizabeth City and Accomac — H. R. Houston, Hampton, Va. Fairfax — R. E. Lee, Jr., Burke's Station, Va. Fauquier — M. M. Green, Warrenton, Va. Fauquier and Loudoun — J. H. Cochran, The Plains, Va. Floyd— D. L. Eller, Posey, Va. Franklin — John R. Guerrant, Calloway, Va. Frederick and Winchester — R. E. Byrd, Winchester, Va. Gloucester — James L. Taliaferro, Gloucester, Va. Goochland and Fluvanna — Pembroke Pettit, Palmyra, Va. Giles and Bland — Martin Williams, Pearisburg, Va. Grayson— L. K. Cornett, Elk Creek, Va. Halifax — J. A. Glenn, South Boston, Va., and M. B. Booker, South Boston, Va. Hanover — W. D. Cardwell, Richmond, Va. Henrico — C. W. Throckmorton, Richmond, Va. Henry — J. M. Barker, Jr., Axton, Va. Isle of Wight— W. E. Howie, Ferguson's Wharf, Va. King and Queen and Essex — James M. Lewis, Miller's Tavern, Va. King William and Hanover — O. O. Gwathmey, King, William, Va. Lancaster and Richmond — John Curlett, Whealton, Va. Lee — Harvey Young, Dryden, Va. Loudoun — F. M. Love, Purcellville, Va. Louisa — L. J. Haley, Buckner's, Va. Lunenburg — E. P. Wallace, Double Bridge, Va. Lynchburg — Tipton D. Jennings, Lynchburg, Va. Madison and Greene — N. B. Early, Jr., Dawson ville, Va. Mathews and Middlesex — G. E. T. Lane, Port Hey wood, Va. Mecklenburg — S. P. Read, Palmer's Springs, Va. Montgomery and Radford — Charles A. Johnston, Christiansburg, Va. Nansemond — Robert W. Withers, Suffolk, Va. Nelson — George W. Whitehead, Roseland, Va. Newport News — W. E. Barrett, Newport News, Va . New Kent, Charles City, James City, York, Warwick and Williamsburg — R. T. Gregory, Tunstalls, Va. Norfolk City— William W. Old, Jr., Norfolk, Va., and E. W. Gaines, Nor- folk, Va. Norfolk County — E. W. Owens, Portsmouth, Va., and W. G. Parker, Portsmouth, Va. Northampton and Accomac — John T. Wilkins , Eastville, Va. 60 Northumberland and Westmoreland — George Mason, Colonial Beach, Va. Orange — C. C. Taliaferro, Nasons, Va. Page and Rappahannock — D. S. Louderback, Shenandoah, Va. Patrick — James W. Barnard, Kibler, Va. Pittsylvania and Danville — S. F. Clement, Sandy Level, Va , W. N. Brown, Danville, Va., and Samuel H. Wilson, Byrdville, Va. Petersburg — Robert E. Gill, Petersburg, Va. Portsmouth — Charles T. Bland, Portsmouth, Va. Princess Anne — Geo. T. Snead, Pungo, Va. Prince Edward — J. J. Owen, Green Bay, Va. Prince William — Thomas H. Lion, Manassas, Va. Pulaski — Jas. T. Trolinger, Pulaski, Va. Rockingham — H. M. Rogers, Mount Crawford, Va., and P. B. F. Good, Montevideo, Va. Richmond City — Edwin P. Cox, Harry C. Glenn, Eugene C. Massie, Robt. E. Peyton, Jr., and Ordway Puller, Richmond, Va. Roanoke City and County — A. M. Bowman, Salem, Va., and A. B. Coleman, Roanoke, Va. Rockbridge and Buena Vista — R. G. Mitchell, Brownsburg, Va. Russell — J. H. Meade, Honaker, Va. Scott— C. S. Pendleton, Hills Station, Va. Shenandoah — Burder B. Bowman, Edenburg, Va. Smyth — J. H. Wissler, Cedar Springs, Va. Southampton — Joseph B. Prince, Courtland, Va. Spotsylvania and Frederickburg — Granville R. Swift, Fredericksburg, Va. Stafford and King George— R. C. L. Moncure, Falmouth, Va. Sussex and Greensville — J. E. Person, Jarratt, Va. Surry and Prince George — S. B. Barham, Jr., Runnymede, Va. Tazewell and Buchanan. — J. P. Royall, Tazewell, Va. Washington and City of Bristol— J. D. Williams, Glade Spring, Va., and J. C. Stanfield, Holston, Va. Wythe— W. E. Hillenburg, Crockett Depot, Va. VIRGINIA REPRESENTATION IN CONGRESS. SENATORS. John W. Daniel, of Lynchburg Term expires 1911. Thomas S. Martin, of Albemarle Term expires 1907. REPRESENTATIVES. First District— Wm. A. Jones, Warsaw. Accomac, Northampton, Lancaster, Richmond county, Northumberland, Westmoreland, Gloucester, Middlesex, Mathews, Essex, King and Queen, Car- oline, Spotsylvania, and city of Fredericksburg. Second District — H. L. Maynard, Portsmouth. Cities of Norfolk, Portsmouth, Williamsburg, Newpoit News; counties of 61 Princess Anne, Norfolk, Nansemond, Isle of Wight, Southampton, Elizabeth City, Warwick, York, James City, Charles City and Surry. Third District — John Lamb, Kichmond. Cities of Kichmond and Manchester and the counties of Henrico, Gooch- land, Chesterfield, New Kent, Hanover and King William. Fourth District — R. G. Southall, Amelia. City of Petersburg, and the counties of Prince George, Sussex, Dinwiddie, Greenesville, Brunswick, Mecklenburg, Lunenburg, Nottoway, Amelia, Pow- hatan and Prince Edward. Fifth District — Vacancy caused by election of Claude A. Swanson to Gover- norship to be filled at November election. City of Danville, and counties of Pittsylania, Franklin, Floyd, Henry Patrick, Carroll and Grayson. Sixth District — Carter Glass, Lynchburg. Cities of Lynchburg and Roanoke, and the counties of Roanoke, Mont, gomery, Bedford, Campbell, Charlotte and Halifax. Seventh District — James Hay, Madison. Cities of Winchester and Charlottesville, and the counties of Frederick, Clarke, Warren, Rappahannock, Madison, Greene, Albemarle, Rockingham, Shenaadoah and Page. Eighth District — John F. Rixey, Culpeper. City of Alexandria, and counties of Loudoun, Fairfax, Alexandria, Fau- quier, Culpeper, Orange, Louisa, King George, Stafford and Prince William. Ninth District — Campbell Slemp, Big Stone Gap. Lee, Scott, Wise, Dickenson, Buchanan, Russell, Washington, Smyth, Bland, Tazewell, Wythe, Pulaski, Giles and Craig, and city of Bristol. Tenth District — H. D. Flood, West Appomattox. Cities of Staunton and Buena Vista, and counties of Augusta, Bath, High- land, Alleghany, Rockbridge, Amherst, Nelson, Appomattox, Buckingham, Fluvanna Cumberland and Botetourt. BOARD OF STATE CANVASSERS. Governor, Secretory of the Commonwealth, Auditor of Public Accounts, State Treasurer and Attorney-General. J. G. Hankins, Secretary. STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION. Claude A. Swanson, Governor. W. A. Anderson, Attorney-General. J. D. Eggleston, Jr , Superintendent Public Instruction. Lyon G. Tyler, President William and Mary College. Charles W. Kent, Professor of English Literature, University of Virginia. W. A. Bowles, Superintendent Virginia School for Deaf and Blind, Staunton. Jno. T. West, Superintendent of Schools of Norfolk County. E. C. Glass, Superintendent of Schools, Lynchburg. R. C. Stearns, Secretary. 62 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE AND IMMIGRATION. President of the Board of Agriculture and Immigration, C. W. Heater, Middle- town, Va. Commissioner of Agriculture and Immigration and Treasurer of Board, Geo. W Koiner, Richmond, Va. Secretary of Board of Agriculture and Immigration, E. B. Chesterman, Rich- mond, Va. Chief Chemist of the Agricultural Department, E. W. Magruder, Richmond, Va. MEMBERS OP THE BOAED. Term four years, even districts commencing March 1, 1903, and odd districts com- mencing March 1, 1905. First Disttict — J. H. C. Beverley, Chance Four years Second District — A. O. Mauck, Yorktown Four years Third District — A. R. Scott, Richmond City Four years Fourth District — J. Thomas Goode, Skipwith Four years Fifth District — J. M. Barker, Axton Four years Sixth District — J. T. Cowan, Cowan's Mill Four years Seventh District — C. W. Heater, President, Middletown Four years Eighth District — William H. Eggborn, Eggbornville Four years Ninth District — James R. Goodwin, Eggleston Four years Tenth District — W. B. F. Leech, Oakdale Four years Dr. J. M. McBryde, President of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, ex officio. Hereafter all regular appointments to be made for the term of four years. BOARD OF FISHERIES OF VIRGINIA. W. McDonald Lee, Chairman Lancaster, Va. S. Wilkins Mathews, Secretary Assawoman, Va. Bland Massie Tyro, Va. R. A. James Danville, Va. Geo. B. Keezell Keezelltown, Va. All appointed for the term of four years, commencing April 1st, 1906. Judiciary System. SUPEEME COURT OF APPEALS. James Keith, President Fauquier County. Richard H. Cardwell Hanover County. John A. Buchanan Washington County. George M. Harrison Augusta County. Stafford G. Whittle Henry County. Reporter — Martin P. Burks. Secretary — M. B. Watts. Annual examinations of candidates for admission to the bar of Virginia are held at Richmond on the first Friday of the January term, and at Wytheville on the twenty-fourth day of June. CIRCUIT COURTS. Terms of Judges commencing February 1, 1904. First Circuit — Wm. N. Portlock, Judge, Norfolk Term — Two years. Second Circuit — R. R. Prentis, Judge, Suffolk Term — Eight years. Third Circuit — J. F. West, Judge, Waverly Term — Six years. Fourth Circuit — Walter A. Watson, Judge, Jennings Ordinary Term — Four years. Fifth Circuit — Geo. J. Hundley, Judge, Farmville Term — Two years. Sixth Circuit — Wm. R. Barksdale, Judge, Houston Term — Eight years. Seventh Circuit — E. W. Saunders, Judge, Rocky Mount. . . Term — Six years. Eighth Circuit — John M. White, Judge, Charlottbville....Term— Four years. Ninth Circuit — D. A. Grimsley, Judge, Culpeper Term — Two years. Tenth Circuit — R. Carter Scott, Judge, Richmond Term — Eight years. Eleventh Circuit — Jno. W. G. Blackstone, Judge, Accomac, Term — Six years. Twelfth Circuit — T. R. B. Wright, Judge, Tappahannock,Term — Four years. Thirteenth Circuit — G. Taylor Garnett, Judge, Mathews, Term — Two years. Fourteenth Circuit — D. Gardiner Tyler, Judge, Sturgeon Pt. Term — Eight years. Fifteenth Circuit — Jno. E. Mason, Judge, Comorn Term — Six years. Sixteenth Circuit — Chas. E. Nicol, Judge, Manassas Term — Four years. Seventeenth Circuit — Thos. W. Harrison, Judge, Winchester Term — Two years. Eighteenth Circuit — S. H. Letcher, Judge, Lexington... Term — Eight years. Nineteenth Circuit — Geo. K. Anderson, Judge, Clifton Forge Term — Six years. Twentieth Circuit — Cephas B. Moomaw, Judge, Roanoke Term — Four years. Twenty-first CiRCuiT — Robt. C. Jackson, Judge, Wytheville Term — Two years. Twenty-second Circuit — W. J. Henson, Judge, Pearisburg Term — Eight years. *Claggett B. JoDes, Bruington. Term, six years, elected by Legislature 1906. %W. W. MoffVitt, Salem. Elected by Legislature 1906 to fill unexpired term. 64 Twenty-third Circuit — Frank B. Hutton, Judge, Abingdon Term — Six years. Twenty-fourth Circuit — H. A. W. Skeen, Judge, Big Stone Gap Term — Four years. Note.— On the expiration of the present terms of the above named Judges their successors will be elected for the full term of eight years. Twenty -fifth Circuit — T. W. Haas, Judge Harrisonburg Twenty-sixth Circuit — E. S. Turner, Judge Warrenton Twenty -seventh Circuit — Wm. E. Burns, Judge Lebanon Twenty -eighth Circuit — R. E. Boykin, Judge Smithfield Twenty-ninth Circuit — B. T. Gordon, Judge Lovingston Note — -The regular terms of the last five Judgeships named will commence February 1st, 1907, and will be for eight years. CORPORATION COURTS. Alexandria Louis C. Barley, Judge. .. .Term expires February 1 Bristol .John W. Price, Judge Term expires February 1 Buena Vista Henry W. Holt, Judge Term expires February 1 Charlottesville. . .Geo. W. Morris, Judge Term expires February 1 Danville A. M. Aiken, Judge Term expires Februery 1 Fredericksburg.... Alvin T. Embrey, Judge Term expires February 1 Lynchburg Frank P. Christian, Judge. ..Term expires February 1 Manchester Wm. I. Clopton, Judge Term expires February 1 Newport News T. J. Barham, Judge Term expires February 1 Norfolk ...A. R. Hanckel, Judge Term expires February 1 Petersburg J. M. Mullen, Judge Term expires February 1 Portsmouth James F. Crocker, Judge Term expires February 1 Radford George E. Cassell, Judge. ...Term expires February 1 Richmond S. B. Witt, Judge Term expires February 1 Roanoke Jno. W. Woods, Judge Term expires February 1 Staunton Henry W. Holt, Judge. . . .Term expires February 1 Winchester Wm. M. Atkinson, Judge. ..Term expires February 1 1907. 1912. 1912. 1907. 1907. 1907. 1907. 1907. 1907. 1907. 1907. 1907. 1912. 1907. 1907. 1907. 1907. CITY COURTS OTHER THAN CORPORATION COURTS. Terms expiring February 1, 1907. Law and Chancery Court of Norfolk City Wm. Bruce Martin, Judge. Chancery Court of Richmond City Daniel Grinnan, Judge. Law and Equity Court of Richmond City John H. Ingram, Judge. The Counties of Virginia. ACCOMAC COUNTY, Aecomac county is situated in what is known as the "Eastern Shore" section of Virginia, eighty miles east of Richmond. It is about forty miles long, with an average width of ten miles, and has an area of 478 square miles. Population, census of 1900, 32.570, an increase of 5,293 since census of 1890. Males twenty-one years and over, 7,945. This county is among the best of the Virginia counties in almost every- thing that goes to make up a great and thriving rural community. Its natural advantages are equalled by few and surpassed by none. It has a delightful climate, neither extreme of heat or cold, the thermometer rarely ever reaching ninety-four degrees, in summer, or falling as low as ten above zero in winter. Delightful sea breezes sweep over the land almost every day in summer. With the Atlantic ocean on one side and the Chesapeake bay on the other, the air is cooled in summer and warmed, in winter by these bodies of water. Heavy snows are rare, as are severe freezes. Navigation is open almost every day in winter, and railroad trains are never blocked by snow. The surface of the county is smooth, even, and almost level, drained by Pocomoke river. Soil light loam, red clay subsoil, easily tilled, warm and productive. Farm products are sweet and Irish potatoes, corn, wheat, oats, vegetables, etc. There is no county in the United States that produces as many sweet potatoes, nor as fine as Aecomac, it yielding fully five per cent, of the whole of that crop made in this country. The money value is enormous. Trucking is the leading farm industry. Besides the millions of bushels of potatoes sold annually, are abundant crops of onions, garden peas, snaps, cabbage, kale, etc. The growth of large and small fruits in constantly increasing acreage bids fair to make this an important and profitable industry. Apples, peaches, blackberries and strawberries are the principal fruits cultivated, but all fruits common to the temperate zone thrive well. The fish and oyster industry is probably more valuable and extensive than in any other county of the State. Oysters of unequalled flavor, and fish in great variety and finest kinds abound; also clams, mandanose and crabs are not only a source of great revenue, but an important article of food to the inhabitants. The oyster industry is one of the chief pursuits of many of the inhabitants. Thousands of people make their money and their living out of the waters that surround the peninsula. The planting of oysters has developed into the most profitable branch of this industry. Thousands of acres of planting bottoms are now seeded -with millions of bushels of oysters, and yet this branch of the business is just inj its infancy; opportunities for profitable investment in this business are on every hand. Good planting grounds are being rapidly taken up, but there are still thousands of acres of good land left. Recent laws have made investments in this husiness safe and secure, and local investors are eagerly taking advantage of the opportunity. The oyster business the past year in this section has increased greatly and promises large development. 5 66 This county has been termed the "Hunter's Paradise." Game is plenti- ful, both in winter and summer, on land and on water. The fields abound with partridges, the woods and meadows with snipe, Avoodcock, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, foxes and opossums. The rivers, creeks and bays with wild geese, brant ducks, curlew, plover and the sage hen. Stock and grazing facilities are very good. Trotting horses are raised with great success, also farm horses, dairy stock and sheep. Pasturage is good and abundant on the ocean and bay sides of the county. This county was formerly noted for its wild ponies, that were native to this section, and not only a source of great interest, but of profit to thei in- habitants. About sixty-five per cent, of land is in cultivation, balance in timber, consisting of oak, pine, chestnut, beech, gum and holly, of which the oak and pine is most abundant and valuable, but is being cut rapidly. Manufactories consist of lumber mills, barrel factories, flour and corn mills, carriage, cart and wagon factories. Railroad transportation is excellent, no farm being more than six miles from a railroad. The New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk, and Norfolk and Western railroads greatly facilitate intercourse and business com- munication between this and other sections, and the Chesapeake and At- lantic railroad gives daily communication with Baltimore, thus making this one of the most favored portions of the State in this respect. Water transportation cannot be surpassed, steamers and sail vessels on all sides. County is indented on east and west by numerous sounds, inlets and smaller water courses, navigable nearly their entire length, and furnishing means of transportation to the markets of the large cities of the north and east, being within eight hours of Philadelphia and Balti- more and ten hours of New York. Educational advantages are very good — two good academies, several pub- lic high schools, and one hundred and fifty primary schools. Telephone service good throughout the county, every hamlet connected. Churches and mail facilities very desirable, many of the leading denomi- nations represented and churches numerous and convenient. Mail facilities excellent. Water in upland very good; in lowlands indifferent. Unless artesian wells are resorted to, good flows can be had at seventy-five or one hun- dred feet in depth. Health unsurpassed in eastern United States. Lands range in price from $10 to $30 per acre. Good lands near rail- road or river sell for about $30 per acre, other lands as low as $10 per acre. Average value may be safely placed at $15 per acre. Financial condition of the county is excellent; but little bonded debt, and taxation very moderate. Progress and general advancement of the county has been marked. No county in the State, except those immediately around large cities, has made such extensive and rapid progress as this one in the last twenty years. The past year especially has been one of great prosperity. Prices for all kinds of trucking have been good. This fact, together with the improved distribution of products through the Produce Exchange, an organization managed by the farmers, finds the people generally in a better condition than they have been for years, the products of land and sea for the county the past year being safely estimated at two million dollars. Several new lumber mills have been put in operation, a great deal of building has been done, and the number of new dwellings is much in ex- cess of any recent year. On the sea and bay side, a number of oyster shucking houses, employing hundreds of hands, have been built, and are 67 in successful operation ; this way of handling oysters having been found to be more profitable than shipment in the shell. In the town of Onancock, new gas works have been established and a block of five large and com- modious stores on the east side of North street erected, all of which are occupied, making that one of the busy centers of the county. Accomac. a pretty village, with an historical court house, is the county seat. Its records are very old and interesting. ALBEMARLE COUNTY. This is one of the big counties of Virginia and one of the oldest. It was carved out of Goochland in 1744, and then embraced the large territory, now included in Albemarle, Amherst, Fluvanna, Nelson and portions of Appomattox, all these having been formed from it since. It is even now fifth in area of the 100 Virginia counties, and contains 755 square miles, nearly a half million acres, and a population of 28,473, exclusive of the city of Charlottesville. Its altitude is 485 feet. Albemarle has a most favorable location as to climate and soil, being geographically near the center of the State, with its western portion in the Blue Ridge region, and its eastern in the Piedmont, reaching into Midland Virginia. Its extensive area, being at its greatest length about forty miles, and greatest width nearly thirty, gives scope for a diversity of soil and some difference in temperature, in the eastern section, the soil is a dark, rich red clay, famous for wheat, which has for generations been char- acterized as the red wheat lands of Albemarle. Other paying products of the soil are corn, grass, oats, tobacco, all of which yield abundantly under the fine tillage, which generally prevails in this county; then apples, peaches, pears and grapes are remarkably fine. In fact, the foothills and slopes of tne Blue Bidge, where the soil is lighter and grayish, are the natural home of the apple, which reaches its greatest perfection here. The Albemarle pippin, of rare flavor and excellent keeping qualities, which finds a most remunerative market abroad, is grown in abundance. (It is treated specifically under the head of "Fruits," in the "Introduc- tion" to this work). Some of the most profitable peach orchards in Virginia are to be found in this county, and in some places almost cover the eastern slopes of the Blue Bidge from base to summit; the warm ex- posure favoring a size and flavor that makes the Albemarle peach popular in every market it reaches, Staunton, Charlottesville, Lynchburg and Washington, competing vigorously for the trade, which becomes active early in the season. Nowhere in Virginia does grape culture and Avine production receive more attention than in this favored region, where the grape grows to a high degree of perfection and large fruitful vineyards are seen on every hand, furnishing through a long season, large shipments to convenient city markets, to say nothing of the local demand by town, village and rail car fruit vendors. The Monticello Wine Company, located at Charlottesville, makes as good claret as is found anywhere, also excellent champagne. Many farm- ers have their private cellars and make their own wine, and it seems, around Charlottesville, to be in almost as general use as in a province of France, while the trade to other home markets reaches an importance that surprises the stranger, and competes successfully in the foreign market. As much as 68,000 gallons of wine has been made in one season by the Monticello Wine Company. In as good a grass section as this county is, it is natural that much atten- tion should be paid to stock raising. Many fine cattle find their way to market from the grass fields of Albemarle. As to horses, the finest blooded animals are raised, and bring the best prices. This feature of the county's resources has of recent years received a new impulse from 69 the successful and popular Horse Show organization, which brings to- gether annually a great many good horses, and some very superior racers and hunters from this and adjoining counties. There are good facilities also for dairying, which is becoming more profitable every year, and sheep raising is a profitable industry, the long woolen breeds doing especially well on the luxuriant grasses of the Pied- mont lands, and the finer wool breeds on the more mountainous, in the northern part of the county. Every farmer raises his own pork, cures his own bacon, and a great deal finds its way to market. Few sections have better railroad opportunities, or better avail them- selves of them. The Chesapeake and Ohio from west to east, straight through the county, the Southern from north to south, intersecting the former at Charlottesville, and the James river division of the Chesapeake and Ohio running along the southern border, afford, by their competing lines, cheapest access for freight and passenger traffic to every available market. All these superior inducements for immigration and investment have been appreciated, as is notably seen, by the settling of a great many men of means and enterprise from other states and countries. Fine estates have changed hands all over the county, elegant homes have been built, spacious ancestral halls have been handsomely remodelled, farms have been brought into a high degree of cultivation, lands in some sections increased in value 100 per cent, and more; a great deal of money has been profitably invested, public revenues largely increased, and the whole county has advanced wonderfully along the lines of progress and pros- perity. Among the developments, those of the mineral resources of Albemarle have not lagged. There are deposits of soapstone, iron, graphite, slate, etc. Large soapstone works have been erected at Alberene, reached by a short branch of the Southern railroad, and the output in bath tubs, house and kitchen utensils, etc., has developed an extensive industry very useful to the county. The Albemarle Slate Company works profitably a deposit of slatie from which the best pencils known to the trade, on account of absolute freedom from grit, are claimed to be made. The Baltimore Graphite Company, located on the Southern, near Bar- boursville, manufactures that mineral extensively, which is widely used in lubricating material. The Charlottesville Woolen Mills, on the Bivanna river, have long ago established an enviable reputation for the manufacture of fine cloths. They furnish the goods for the U. S. Naval Academy, the Philadelphia police uniforms, etc., and the superiority of their manufacture has brought about a constant demand, which results in an ever increasing out- put. The church privileges are all that can be desired, and besides the 130 public schools, the Miller School — one of the greatest manual labor in- stitutions in the country with ample endowment — Pantops Academy, and the historical University of Virginia, furnish rare educational advantages. Of this famous school, more special mention will be made in referring elsewhere among the cities of the Commonwealth to Charlottesville, the county seat, and its interesting surroundings. ALEXANDRIA COUNTY. This county embraces one of the earliest settled portions of the State. As early as 1669 a colonial patent was laid on most of the land now in- cluded in the county, and settlements made a few years after. It was originally a part of Fairfax county, during which time it was ceded 70 to the General Government, and later (in 1846) was receded to Virginia, made a separate county, and named after its principal city, Alexandria. This county has ever been intimately associated with the name of General Washington, the seat of much of his early life and operations, and its location has rendered it prominent in many of the thrilling scenes of that day, and later. It is ten miles long and five miles wide, located in the northeast part of the State, ninety miles north of Richmond. The very good home market at Alexandria City, and its proximity to Washington City and Georgetown, render it a very desirable location for home seekers. Population of county, census of 1900, 6,430; of City of Alexandria. 14,528 — total 20,958, being an increase since census of 1890 of 2,361, for county and city. Total males twenty-one years of age and over, county and city, 6,036. The area of the county is the smallest in the State, having 32 square miles — 20,480 acres. Average size farms, sixty-five acres. Price of lands $50.00 to $500.00 per acre. The advantages are very superior, owi g to railroad and water transpor- tation, and the near by cities of Washington, Georgetown, and Baltimore. Climate very pleasant: in summer, temperate; in winter, changeable, but not severe. Soil fertile, especially the bottoms along the streams, and well adapt- ed to grain and garden truck. It is watered and drained by the Potomac and its tributaries, of which Hunting creek, the southern boundary of Alexandria city, is worthy of special mention, as a beautiful body of water fifteen or twenty feet in depth, and a safe harbor for vessels. Farm products are corn, wheat, oats, rye, and potatoes, the latter, both sweet and Irish, being a very important and profitable crop to the farmer. Fruits and vegetables of all varieties do well, and are raised in great abundance. There is no section of the State more highly favored as to a market for trucking, dairy and poultry products, and these constitute an important and profitable industry to the county. The waters abound in water fowl, and fish of choice variety, such as bass, rock, shad and herring. Timber abounds to a considerable extent, such as white and red oak, chestnut and chestnut oak, poplar, maple, cedar, pine and locust. Water power consists of Great and Little Falls of Potomac. Manufactories are brick, shoes, overalls, boxes, glass and wood work, barytes mills, knitting mills and machine shops, Canning works and fertilizer factories are remunerative industries Minerals and mineral waters are, of the former, brownstone, soapstone and clay for brickmaking; of the latter, sulphur and iron. Water, steam and electric transportation places this county in quick, convenient and extensive communication with all sections of the country. With the Potomac river as an important water highway, and the railroads represented by the Baltimore and Ohio, Southern, Chesapeake and Ohio, Pennsylvania, Seaboard and Atlantic Coast Line, besides electric lines connecting with Mt. Vernon, no section of Virginia has better trans- portation facilities. Telephone service is good, represented by the Southern, Bell and Home. Educational advantages consist of quite a number of excelle it public and private schools, besides the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary. Churches, mail facilities, water, health and financial conditions re- ported first-class. County and State taxes, $1.50 on $100. Arlington, famous as having been the home of the Custis and Lee fi mi- lies, is in this county, a few miles above Alexandria. It was purchased by the National Government, and a portion of it appropriated to a National cemetery. 71 ALLEGHANY COUNTY, Alleghany county was formed in 1S22 from Bath, Botetourt and Monroe. It is situated in the western part of the State, one hundred and twenty- four miles west of Richmond, is twenty-six miles long, with a mean breadth of twenty miles — area 452 square miles. Altitude 1,295 feet. Population of the county, census of 1900, is 16,330, an increase since census of 1890 of 7,047. Total males twenty-one years and over, 5,023. Climate very healthful and invigorating, and in summer delightful. Soil light clay loam, very productive, especially on water courses. Watered and drained by the Jackson and Cow Pasture rivers, and othei small streams, notably Potts and Dunlap creeks, which also furnish very superior water power. The mountains contain immense quantities of valuable timber, such as oak, hickory, poplar, pine, ash and chestnut, larg« quantities of which are sawed and exported. The iron ore deposits of this county are very extensive and valuable, and are attracting the attention of capitalists, who have invested largely in ore lands and the erection of furnaces ; also granite and cement limestom have been developed, and hydraulic cement manufactured. Game of all kinds is abundant, offering an inviting field for sportsmen. Farm products are corn, oats, wheat, fruit, and dairying. Stock raish\ is also a very valuable and important industry. This county is well sup- plied with churches, schools, newspapers and railroads, the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad traversing the county, connecting with the Warm Springs branch of the Chesapeake and Ohio at Covington in this county. No county in the State perhaps can boast of more thrifty growing towns in the last decade, notably. Covington. Clifton Forge, and Low Moor. Low Moor on the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad is a place of considerable importance. The Low Moor Iron Furnace is located here, producing large quantities of iron of superior quality, and giving employment to a larg. 1 number of people. Clifton Forge is the most populous town of the county, as shown by census of 1900. and it has shown a marked increase in population since 1890. at which time the population was 1.790. while by the last census, 1900, it showed a population of 3,212, nearly doubling in the ten years. A large increase in population since last census appears also in the case of Covington, the county seat, which by census of 1890 Avas 704, by census of 1900 it is 2,950, more than quadrupling its population in ten years, a re- markable growth that speaks well for the town and county. Among the more important industries of this town are the one million dollar plant of the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company, the Covington machine shops, and McAllister and Bell's flouring mills. There are also excellent systems of water works and of lighting by electricity, and an ice manufacturing plant, the large and valuable De Ford Company's tan- nery, and the Covington iron furnace of the Low Moor Company. The Moffett Brick Plant does a large business and has been instrumental in the erection of many substantial and handsome brick residences and business houses of the town and county. Clifton Forge, as has been before stated, is the largest town in the county, and some of its citizens aspire to make it, at an early date, an incorporated city, in connection with its handsome suburb, West Clifton, as the population of the tAvo toAA'ns has reached the necessary 5,000. The Chesapeake and Ohio shops, Avorking a large force, are located here ; also tAvo banks, tAvo neAvspapers, one a daily, several good churches, a handsome and AA T ell-equipped railroad, Y. M. C. A., a new building for the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad offices, and superior hotel accommodations. During the last feAv years an unusual number of large and expensive busi- ness blocks and private residences have been built, also a Masonic temple V '.•.; 73 all of which are equipped with steam heat, electric lights and water facili- ties, with which the ambitious town is well supplied. There were no failures in the town during the last year, indicating a healthy financial condition. Among the other smaller towns of the county are Iron Gate, and Long- dale, where there is a fine furnace (having been in blast thirty-five years, nor missed a pay day), and much activity in business; also there are, besides the mines at the above-named furnaces, actively worked ones at Stacks, Rich Patch, and other points. Alleghany has inaugurated a sys- tem of road building, by means of which the public roads of the county have been much improved, and, in the more thickly settled sections of the county especially, there are some excellent public thoroughfares, which add greatly to the convenience and prosperity of this progressive people. AMELIA COUNTY. This county, formed from Prince George in 1734, located in southeast central portion of the State on south bank of the Appomattox river, twenty- seven miles southwest of Richmond, is thirty miles long and about ten miles in width; area, 355 square miles. Its altitude is 361 feet. Surface is undulating, lands productive. Soil, chocolate, red clay, and grey loam, with clay subsoil; the latter readily improved, and especially adapted to wheat, corn, oats and tobacco, which are the principal farm products — especially tobacco, of which about 2,000,000 pounds of fine quality is produced annually. Potatoes, other vegetables, fruits, and dairy products are also important and profitable industries. The climate is temperate: winters short and mild; summers pleas ant without extremes of heat, This county is well watered with freestone springs, and wells are to be had at an average depth of thirty feet, be- sides numerous springs of valuable mineral properties. Climate is healthful; churches and public schools numerous and convenient. It is drained and watered by Appomattox river and its tributaries. The Ap- pomattox, in the northern portion of the county, is open for navigation to Petersburg. The Southern railroad passes through the center of the county, and the Norfolk & Western near the southeastern border. Timber is abundant, consisting chiefly of oak, pine, hickory, and wal- nut. The lumber trade is of considerable importance; also bark and su- mac are profitable industries. Large and valuable mineral deposits of iron, kaolin, soapstone, asbestos, plumbago, and mica are found in this county, especially the latter, of which there is said to be a vast amount and of fine quality- — perfectly clear when split down to required thick- ness for merchantable use, 14 x 19 inches in size. Several valuable mica mines situated near Amelia Courthouse have been successfully worked, producing several hundred thousand pounds of fine sheet mica, besides several thousand tons of scrap and nearly an equal amount of felspar, so extensively used in the manufacture of china goods, glazing porcelain and common earthenware. There exist, in large amount, a combination of soapstone, asbestos, and mica, valuable for stove backs, hearths, etc. ; also an abundance of black mica, and in some sections beautiful amethyst of a pink and purple hue, some very deep in color. Outcroppings of granite, and fine indications of zinc are to be found, and valuable clays exist in large quan- tity. It is the opinion of a competent mining-engineer, who has visited this section, that if a thorough inspection was made of these various interests, and sufficient capital invested to properly develop them, they would prove of great value to the company working them and to the county as well. 75 Population of the county, census of 1900, is 9,037. Number of males twenty-one years and over is 2,009. Amelia Courthouse, the county seat, is situated near the center of the county, thirty-six miles from Richmond on the Southern railroad, and has a population of about 300, one newspaper, one public school, several churches, seven stores, and a steam flouring mill, Jetersville. another village on the Southern railway, forty-three miles from Richmond, has four stores and otber branches of business, and is a thriving place. These are the largest villages in the county. AMHERST COUNTY. Amherst county, a daughter of Albemarle, was made a separate county in 1761. James river skirts its whole southeast and southwest boundary for 50 miles, furnishing with Pedlar and Buffalo rivers, an extent of broad and fertile bottom lands, of which few counties in the State can boast. The altitude is 629 feet. The county has a length of twenty-two miles, and a mean width of nineteen, while its area is 4U4 square miles, and its popu- lation, by the census of 1900, 17.864, being a gain since the previous census of 313, of which the whites number 9,923, and the colored 7,628. The pro- portion of colored inhabitants has decreased considerably in the last few years, and the white farmers are depending largely more on their own labor. which is more reliable and efficient. The crops raised are principally tobacco, corn, and wheat; while the soil and climate are well adapted to oats and grass, but tobacco may be regarded as the principal money crop, and is of fine weight and texture, the farmers realizing at this time good prices, higher than of late years. The red lands along the valleys of the Blue Ridge and Tobacco Row moun- tains are very fine, easily cultivated and retentive of farm manures, pro- ducing finely clover, timothy, and orchard grass, following tobacco and wheat. While Amherst is among the leading apr'cultural counties in the State, it is rapidly advancing to the front as a fruit section, yielding that popular variety, the winesap, abundantly, and the celebrated Al- bemarle pippin succeeds admirably. The eastern slopes of the moun- tains are favorable to the culture of grapes, the vine flourishing and yielding kindly to proper culture. Timber is oak, hickory, pine, walnut, chestnut, and locust, principally, much of the best of it being converted profitably into lumber, for there are some good sawmills which are by no means idle, and transportation facilities by means of the Southern, the Chesapeake and Ohio, and the Norfolk and Western railroads are eisy and quick to Lynchbura", Richmond, Danville, Washington and convenient eastern and southern cities. Lynch- burg, one of the principal manufacturing cities in the State, presents a fine market right at the door, as the county and city are connected by a good free bridge over James river. The county contains immense and valuable outputs of minerals, such as magnetic and specular iron, well suited for the manufacture of steel by the Bessemer process. Brown hematite iron ores are also in great abundance and so situated as to be cheaply mined. These ores are found near by or in contact with limestone, and there are not a few of these iron mines now being profitably worked. Besides the minerals named, there are copper, which has been mined, slate, plumbago, pyrite, ochre, and steatite, found in the county. The Blue Ridge, on the northwest, protects the county from the cold northers, and guarantees for man and beast moderate winters, while the absence of severe heat in summer insures a pleasant average climate all the year round. 77 There is considerable grazing of cattle on the indigenous grass of the mountains by stockmen who buy elsewhere and bring them to this sec- tion, where they can be cheaply kept. This is quite a business in Am- herst. The manly sport of fox hunting is indulged in greatly to the delight of the young people of Amherst, and there are some as fine mounts as can be found, while game in many parts of the county, such as deer, bear, wild cats, squirrels, hares, wild turkeys, partridges and pheasants abound, Church and school privileges are not neglected. In fact, one of the finest equipped Female Seminaries in the South, known as Sweet Briar in- stitute, which has been building for three years, is located on a grand old estate two m*3es from .iSnihtist Courthouse and twelve from Lynchburg, on the Southern railroad. It is. the result of an endowment of $800,000 in money and land, and is to be opened in the fall of this year (1906) with brilliant prospects of success. Amherst, the county seat, is a pleasant little town on the Southern railway, fourteen miles from Lynchburg. It has two weekly newspapers, a bank, six stores, and some very desirable family residences. APPOMATTOX COUNTY. This historic county of Appomattox was formed, in 1845, from the neighboring counties of Buckingham, Campbell, Prince Edward, and Char- lotte. It is about 65 miles air line, 100 miles by rail, west from Richmond; 26 miles long and 18 miles wide, with an area of 342 square miles, and a population, by the last U. S. census, of 9,662. The county is well watered by the James river, forming its northwestern boundary, and its tributaries; by the Appomattox and its tributaries, and by some of the tributaries of Staunton river. Its average altitude is 825 feet. The surface of the county is generally rolling, and even hilly in many portions, though there is a large proportion of bottom land along the rivers and creeks, which water the county well, and furnish amph- water power that is utilized to a considerable extent by several good grist and saw mills, though there is much of the finest power unde veloped as yet. The soil is varied, consisting largely of a stiff red clay, easily improved, responding well to the use of fertilizers and prudent cultivation, similar in character to the famous red wheat lands of Albemarle, and producing that grain well, when properly treated. There is also much gray, light and friable slate soil, and the bottoms are rich and productive. Lands can be bought here now much more reasonably than in some other sec- tions of the State, where they are naturally no better or even as good. There are no large towns, eight-tenths of the population living in tha country, so that Appomattox is strictly an agricultural county. Gradually, ever since the war, the negroes, which were in hte proportion of about 7,000 colored to 5,000 white, in 1870, have drifted away, till in 1900 the census showed 3,931 negroes and 5,731 whites. Accompanying this exodus of the negro there has been a corresponding increase in the assessed value of property and the price of lands, and during the last five years, from 1900 to 1905, the assessed value of real estate and per- sonalty has increased $173,000. Land which sold in 1900 at $6.00 per acre is now held with offers at $12.00 refused. The Bank of Appomattox, at the county seat, which showed a deposit in 1901 of $16,800, reported August, 1905, $70,205. There is also a pros- perous bank at Pamplin. and a large new tobacco warehouse. Steady farm labor is badly needed, and trained white immigrants from agricultural sections abroad, both male and female, will find ready 79 employment among the land-owners in any section of the county. To- bacco is the principal crop, and grass and hay are very profitable. Oak, hickory, walnut, chestnut and maple timber is abundant and being profit- ably worked up. The educational and religious facilities are ample, being furnished by a number of good schools and prosperous churches. The principal towns are Pamplin and West Appomattox, each having a population of from 500 to 600. Pamplin is widely known on account of its manufacture of clay pipes, many styles of which are. made at the large factory here, said to be the largest clay pipe factory in the world, from which pipes are shipped by the car load all over the country. West Appomattox, the county seat, bordering on the Norfolk and West- ern railroad about twenty-five miles from Lynchburg and thirty-five from Farmville, is a prosperous new town, with line new courthouse, jail and offices, two live newspapers, bank, three good hotels, ten stores and hand- some residences. Three miles northeast is Old Appomattox Courthouse, known locally as "The Surrender Ground" where General R. E. Lee surrendered April 9, 1865, the depleted remnant of the Confederate Army to the overwhelming Federal forces under General Grant, thus making this one of the most famous spots in the country, ranking with Yorktown, where C'ornwallis surrendered to Washington, 19th October, 1781. The Federal aiithorities have added greatly to the attractiveness of the Surrender Ground, which embraces several hundred acnes, ,.by placing enduring metal tablets at various notable points, such as Lee's head- i]i alters, Grant's headquarters, the traditional apple tree, the place where the old McLean house, in which the surrender took place, stood, now a ruin as well as most of the houses in the old village. The Confederates havfi also placed on the arourds two handsome monu- ments, one by Virginians, the other by North Carolinians, and an ef- fort is being made to have Congress establish a National Park here, which ^ill perhaps ultimately be accomplished. AUGUSTA COUNTY. Augusta was formed from Orange in 1738. and ranks among the first of the counties in the great Shenandoah valley and of the State in im- portance and first in area. It is situated near the head of the Shenandoah valley in the northwestern part of the State, 120 miles northwest of Rich- mond, and is the largest county in the State, being thirty-five miles long and thirty miles wide, containing an area of 1,012 square miles. Average size farms, 175 acres. The aggregate value of its real estate exceeds any other county in the State. Altitude 1,380 feet at Staunton. The eastern and western sections of the county are uneven and moun- tainous, central portion undulating. The lands are varied in character, very fertile and productive; yielding large crops of corn, oats, wheat, rye and the grasses — natural and cultivated. This county ranks at the head of the list of counties of the State in the production of wheat, hay and oats, yielding over one-half million bushels of wheat, and 25,000 tons of hay. It is also noted for the number and superior quality of its flouring mills, one of which has a capacity of 500 barrels per day. Stock raising is also one of its most profitable and important industries, its mountain ranges affording excellent pasturage, and its abundant hay crop available for winter feed. Under such favorable conditions, this county has become noted for its fine horses, cattle, and sheep, and its abundance of dairy products. SI Water supply is from springs and wells of excellent qual.ty, also numer- ous mineral springs, noted for their valuable medicinal qualities, that at- tract a large number of visitors from this and other States. The chief water courses of the county are the North, South, and Middle rivers, which, uniting, form the Shenandoah river. These streams afford fine water power, upon which are located numerous flouring mills, saw mills and wood works. Timber abounds in large quantities, from which a fine revenue is de- rived. Principal varieties: Oak, hickory, walnut, ash, poplar, pine, chest- nut, locust, etc. Minerals are numerous, consisting of iron, manganese, coal, kaolin, slate, marble, and limestone, much of which has been de- veloped. The Crimora Manganese Mines Co. have sold over $1,000,000 of their output and are working to advantage. Some of the most noted natural curiosities of the State are to be found in this county, such as Weyers Cave of Fountains, the Cyclopean Towers or Natural Chimneys; and Elliott Knob of the North mountains, 4,437 feet high, ranks among the highest points in Virginia. Churches and schools are of unusual number and convenience. No section in the State is more highly favored in this respect. The population of the county, including Staunton, was, by the census of 1900, 39,785. Increase since census of 1890, 4,635. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 10,044. The county is well supplied with railroads, embracing the Chesapeake and Ohio, the Chesapeake and Western, the Norfolk and Western and the Baltimore and Ohio; the first two traversing the county from east to west, and the others from north to south, intersecting the Chesapeake and Ohio at Staunton, and at Basic City, twelve miles apart. The Valley pike, a well-kept macadam road between Staunton and Winchester, ninety miles, is equal to any road in Virginia. Staunton, the county seat, is the most important city of the Shenandoah Valley. (See Virginia cities.) Waynesboro, the largest town, is beautifully and eligibly situated on the south branch of the Shenandoah river, half mile from the junction of the Chesapeake and Ohio and Norfolk and Western railroads. It is an im- portant business center for one of the richest sections of the county, having an excellent bank, several prosperous manufactories, a large flouring mill and some of the largest stores in the county. It has large and pros- perous Presbyterian, Baptist and Methodist churches, and the best of schools, embracing the Fis^burne Military Academy, the Valley Female Seminary and a well-conducted graded public school. Basic City, a good new town of Augusta county half mile from Waynesboro, on the opposite side of the South Branch river, is the important junction of the Chesa- peake and Ohio and Norfolk and Western railroads, and has also a bank, several churches, a graded public school and several growing factories. There are also in the county several prosperous villages, such as Craigs- ville, on the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad, Fcrdvuck, the seat of tire large Portland Cement Works, Greenville, Middlebrook, Mt. Solon, Mt. Meridian, Mt. Sidney, Stuart's Draft, and others, interspersed among the rich and prosperous sections of the county. These towns are all well pro- vided with telephones, in fact no county in the State has a better telephone system, which reaches every village and farming community in the county. A company with $250,000 capital has been organized to build and operate an electric road to run from Staunton to Newport, eighteen miles, which will add greatly to the transportation facilities of the county. There is also a good macadam pike from Staunton to and beyond Newport, passing through a fine section of the county, which greatly enhances the value of farming lands along its route. 6 82 BATH COUNTY. This county, located on tile western border of the State, 120 miles north- west of Richmond, was organized in 1790 from parts of Augusta, Botetourt and Greenbrier counties. Eleven hours by Chesapeake and Ohio railroad from Cincinnati, six and one-half hours by rail from Washington, D. C, and Richmond, Virginia. Its mean altitude is 2,195 f?e . Its people are originally Scotch-Irish, having ccme from Pennsylvania to this section, beginning about 1740. Contains a population by census of 1900, of 5,595. Increase since census of 1890, 1 008. Males twenty- one years of age and over, 1,481. Area of county, 548 square miles. Portion of the county is mountainous balance rich, bottom lands, very fertile, though small in area. Well watered by its numerous springs, and Cow Pasture and Jackson rivers. The climate and scenery are unsurpassed. Reference to the Weather Bureau reports of the United States show this county to possess a very equable temperature of neither very great extremes of heat or cold, and ample rainfall, well distributed. In no part of the world, as shown by statistics, is there a more genfr^l state of good health, or a more long-lived vigorous people, and in no country in the temperate zone do the inhabitants, from choice, stay more in tl e open air and open their houses to the weather. This summary is strengthened by the fact that the large hotel at the Virginia Hot Springs in this county is kept open the year round as a health resort, and has a goodly number of guests the entire year. Bath county has long been famous for its numerous mineral springs, to some of which invalids have resorted since the beginning of the last century. The \\ arm Springs were known for their curative properties as early as 1750. The most widely known are the Warm Springs, the county, seat, the Hot Springs, five miles south of the Warm Springs, Healing Springs, eight miles south of Warm Springs, Bath Alum, five miles east of the Warm Springs, Milboro Springs, twelve miles east of the Warm Springs, and two miles distant from Milboro depot, Walla-watoola, one mile south of Milboro Springs, and Bolar Springs, seventeen miles north of Warm Springs. Great numbers of visitors resort to these springs in the sum- mer time and to the Virginia Hot Springs all the year round, bringing into the county and distributing much ready money for supplies. The Hot, Warm and Healing Springs are reached by the twenty-five mile branch road from Covington, on the main line of the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad, and they are constantly constructing buildings to meet the increased patronage of the place. Blowing Cave of this county is worthy of note as one of the great natural curiosities of the State. The industries of the county are mainly farming, grazing, tan bark and lumber business. Principal products are hay, corn, wheat, and oats. Fruit culture is also important and profitable in this county, embracing apples, peaches, pears, plums, cherries, grapes and berries, all of which produce fine crops and find a ready home market at good prices. Large apple and peach orchards abound, of increasing size and number. Grazing facilities are unexcelled. Most of the lands take naturally to grass; all you have to do in most sections to obtain a sod is to cut off the timber, let in the sunshine, and the grasses spring up without further attention, and in the woods there is a rich growth of wild grasses and other wild growth, on which cattle and sheep do well for six months in the year. When they come from the mountain ranges, as they are called, without any cost, other than the salting of them, they are fat and ready for the markets. S3 Under these favorable conditions tae raising of cattle, sheep and hogs is one of the principal industries of the county, and one of the most profitable. Washington, Richmond, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York, in a few hours' run, are excellent markets for the sale of stock. Timber is abundant, except on the main lir.e of the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad, where it has been culled out. There are large : and valuable bodies of pine, oak, poplar and hickory timber, and some walnut, locust and cherry: scarcely a section of the county, but has one or more steam sawmills in operation, and some equipped with planing machinery. For some years the shipping of tan bark has been an important industry, and the volume of business in that line is on the increase. A variety of minerals is to be found, such as iron, manganese, coal and marble; but iron is of most extent and interest, the others as yet unde- veloped. The development of the mineral interests of the county is destined to be an important factor in its growth and progress. Water power is excellent, affording many opportu ities for the estab- lishment of manufactories, etc. Streams are well stocked with trout and bass. The county has a special recommendation in that its public roads are good, well built and well kept. Railroad transportation is ample, consisting cf the main line of the Chesapeake and Ohio, which traverses the eastern part of the county, with branch lines extending into other portions. Telephone service is good; local lines cross the county in two directions, giving good service to most important places. These connect with lines into all adjoining counties. Southern Bell Telephone to Hot Springs gives all long distance connections. The free school system is kept to a high standard of excellence, and, in addition, there are good private boarding schools. The churches are Presbyterian, Episcopal, Methodist, Baptist, Dunkard and Catholic. These have houses of worship at convenient points through- out most of the county. Progress and general advancement of county most encouraging in every respect. Financial condition, splendid; water and health, excellent. Property, real and personal, is valued at what it would bring at a forced sale for cash, and the tax rate for all purposes, including state, county and district purposes of all kinds, averages about $1.00 on the one hundred dollars' worth of property. Warm Springs, the county seat, is located in the central part of the county. The courthouse, jail and county offices are here near by the fa- mous springs, constituting an attractive village, which is delightfully situated in the richest and most fertile part of the Warm Spri :gs valley. BEDFORD COUNTY. This county was formed in 1753 from Lunenburg, and lies at the east- ern base of the Blue Ridge mountains, in the southwest central part of the State, 100 miles southwest of Richmond. It is one of the largest counties of the State, being forty miles long and about thirty miles wide, contain- ing an area of 729 square miles. Its average altitude is 900 feet. Surface is broken, and, in western portion, mountainous, but very pro- ductive, and well watered by springs, brooks and creeks, with Otter river in center, and the James and Staunton rivers on northeast and south- west borders. Climate is mild and healthful, attracting large numbers of visitors from the south, who spend their summers at the various hotels and summer hoarding houses that are open each season for the accommodation of guests. 85 This is one of the richest, and most productive and thickly settled counties in the elames River valley, containing a population, census cf 1900, of 30,356. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 6,809. The soil is red clay and light grey, or slate, producing abundant crops of -wheat, corn, rye, oats and tobacco, average yield of "which is about fifteen bushels of wheat, twenty-five bushels of corn, twenty bushels rye, twenty-five bushels oats and 1,000 to 1,500 pounds tobacco per acre. The latter is probably the most profitable industry of the county. Fruit is also worthy of special mention, and this county may be very properly classed as one of the five fruit counties of the State, the moun- tainous portions of which are especially adapted to fruit of all kinds, and in this section blue grass is indigenous, affording most excellent grazing facilities. The dairy interest is also of consideraole importance and profit to this section. This county contains many diversified industries, notably, flouring and saw mills of large capacity. Churches and schools are numerous and con- venient. The railroads are the Chesapeake and Ohio, extending along the south branch of the James river, and the Norfolk and Western through its middle part, from east to west, furnishing transportation to the markets north and south. Minerals numerous, and of superior quality, such as iron, zinc, asbestos, kaolin, silver, barytes, mica, slate, lead, and limestone. Timber is extensive and valuable, embracing walnut, chestnut, hickory, pine, poplar, locust and oak. Game is abundant. Wild animals are bear, de;r, fox, otter, beaver, mink, weasel, raccoon, opossum and squirrel; wild fowls — turkey, gcose, duck, crane, snipe, woodcock, pheasant and partridge. The celebrated Peaks of Otter, noted for their sublime, picturesque scenery, are situated in this coimty, a few miles from Bedford City, the county seat. They have an altitude of 4,001 feet above sea level, and can be seen, under favorable conditions of atmosphere, from beyond Lynchburg, fifty-five miles distant. Bedford City, the county seat on the Norfolk and Western railroad, is located near the center of the county, and surrounded by a beautiful, picturesque section of country. It contains a number of tobacco fac- tories, several warehouses, woolen and spoke factories, flouring and planing mills and machine shops, besides numerous churches, news- papers, schools — public and private, including the Randolph-Macon Academy — banks, water works, and plar.t for electric lights. Population by census of 1900, 2,416. The past few years have been marked by the greatest industrial develop- ment and building activity in this town. A new bank has been established, new industries inaugurated, and more residences erected than during the entire preceding ten years. The postal receipts were the largest in the experience of the office. The banking business is reported the largest since the fictitious days of 1890. The Lynchburg Trust and Savings Bank has built one of the most attractive bank buildings in the State. The export tobacco business is assuming considerable proportions, and the receipts for the new tobacco year will, it is thought, be between 4,000,- 000 and 5,000,000 pounds. A very successful cigar factory has been added; an ice factory, a large carriage factory, stores and storage houses have been erected. But the new industry pregnant, perhaps, with largest possibilities, is the estab- lishment of the Frazer Paint Works. This is both elastic and water 86 proof, properties possessed by no other known pigment found in this county. The company developing it began with a cash capital of $60,000, but men of wealth are behind the enterprise). The asbestos mines south of Bedford City have been purchased by Penn- sylvania capitalists. Many new residences have been built, and there is not a vacant house m the town for rent. The price of real estate has advanced materially, especially in the business section. BLAND COUNTY. This county was formed in 1861 from Wythe, Giles, and Tazewell, and is located in southwestern part of the State, 195 miles southwest of Richmond. Population, census of 1900, 5,497. Increase since census of 1890, 368. Number males twenty-one years and over, 1,231. It contains an area of 352 square miles. Surface is broken and moutainous to a considerable extent. Portions of the latter are very valu- able for grazing purposes, and the valley lands are very rich. Soil black loam and reddish clay, very productive and well adapted to the usual farm products of this section, such as corn, rye, oats, wheat, buckwheat, potatoes and the grasses, especially blue grass, which is indig- enous to this section, and, in consequence, stock raising has become the most profitable industiy of the county, especially cattle and sheep, large numbers of which are of fine quality and are shipped annually to the markets, or sold to the dealers who come into the county to buy. This county is also well adapted to fruits of all kinds, that grow to great perfection. The timbers of this county are walnut, poplar, pine, oak, ash, hemlock, sugar tree, hickory and beach, and abound in large quantities of excep- tionally fine quality. This is destined zo be a valuable industry in the county when reached by railroads, which would also develop the valuable mineral deposits of this section, consisting of iron, coal, lead, zinc, copper, manganese, slate, kaolin, ochre, barytes, and slate. Coal is also found and mined. Mineral springs are numerous and of fine medicinal quality. Some have been improved and opened to summer visitors, notably Sharon Springs, which is a delightful resort 2,850 feet above sea level, with a climate un- excelled, dry and exhilarating, and an abundance of clear, pure water — limestone and freestone. No more healthful section of country is to be found, and it is an Eldorado for the sportsman, with its abundance of game and streams abounding with fish, embracing the noted mountain trout. The water courses of the county are Walker's and Wolf creeks and other smaller streams, which afford unlimited water power, and of a high order, as to fall and location for development. The nearest railroad station at present is Wytheville, twenty miles distant from the county seat on the Norfolk and Western railroad, but a new line of railroad is being built up Wolf creek, in the northern section of the county, which will develop many industries in that portion of the county and eventually be extended to em- brace a much larger portion of the county. Telephone service and mail facilities are good, with daily mail and phone service to all parts of the county. General conditions in this county are highly favorable, with a sober and industrious population. Schools and churches are numerous and convenient. Financial conditions are good, with a very flattering out- look for future progress and advancement. Seddon, the county seat, located near the center of the county, has a flour- ing mill, high school, newspaper, two churches, and a population, by census of 1900, of 249. It is centrally and conveniently located with good turnpike roads diverging north, south, east and west. 87 BOTETOURT COUNTY. Botetourt county, named in honor of Lord Botetourt. Governor of the Colony in 1768, was formed in 1770 from Augusta, extending at the time of formation to the Mississippi river. Its present limits are forty-four miles long and eighteen miles wide, situated between the Blue Ridge anu Alle ghany mountains in the western part of the State, 115 miles west of Richmond. Altitude 1,250 feet. It contains a population by census of 1900. of 17,161. Increase since census of 1890, 2.307. Number ci males twenty-one years and over, 4,010. Area, 548 square miles; surface rolling, partly mountainous; central portion a beautiful valley, very fertile; soil loam, with clay subsoil, well adapted to the production of grain, grasses, tobaco, fruits, etc., the moun- tain ranges affording excellent pasturage for horses, cattle and sheep, of which superior breeds are raised. The fine blue grass sod, to which the land runs naturally, renders dairying an important industry. Tobacco is also produced to some extent, and of superior quality, but fruit and vegetable culture, to which this county is especially adapted, is probably its most important and profitable industry, bringing to the county large revenues. It is a notable fact that Botetourt has more canneries than any other county in the State, numbering about 75, and even stands near the head of the list in the United States in that industry, tomatoes being the chief product. So great was the demand for cans here, that in 1903 the Virginia Can Company was organized at Buchanan — by Mr. O. C. Huffman, of Staunton, Virginia, its head ever since- — which succeeded from the out- set, making and selling 2,250,000 cans that year, the second year over 7,000.- 000, and in 1905 nearly 10,000,000 tin cans. This immense product of home enterprise goes in car-load lots to North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee, and other southern States, and to the far west. A well-equipped box-making plant, which furnishes cases in which much of the output is shipped, has been recently added to the establishment, and the orders for this year indicate a larger business than ever before. Peaches, corn, apples and berries are also large products of the Botetourt canneries, the total amount of canned goods reaching the e.iormous figure of 103,000 cases annually. Railroads, are the Chesapeake and Ohio, and Norfolk and We-tern, with their branches which extend through the length and breadth of the county, furnishing easy and ready access to all principal markets. Rivers are the James and its numerous tributaries, also C:w Pasture and Jackson rivers which afford superior water power. Manufactories are numerous, embracing stave mills, planing mills foun- dry and shops, iron furnaces, tanneries, woolen mills, large lime plants, ana flour and saw mills of large capacity. There are eight, saw mills in Botetourt, and large quantities of poplar, oak and chestnut lumber are sawed. Timbers are poplar, walnut, oak, ash, pine, hickory, maple and chestnut. Minerals are iron, coal, manganese, barytes and marble, the most ex- tensive and valuable of which is iron, which exists in immense quantities. Mineral waters are lithia, sulphur, ferro-magnesia and alum, at which springs pleasant summer resorts are established, attracting numerous visitors. Trucking is a growing and important industry, furnishing the marke's of Roanoke. Clifton. Covington, etc. The streams abound with fish of various kinds, such as bass, carp, mountain trout, suckers, pike, etc. Game found in the county are deer, fox, squirrel, hare, mink, beaver, otter, muskrat, weasel, wild cat, and opossum. ' ^Gy v ., :-•.., 89 Wild fowls are wild turkey, pheasant, patridge and woodcock, birds, hawks, owls, crows, robins, snipe, black bird, thrash, lark, wrenn and dove. Climate mild and temperate, np extremes of heat or cold. Health is good, and water abundant and pure — limestone and freestone. Churches and mail facilities first-class; churches in all portions of county, and daily mail to every postoffice. Educational advantages are of a hign order, embracing numerous free schools and several graded schools. Hollins Institute is a large female school of wide reputation. Telephone service excellent. Three lines through the county furnish local and long distance service to all sections. . Market advantages are very good, there being quick and easy access to all markets, north, east, south and west. The people are sober, industrious and progressive, and their financial con- dition highly favorable. Principal towns are Fincastle and Buchanan. Fincastle, the county seat, has a population of 652, daily mails, tele- graph and express communications, several churches and public schools, newspaper, bank, woolen mill, canning factory, foundry, planing mill, tannery, harness shops, machine shops, and spoke, stave -nd handle factory. Buchanan, on the James, and the section of which it is the business cen- ter, has shown marked progress during the past year. A most important event in the history of the town has been the completion of a water works system, by which an ample supply of pure mountain spring water is brought into the town, sufficient (besides meeting the needs of the town) to supply power to small industries. The establishment of an excellent high school, with an able corps of teachers, is also a recent event of importance, and the large increase in the business of the bank at this place may be taken as a fair index of the business conditions of the town and community. Population of Buchanan, census of 1900, is 716. It has a good newspaper. BRUNSWICK COUNTY. This county was formed in 1721 from Isle of Wight, and Surry counties, and is situated in southeast central part of State, bordering on ^orth Carolina, about seventy miles south of Richmond. In shape it is nearly square, containing an area of 529 square miles. Average size of farms, 165 acres; range of prices, $2 to $10 per acre. About thirty per cent, of total area is under cultivation, surface undu- lating, soil rich, sandy loam, easily worked, and very productive. Staple crops are wheat, corn, cotton, tobacco and peanuts, most profitable of which are cotton and tobacco, ranking third of the counties of the State in the production of cotton, producing annually about 3,000 bales, and of tobacco, over one-half million pounds of superior quality, principally for export. Vegetables, fruits and melons grow to great perfection and in abundance. Dairy interests and stock raising are also importa: t industries. Tim- bers, are poplar, oak, pine, hickory, birch, maple, gum, etc., and are abun- dant, giving employment to numerous sawmills, and offering inducements for other industries in that line. Rivers are the Nottoway, Meherrin, and their tributaries. The Atlantic and Danville railroad gives communication with Norfolk and Danville. Population, census of 1900, 18,217; increase since census of 1890, 972. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 4,010. 00 Climate is mild and healthful, water excellent and abundant. Forty churches of different denominations in all sections of the county. Schools are numerous, and in prosperous condition. Mail facilities, convenient and extensive, meeting the necessity of every section. Wild animals are deer, beaver, otter, fox, raccoon, opossum, mink, muskrat, squirrel and hare. Wild fowls are turkeys, pheasants, ducks, artridg-e and woodcock. County seat, Lawrenceville, on Atlantic and Danville railroad, contains railroad shops, bank, college, public school, several churches, and a news- paper, The Gazette, Weekly. Population, census of 1900, 760. Increase since census of 1890, 455. The lands in this county are cheaper than in most sections of the S'.ate of equal fertility and accessibility, and so fir. no minerals have been dis- covered. BUCHANAN COUNTY. This county formed in 1858 from Russell and Tazewell, and named in honor of President Buchanan, is located in Southwest Virginia, and is ont, of the extreme border counties of the State, 250 miles southwest of Rich- mond. Area 492 square miles, 639,262 acres. Average size farms, 23& acres. Lands are low, but have a speculative interest on account of im- mense mineral deposits. Surface is rugged and mountainous. Comparatively little of the land is under cultivation, balance in timber. Soil is of a sandy nature, and fertile. Farm products are corn, wheat, rye, oats, millet, tobacco, potatoes^ buckwheat, hay and sorghum. Wheat is well adapted to this section, and is receiving special attention. Stock raising and dairying are also sources of some revenue. Fruits of all kinds, especially grapes, do well, but are- only grown sufficiently for home consumption. The great importance attached to this county is its vast wealth of iron,, coal and timber, which is attracting capital, and a large influx of popula- tion. Bituminous coal of fine quality, and large quantity is found in veins from five to eleven feet in thickness.. Timber of the usual kinds — but the most valuable of which is oak, poplar, ash and WRlnut — abounds in large area, and superior quality to any county in the State, perhaps the getting out and rafting of which to Cincinnati and ether points by the Big Sandy river, a branch of the Ohio, and its manufacture in the comity by a number of extensive plants, afford employment to the largest number of people, and is a source of greatest revenue to the county and its inhabitants. Reference to the various lumber plants operating in this county will con- vey an idea of the extent of this valuable industry. The Yellow Poplar Lumber Company, of Grundy, has a tramroad ex- tending twenty-five miles up Slate creek, and with two locomotives bring out daily one hundred logs, which average forty-five cubic feet to the log. North of Grundy, on Knox creek, W. M. Ritter Lumber Com- pany have two large band mills in operation, which cut from 50,000 to 80,000 feet per day. They also have a tramroad with steel rail from O'Keefe. West Virginia, on Tug river, extending up Knox creek, upon which they operate six mountain locomotives. South of Grundy, T. Fu- gate & Company, Shaffner Brothers, and Pitzer and Lindsey do a very large lumber business; also Vensant, Kitchen and Company, on Dismal creek, besides numerous smaller mills. Rivers are Louisa, Russell and New Garden, forks of Big Sandy river, Large quantities of timber are rafted on Louisa river to Citlettsburg, 91 Kentucky, Cincinnati, Ohio, and other points, and these streams also afford excellent water power, if utilized. Nearest railroad is the Clinch Valley branch of the Norfolk and Western railroad in Tazewell county, near the border. Mineral waters are found to some extent, the most important of which are the Healing Springs. Educational advantages consist of the usual county ire^ schools As to churches, mail facilities, financial condition, progress, and general advancement, the conditions of this county are fairly favorable, and rapidly improving. The climate, owing to elevation, is moist and cool. The weather sta- tion at Freeling (near by) reports the average temperature 52.4 degrees; rainfall 60.1. Total population of the county, census of 1900, is 9,692. Increase since census of 1890 is 3,825. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 1,958. Grundy, the county seat, situated near center of the county, has a popu- lation of 200. several churches, mills and factories, public school, a news- paper, etc. Its nearest railroad station is Richlands, on Clinch Valley railroad, distant about twenty-five miles. BUCKINGHAM COUNTY. Buckingham county is located in the central part of the State, on south side of James river, about half way between Richmond and Lynchburg, and distant from each about fifty miles. It is thirty-five miles long and twenty-four miles wide, altitude 550 feet. It was originally a portion of Albemarle county, from which it was detached and formed into a county in the year 1761, containing an area of 552 square miles. Surface is generally level, with large quantity of bottom land on the rivers, but rolling and hilly in some parts. Soil is a gray and black loam, with red clay subsoil, which produces abundantly when brought to a high state of cultivation. There is a strip of black land from four to six miles wide extending across the western portion of the county, which, under the old regime before the war, was in a high state of improvement and was considered the garden spot of Buck- ingham. Farm products are tobacco, corn, wheat, oats, hay, rye, buckwheat, etc. Tobacco is the staple crop of the county, producing about five million pounds annually. This tobacco is a dark shipping variety and is in good demand for English, Austrian and Italian markets. In some sections an acre of tobacco will bring to the planter $100, and the average may bs placed at from $40 to $60 per acre. Wheat in the clay lands produces abundantly, yielding as much as thirtv bushels to the acre, the average yield being from ten to fifteen bushels per acre. Corn, oats and hay also do well under careful and systematic cultivation. Fruits and vegetables, such as apples, peaches, pears, plums, grapes, strawberries, melons, potatoes, garden vegetables, etc., are in abundance. Stock and grazing facilities are fairly good, small cattle and sheep do well. Timber lands embrace a large area of the usual varieties, such as oak, poplar, walnut, pine, hickory, chestnut, maple, etc., much of which is sawed and marketed, and large quantities converted into hoops, staves, shingles, and railroad ties. 92 This county is rich in minerals — copper, iron, gold, silver, slate, barytes, mica, limestone, soapstone and asbestos. Her minerals are practically undeveloped, and untold wealth locked up in her borders is waiting for capital to liberate and utilize them for the benefit of mankind. There are three distinct gold-bearing veins two to fifteen feet wide, which extend across the county in a northeast direction. Before the war, these were worked extensively in a good many places, but owing to the crude methods of reducing ore and the process of removing the sulphur they were aban- doned. Three companies have now acquired locations on these veins, and are making investigations, preparatory to work, which promise better re- sults than ever before. A vein one-fourth to one-half mile wide of the finest roofing slate in the world crosses the county, and is worked extensively rear Arvonia, in the northern part of the county. Four companies with a capitalization of four hundred thousand dollars produce large quantities of slate, for which they find ready market. The Buckingham slate retains its color and hardness to an unusual degree, and has a national reputation. Water courses are James, Slate and Willis rivers, and numerous smaller streams, which afford splendid water power for all kinds of manufactories, especially the James, in its long sweep of fifty miles around the county. Manufactories are slate and timber factories, and tobacco industries, flour- ing mills, sawmills, bark mills and sumac. Mineral waters are sulphur, chalybeate, lithia and alum. Railroad transportation consists of a branch of the Chesapeake and Ohio extending twenty-one miles through center of county, and the main line of the Chesapeake and Ohio, keeping close to the north side of the James river, for fifty miles. Telephone service very good in northern part of county. Market advantages are Lynchburg and Richmond, with Farmville as the nearest local market. Educational advantages are public schools and graded school at Big Is- land; churches and postoffices, numerous and convenient. Financial con- dition excellent; water pure, sweet, and plentiful, and health un- surpassed. Nature has done much for Buckingham in all that tends to make a people prosperous and happy, and she now offers to home seekers many inducements, such as cheap lands, a favorable climate, genial and mild, a remunerative soil, good markets for the products of their labor, and many others that might be mentioned ; but the most convincing proof of this assertion is to visit the county and see the farmers who have con- verted the old fields into good farms, which evidence: their thrift and prosperity in the past few years. There is plenty of room here for the home seeker, and a welcome awaits him from her hospitable citizens. Population of the county, census of 1900, 15,266. Increase since census of 1890, 883. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 3,326. Buckingham Courthouse (Maysville), the county seat, is a thriving village of 300 inhabitants, situated near the center of the county, and reached by a branch of the Chesapeake and Ohio at New Canton. Arvonia is a growing town, owing to the slate mines at that place employing a large number of men, and a rapidly increasing output in that business. It contains a large graded school, several good churches, numer- ous residences, and others being erected. 9 a CAMPBELL COUNTY. This county, formed in 1781 from Bedford, and named for General Wil- liam Campbell, a famous Revolutionary officer, is situated in the south central part of the State, five hours ride from Washington, six from Balti- more, and ten from New York, 145 miles by rail southwest from Richmond. It is nearly a square, twenty-five miles each way, and conta.ns 551 square miles, seventy-five per cent, of which is cultivated. Price of lands, location, and facilities of transportation considered, few sections of the State otter better inducements to home seekers. The surface is rolling and hilly; the soil, red clay in northern part, sandy in southern, and very fertile. Farm products are corn, Avheat, oats, rye and tobacco; the improved lands producing from 15 to 30 bushels of wheat, and from fifty to seventy- five bushels of corn, per acre; and the annual production of tobacco being from four to five million pounds, and of excellent quality. The grasses, sucli as, red clover, orchard and timothy, grow well, and, with proper attention and management, produce abundant crops. This county is especially adapt- ed to fruit of the various kinds; such as apples, peaches, pears, plums, cherries, melons, grapes, berries, etc.; and is especially noted for the flavor, size and quality of its peaches. Vegetables and dairy products are considerable sources of revenue. Stock raising is profitably en- gaged in, but not to the extent that the favorable conditions would justify. The climate and soil are especially Avell adapted to the raising of sheep. Transportation facilities are unsurpassed: one trunk line — the Southern railway — extending north and south; two trunk lines — the Norfolk and Western, and the Chesapeake and Ohio — extending east and west; and the third, the Lynchburg and Durham, south. The Southern and the Lynch- burg and Durham traverse the county its full length from nortn to south; and all its lines of railway have connection at Lynchburg, on the northern border, and combine to give the county superior market facilities in every direction. Lynchburg also affords an extensive and lucrative market for all farm products. Iron ore, manganese, and barytes, are the most important and valuable minerals; the last two being developed and worked to some extent. Iron. lithia and alum springs abound; the most important being the Bedford Alum, in this county near the Bedford county line, which is a place of considerable resort. Timbers are pine, oak, poplar, walnut, hickory, locust, gum, ash, and cedar; of which pine and oak are the most abundant and valuable. The James and the Staunton rivers, on the north and the south respec- tively, with their interior tributary streams, Otter, and Big and Little Fall- ing rivers, furnish abundant drainage and water supply; indeed no county in the State has a greater abundance of springs, branches, creeks, etc. Water power is abundant, and a large proportion of it is still unde- veloped. Manufactories are a foundry, planing mill, tobacco-box fac- tory, woolen mill, bark and sumac mills, and numerous grain mills and sawmills; but these are very insignificant in comparison with the coun- ty's splendid manufacturing advantages and possibilities, of water power, raw material, and transportation facilities to bring the cotton from the south, and coal and other ores from the southwest, with an extensive outlet by rail to the markets in all directions. The climate is temperate, salubrious and healthful, and the water excel- lent and abundant. Churches, public schools, telephone service, and mail facilities are ample and convenient. Population, independent of the city of Lynchburg, census of 1900. 23.- 256. Increase since census of 1890, 1,878. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 4,988. 1)5 Rustburg, the county seat, is situated near the center of the county, on the Lynchburg and Durham division of the Norfolk nnd Western rail- road. It has graded streets, two public schools, three churches, one fra- ternal order, and a population of about 250. Value cf real estate, $1,947 663; personalty, $1,417,790. CAROLINE COUNTY. This county, located in the northeastern part of the State, eighteen miles north of Richmond, was formed in 1727 from King and Queen, Essex, and King William. It is about twenty-eight miles long and twenty milea wide, and contains an area of 562 square miles. There is a large amount of bottom lands on the numerous rivers and creeks which is very productive. The proportion of land under cultivation is about fifty per cent. The surface is rolling, the soil light, easily culti- vated, and readily improved. Farm products are corn, wheat, oats, rye, potatoes, hay and tobacco; field peas, also, are produced in great abundance, both as a fertilizer and as a forage crop. Much the most profitable industry of the county, however, is tobacco raising; the annual production of which is about cne million pounds; bringing, as estimated for last year, largely over a quarter of a million dollars. The growing of fine manufacturing tobacco is a speoaltv, and in this respect it is not surpassed by any other county in the State. Other products are vegetables, butter, fruits and dairying; all of which are produced in abundance; and, with the advantage ri ccnv n'ent °nrl y the largely increased population as shown below. Population, census of 1900, 30,062. Increase since census of 1890, 8,056. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 7,665. Richmond, the county seat, and capital of the State, is situated on the border of the county, on the north bank of James river, at the head of tidewater. It is a most attractive city, having extensive commerce, trade and manufactories, and is the chief market of the State. A full descrip- tion of the city will appear in a separate sketch, under the head of cities. Barton Heights, now a part of Richmond, is a growing and attractive ^>iace. Population 763. HENRY COUNTY. This county was formed in 1777 from Pitttsylvania, and named in honor of Patrick Henry. It is situated on the southern border of the State, 180 miles southwest from Richmond. It is nearly a square of eighteen miles, and contains 425 square miles. Average price of improved lands, $10 per acre. Averaged assessed value $5.25 per acre. Surface is undulating, and in parts, hilly and moun- tainous. One-third of the land is in cultivation. Soil, a red clay, and fertile, producing a good crop of corn, oats, rye, wheat and tobacco.' The last is the staple crop, over 3,000,000 pounds of the finest bright quality being raised annually. The numerous curing tobacco barns scattered over sections of tiie county give the appearance there of a continuous country village. The varieties of tobacco grown in Henry are noted for their superior quality; and quality considered, this is one of the finest tobacco counties in America. The soil is well adapted to the production of sweet potatoes, which yield largely under good cultivation. Grass does well in this soil, and numbers of horses, cattle and sheep of fine breeds are grown. One individual crop of hay last year was valued at $30,000. Fruits of the usual kinds do well, especially apples, peaches and grapes; also nectarines, apricots and figs, have been grown. Dairy and garden pro- ducts are varied and valuable. The county is traversed from north to south and from east to west by its lines of ralway, the Danville and Western and the Norfolk and Western, which furnish ready means of communication to the markets, giving im- petus to its agriculture and trade. Limestone, mica, asbestos, granite, soapstone, and allanite, are found in paying quantities, and the iron ore is inexhaustible. There are also chaly- beate and alum waters; but undeveloped. _ This county compares favorably with other sections of the State in its timber supply; the most numerous and valuable species being pine, oak, poplar and hickory. Smith and Mayo rivers, with their numerous branches, afford an ample water supply, and good water power. Numerous flour mills and sawmills, and an agricultural implement factory, and leather factory, are located on these waters. There are also a number of tobacco factories in different portions of the county, that are doing a large and successful business. The climate is salubrious, with comparatively mild winters and pleas- ant summers; health good, with no section of the State freer from malaria; water, excellent, with perennial streams of fine freestone water in all parts of the county; churches and schools numerous and convenient- 144 Population, census of 1900, 19,265. Increase since een-us of 1890, 1,057. Number males twenty-one years and over, 4,020. Martinsville, the county seat, located on the Danville and Western rail- road, at its intersection with the Winston- Salem division of the Norfolk and Western railroad, is an enterprising business town of 2,384 in- habitants, census of 1900. Its growth has been phenomenal since the completion of its several lines of railway. It has water works, electric plant, paved streets, iron foundries, machine shops, saw, corn and wheat mills, numerous churches, schools and fraternal orders, newspapers, two banks, one a national, and a large number of successful business houses of all kinds. But Martinsville's most impcr.ant e t rpiis^, however, i , manu- facturing tobacco and handling the leaf; indeed, it may be termed strictly a tobacco town, with its eighteen tobacco factories, employing over two thousand hands and manufacturing eight million pounds annually; and its two large warehouses for the sale of leaf tobacco, at which six million pounds were sold last year. Its volume of business is indicated by the fact that the internal revenue tax on plug tobacco was much greater at this place last year, than at any other place in the State, amounting here to $500,000. Situated in the heart of the county, and surrounded by a rich tobacco section, its possesses all the elements essential to prosperity and growth in this line. BidgeAvay, situated on the Norfolk and Western railroad south of Mar- tinsville, is a village of some importance, and has a population, census of 1900, of 332. Bassett is also a thriving place of 200 population, located on the Norfolk and Western railroad, eight miles west of Martinsville. It has a large furniture factory and a stove factory, employing seventy-five hands, and several large stores. This county is showing considerable progress, and with its rich lands, suited to all species of agriculture, from planting to stock raising, and with its favorable climate and location, it is destined to still greater growth, which Avill be largely accentuated by the building of the Mount Rogers and Eastern railroad now in contemplation. HIGHLAND COUNTY. Highland county, formed in 1847 from Bath and Pendleton counties, is northwest from Richmond about 150 miles. It is nearly a square of about twenty miles each way, and contains 407 square miles. The surface is mountainous with very fertile valleys be- tween, the best of which will bring $100.00 per acre, and in some instances more. The mountains furnish fine range for young stock and sheep, upon which they grow and thrive well. About one-fourth of the land is in cultivation. The soil is mainly limestone. Farm products are wheat, corn, oats, rye, buckwheat, butter, honey, cheese, dried fruits, and maple sugar, leading the State in the last product, and fourth in buckwheat. The western portion of the county produces abundant portions of grass and hay wherever cleared ; blue grass not in- ferior to that of the best lands of Kentucky, being indigenous to this soil. The grazing quality of the land can hardly be surpassed in the State: some of the best cattle marketed east and north are fattened in this county and taken right off the grass, no corn feeding needed, and Hrge numbers are sold each year, some for the export trade. It is also splendidly adapted to sheep, large numbers of which are grown. Apples, pears, peaches and all fruits suited to this latitude, can, with proper care and attention, be grown in this county. Agriculture, combined with stock growing and grazing are the most profitable industries. 145 There is no railroad in the county, though one or more are now in pro- cess of location. The nearest railroad station is Barton, on the west side of the Alleghany mountains, fifteen miles. A branch of the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad from Ronceverte to Elkins, West Virginia, passes near the western border of Highland, and is of inestimable value to the transporta- tion facilities of the people, both freight and passenger. Transportation is confined mainly to wagoning on the Staunton and Parkersburg turnpike eastward to Staunton, and from southern part of the county to the Hot Springs and Millboro. Iron, coal and marble are known to exist in abundance in the county; and probably other valuable minerals will be found when access to market will justify more extended explorations. Another of the splendid natural resources of the county awaiting conven- ient transportation facilities is the timber, large quantities of the most valuable of which are to be found; such as walnut, cherry, oak, poplar, lynn and other species. The numerous streams forming the head waters of the Potomac and the James rivers have their source in this elevated watershed of the two rivers, and furnish an abundant water supply, and excellent water power, besides abounding in fish of the choicest fresh water varieties. Manufactories consist of two sash and door factories, which also dress large quantities of lumber for building and other purposes; several fine flouring mills, equipped with modern machinery; and a large number of sawmills. A fine mineral spring, which is gaining prominence on account of its curative properties and pleasant bathing, is situated in the southern part of the county. The climate is healthful and invigorating; delightful in summer, moderate in winter for the altitude, and free from destructive wind storms. Water in the greater part of the county is exceptionally fine. It is well supplied with churches and schools — an academy at McDowell, and graded schools at Monterey and Doe Hill. Nearly all the principal neighborhoods of the county have telephone communication with the outside world, and most of the postoffices have daily mail. Progress is being made along all lines, especially in agriculture, horticulture, and stock raising; and farmers are supplying themselves liberally with improved machinery for agricultural purposes. This county is gradually coming to the front. A great deal of residential and other building is steadily going on. The people are genial and hospitable, and there is no place where a living can be more easily made, and where the people enjoy more the comforts of life. Population of county, census of 1900, 5,647. Increase since census of 1890, 295. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 1,335. Monterey, the county seat, is located in the central portion of the county, forty-six miles from Staunton on the Staunton and Parkersburg turnpike. It is a very pretty, busy little town of 246 inhabitants, and each year new buildings are being erected. During the past year two steam factories were built for the manufacture of lumber for building purposes — sash. doors, etc — and it contains, besides two wagon factories, a furniture fac- tory, newspaper, and several public schools and fraternal orders. McDowell, nine miles southeast of Monterey, is a flourishing village of 136 inhabitants, and shows considerable improvement in the last few years'. New Hampden is another village, nine miles from the courthouse, in Crabbottom, a famous blue-grass valley; and Doe Hill another, in the northern part of the county. 10 m 0) Ph >4< O o O Ed M it! P3 fl H au K ■<) k* as W fin SijSSii'tsSfe. 147 ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY. This county was one of the original shires into which Virginia was divid- ed in 1634. It is situated on the south side of the lower James river, 98 miles southeast of Richmond but only 50 miles air line; and extends from the James river, its northern boundary, to within eight miles of the North Carolina line. It is thirty-five miles long, with a mean width of about ten miles, and contains an area of 352 square miles. The surface is generally level, the soil from gray medium to light sandy loam, easily tilled and productive. Farm products are corn, oats, peanuts, and potatoes. All the large and small fruits, melons and vegetables, find here a soil and climate admirably adapted to their growth and perfection. Large quantities of these are ship- ped from this county to the northern cities. Poultry succeeds well, embracing everything from the turkey to the guinea fowl; and game is abundant; the streams furnishing geese, ducks, swans, and other water-fowls; the swamps, sora, woodcock and snipe. The fish and oyster industry is large and valuable; large quantities of fish are taken in the spring and shipped to northern markets. Trucking is exten- sively engaged in, especially in the eastern portion of the county. This industry, its fisheries and its peanut crop, constitute the most important productions of the county. Of stock raised, hogs are the most important, of which it produces a considerable number. The Smithfield hams have a world-wide reputation. Market advantages are exceptionally good, both by water and by rail. Water transportation is furnished by the Old Dominion Steamship Com- pany, and by sailing vessels that ply in the numerous inland streams, al- most to their very source. Railroads are the Norfolk and Western, the Sea- board Air Line, and the Atlantic Coast Line, which traverse almost all sections. These roads, together with the navigable waters, place all parts of the county within easy and quick communication with the markets of the whole country. This county has valua jle and extensive deposits of marl, which is used widely, particularly for peanut culture and for clover. The timber supply is very good, consisting of the usual varieties. Con- siderable quantities of pine, cypress, juniper, gum, etc., are sold in the Norfolk and Portsmouth markets. Ample drainage and water supply is afforded by the James river on the northeast border, the Blackwater on the southern, and their numerous tributaries flowing from the center; these afford a sufficiency of water power in every neighborhood for saw and grist mills. The climate is mild, salubrious and not subject to rapid variations of temperature; health as good as any portion of tidewater ; water abundant, from never-failing springs of freestone, fresh and pure. The county is well supplied with churches of the various denominations. One of the most interesting relics of the past, especially to the antiquarian, is St. Luke's church, which stands in the forest five miles from Smith- field. Built by European hands in 1632, it is perhaps the oldest church in Virginia, and said to be the oldest in America. Educational advan- tages are very favorable, consisting of two academies of high grade, and a good system of public schools. Telephone service is excellent; every village connecting, and many private telephones. Mail facilities are all that could be desired, and the financial condition is good. In progress and general advancement there has been marked improvement in this county within the last decade. Population, census of 1900, 13,102. Increase since census of 1890, 1,789. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 3.200. Isle of Wight, the county seat, is an inland country village of about fifty inhabitants, located near the center of the county, about eight miles 148 from Windsor and seven from Smithfield; its nearest markets, Suffolk and Norfolk. Windsor station is also a town of some importance on the Norfolk and Western railroad. Smithfield is, however, the largest town and shipping point in the county. It is situated at the confluence of Cypress and Pagan creeks, four miles- from James river, with navigable water to the town. It was an im- portant trading post long before it was incorporated in 1752. It has a population, census of 1900, of 1,225; an increase of 334 since census of 1890; while, at present, it would number about 1,800. It has two banks, fifty- stores, factories, churches, schools, and all the industries that accompany a busy town. Smithfield is known first of all for its celebrated hams, which have been on the market ov jr a hundred years ; and now, each year, there are packed and shipped from here about ninety thousand of the finest hams that are known to the world, some of which are shipped to Europe. However, the main enterprise of the town is the peanut business, employing large num- bers of hands at its factories, that are said to be the largest in the State. and probably in the world. There are, on an average, at least eighteen hundred bags of factory hand-picked and cleaned peanuts shipped from here daily, the business having increased so much in the past few years, that for five years there have been two daily steamers required to transport them from this place. Besides steamers, many sailing vessels are employed in the trade of this place, which embraces the shipment of a large amount of lumber, potatoes, fruit, eggs, flour, oysters, and fish; also a large trade in cattle, sheep, farm products, truck, etc. During the past few years there were several new business houses erected and at least fifty new residences, many of which are very handsome and costly; an ice plant, water works, and a large and well-equipped gas plant. JAMES CITY COUNTY. This county was one of the original shires into which Virginia was di- vided in 1634; and here, at Jamestown, 1607, was the first settlement by the English in this country. The principal portion of the county lies along the north side of the lower James river; one portion extending across the peninsula to the York river on the northwest. It is distant from Richmond forty-five miles, and contains an area of 160 square miles. The surface is generally level, with comparatively a small per cent, in cultivation; soil, silicious with a mixture of clay, and naturally fertile. Farm products are wheat, corn, oats, peanuts and potatoes. Grass suc- ceeds fairly well, especially clover. All the fruits common to this latitude are successfully cultivated; also melons, truck, etc. Trucking is exten- sively carried on, and is one of the profitable industries of the county Game is abundant in field, forest and stream, and the sportsman could not find a more inviting country. Those of the rural population not engaged in the cultivation of the soil, are employed in oystering and fishing; and these latter may be considered the most profitable industries of the county. Fish of all the valuable species are very abundant in all the waters ; and from York river, oysters of fine size and quality are obtained. These industries give employment to a laige number of men, and afford desirable articles of food for the inhabitants. In stock, sheep do very well. Market advantages, by rail or water, are ample and convenient. Trans- portation facilities are very convenient to every section; with steam and sail vessels on the James and York rivers on either side, and the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad passing through the center from east to west. 149 Marl is found of good quality, and in large quantity, also fine brick and other clays. The timber of the county has been exhausted to a considerable extent; yet there still remains some valuable pine and a fair supply of hardwoods, such as oak, hickory and maple. Sawmills and grist mills, in sufficient numbers to meet the demands, are distributed over the county. The climate is equable, the temperature being so equalized by surrounding large bodies of water that the extremes in summer and winter are avoided. Health is unsurpassed; and water supplied from artesian and ordinary wells is very good. Churches are numerous, representing the different Protestant denominations. Public schools are reasonably convenient to all parts of the county. Telephone service is ample, both local and long distance, and mail facilities are good. Progress and advancement has been general and rapid. The financial condition is excellent. Population, including city of Williamsburg, census of 1900, 5,732. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 1,517. Williamsburg, the county seat, is located on the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad, in the southern portion of the county, about midway between the •York and the James rivers; and is the oldest incorporated city in the State, having been settled in 1632. In 1698 the seat of government was moved from Jamestown to Williamsburg, and it continued the capital until 1779, when it was removed to Richmond. Williamsburg was once the center of the wealth, fashion and learning of the Old Dominion; the influence of which has left its impress, not only upon the inhabitants of the city and surrounding country, but upon the State at large, in the men of State and National reputation that have gone out from its ancient seat of learning. William and Mary College, which is located here, and is the oldest collegiate institute in the United States — with the exception of Harvard College — was founded in 1693, and dates from the time of England's sovereigns, William and Mary, who contributed to its endowment, and for whom it was named. This institu- tion has been three times destroyed by fire; the last time by the Federal soldiers during the late war; but it was rebuilt by private subscription, and is still doing a noble work. The Eastern Lunatic Asylum, founded in 1773, is also located here. It is a State institution containing a large number of patients and now in full tide of activity. There are numerous churches, the most noted of which is Bruton Parish church, which con- tains the fount from which Pocahontas was baptized; also several fraternal orders; a prosperous high school, and several public and private schools. Under the head of "Cities" will be found a more detailed account of this his- toric place. Other towns of the county are Toano and Green Spring. At the former, a large flouring mill and a sawmill have been erected, and trucking is extensively carried on in the vicinity. At Green Spring, a large lumber plant is in operation, turning out daily many thousand feet of fine lumber, be- sides a great deal of the finished product. In this county are some noted points and relics of antiquity. Of the former, nothing possesses more interest than Jamestown, which was settled, May 13, 1607, by Captain John Smith and his companions. Of this deeply interesting spot, little had remained but a churchyard and the ruins of an old church till the present year, when in preparation for the Jamestown tricentennial a handsome new church and hotel have been built. Another curious relic of the past is the old stone house, on Ware creek, a tributary of the York, which is supposed to have been built by Captain John Smith. This county was the scene of two battles fought during the Revolution; the first June 25, 1781, at Spencer's Ordinary; the other near Green Spring, once the elegant home of Sir William Berkeley. It also felt the shock of battle at Fort Magruder during the late war, May 4 and 5, 1862. 150 iMNG AND QUEEN COUNTY. King and Queer, county was formed in 1691 from New Kent, during the reign of William and Mary, on account of «hich it takes its name. This is an eastern county, thirty miles northeast from Richmond; it lies be- tween the Mattapony and Piankatank rivers, and is about sixty miles long by ten miles wide; area 336 square miles. Surface along the river is level; the back county undulating and some- times hilly; about thirty per cent, in cultivation; soil, gray and chocolate loam, and variable in Quality and productiveness. Some lands are heavy and stiff; others light. The river lands, which constitute a large part of the area, are very productive; and the extensive beds of marl found here furnish ready and permanent means of improvement. Farm products are corn, wheat, oats, rye and hay. Some of the light lands produce profitable crops of peas, which are also used as a fallow crop. f 6ome good tobacco is raised in the upper portion of the county, and its cultivation is gradually extending. Many of the farmers grow good crops of clover, timothy, and orchard grass hay; and stock for domestic use is raised. Sheep husbandry is especially profitable. Frjiis and veseta les are in great variety and abundance. The adaptability of the soil and con- venient water transportation are rapidly developing fruit culture and trucks for markets, especially Irish and sweet potatoes, to which the lands seem specially adapted. These may very profitably be classed as among the most profitable industries of the county. Fish also, principally shad and herring, constitute a large item in the production and exports of the county, and in the lower parts of the county, on York river, large quantities of the best of oysters are caught, and the business is so profitable as often to engage the attention of the people of that section to the neglect of their agricultural interests. There is only one railroad in the county, namely, the Southern to West Point; but this necessity is supplied by convenient and economical water transportation on its two rivers, the Mattapony and Piankatank, which also afford ample drainage and water supply. Timber is abundant, and consists of the usual varieties, such as pine, oak, hickory, walnut, beach, ash, poplar, etc. There is considerable trade in lumber, also in cord wood and railroad ties. Quite a lucrative busi- ness is carried on in sumac leaves, which find a ready market at good prices. The county is amply supplied with grain mills for all domestic pur- poses. Climate is mild, enablirg the farmer to engage in out-door work the year round; health good, with no disease peculiar to this locality except oc- casional chills and fevers. The county is well supplied with public schools and numerous churches of the different denominations. Population, census of 1900, 9,265. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 1,924. King and Queen, the county seat, is located in the southern part of the county, near the Mattapony river. It is a small country village of about fifty inhabitants, and has a mill, church, and several machine shops. Its nearest market is Richmond. There is much to recommend this county to the home seeker. Society is good; the people are educated, refined and religious; and there are few sections in which the people live more easily and enjoy a higher standard of comfort, than here in the tidewater section of Virginia. The forests furnish game, the rivers the finest of fish, and the land nearly everything else necessary for comfortable subsistence. In addition to what has been said of the trucking interests of King and Queen county, it is worthy of note that there are in successful operation a cannery at Mantapike, and a pickle factory at Walkerton, besides several 151 brineries in different parts of the county. Large quantities of tomatoes and English peas are produced for the former, as well as small fruits and berries; and for the latter, cucumbers, melons and gherkins. There are a number of villages through the length of the county, namely, Newtown, Owenton, Indian Neck, Biscoe, Saint Stephens, Walker- ton, Stevensville, Cumnor, Little Plymouth, Centreville, Buena Vista, and Plainview. Telephone lines have been partially installed, and are now in successful operation, with one or more other lines projected. KING GEORGE COUNTY. King George county was formed in 1720 from Richmond county. It lies in the northeastern portion of the State, forty-five miles from Richmond, and forms a part of the peninsula known as the Northern Neck. It is bordered on the north by the Potomac river, which separates it from the State of Maryland; and on the south by the Rappahannock river, which forms the boundary between it and Caroline and Essex; with Westmore- land and the Potomac on the east, and Stafford on the west; and con- tains an area of 183 square miles. A rather small proportion (about twenty per cent.) of the land is in cul- tivation. The surface is rolling; lands generally good, especially on the rivers, and easily cultivated. Farms products are corn, wheat, tobacco, rye, oats, and potatoes, of which considerable quantities are produced. Commercial fertilizers are generally used. Fruits of all kinds yield and pay well in this section, small fruits, grapes and berries, receiving increased attention. The produc- tion of truck and vegetables is yearly increasing, the rich river lands being specially adapted to their production. Stock succeeds finely, especially sheep; owing to the mild climate very little provender is required for them. This county has no railroads, but this deficiency is amply supplied by its splendid water navigation. With the Potomac on its northern border, and the Rappahannock on its southern, it has a frontage of twenty miles on each river at convenient points, upon which steamers and sail vessels touch for freight and passengers to and from Fredericksburg, Alexandria, Washington, Norfolk and Baltimore. Besides the valuable transportation facilities afforded by these streams they furnish large resources in fish, oysters and wild fowl; the first ranking as one of the most important in- dustries of the county. Marl of various kinds is found in abundance, and has been successfully used for many years as a fertilizer. A very small proportion of the county is in original timber, the greater portion yet remaining, being on the water courses. There are grain mills sufficient for the needs of the people; mercantile establishments are numerous; good telephone service from Fredericksburg through the county; and a large number of churches of various denomina- tions. Population, census of 1900, 6,918. Increase since census of 1890, 277. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 1,541. King George, the county seat, is a small village of about thirty inhabit- ants located in the central part of the county. It has a school, churches, and fraternal order. The means of plenteous, and even luxurious, living are abundant in this county; and, with its fine natural advantages, and low-priced lands, it offers splendid inducements for investment or a home. There are some large and valuable estates in the county, and when for sale, they can be bought for much less than their intrinsic value. 152 KING WILLIAM COUNTY. This county was formed in 1701 from King and Queen; and is situated twenty miles northeast from Richmond, on a narrow peninsula between the Mattapony and Pamunkey rivers, which unite at West Point to form the York. It is thirty miles long with an average of about eight miles in width, and contains an area of 246 square miles. The lands are now being offered at a very low price, which will not con- tinue any great length of time, as present prices are attracting investors from the north and west. The surface is level on the rivers; otherwise rolling. About forty per cent, of the land is under cultivation; the soil generally light chocolate, with clay subsoil, and very productive, especially on and near the rivers. Farm products are corn, wheat, tobacco, oats, peanuts, peas, potatoes, etc. Clover, timothy, millet, alfalfa, and other hay crops do well, and hay may be considered one of the staple products of the county. Fruits of all varieties are grown, and melons and early vegetables are quite profitable. Trucking, especially in the lower end of the county, is one of its chief oc- cupations; and is found very profitable, owing to easy and quick marketing facilities. In this portion of the county, the fish and oyster industry is a very important and profitable one. All the choice varieties of fish, such as shad, herring, rock, trout, etc., are supplied by the Mattapony and Pamun- key rivers, which bound two sides of the county. Water fowls are also abundant; and poultry does well and is profitable, especially for the early market. Stock raising is very successfully engaged in on the large farms, especially those on the Mattapony and Pamunkey rivers, which are well adapted to this industry. This county has good shipping facilities, and market advantages, by rail or water ; with the York river branch of the Southern railway, and with steamers and sail vessels traversing both rivers. Regular lines ply between West Point and Baltimore and Norfolk, by way of York river. Large deposits of marl are found in many sections, which has been used with much benefit to the soil. The greensand along the Pamunkey is one of nature's best restorers, producing splendid results wherever applied, and large quantities are shipped on the river. About ten per cent of the area is in original timber, and consists of yel- low pine, oak, hickory, poplar, chestnut, beech, ash, and some walnut. It is utilized for cord wood, for staves and for lumber. Abundant water and drainage are furnished by the Mattapony and Pa- munkey, and their tributaries. Manufactories located in different parts of the county are corn and flour mills, sawmills, planing mills, veneering mills, pickling industries. Several large oyster houses are found here, and also a large banking company. Most of the above are new enterprises recently established. The climate is mild in winter and pleasant in summer; the health of the county will compare favorably with other sections of the State; water is good and abundant; churches numerous and of nearly all denomi- nations; schools are conveniently situated all over the county, and in suc- cessful operation; county roads are being rapidly improved with road ma- chinery, and a systematic plan of working; telephone service is good, both local and long distance; mail facilities ample; taxes are light and assess- ments low; financial condition excellent, with healthy surplus; and in farm products and industries, this county is exhibiting considerable progress. Population, census of 1900, 8,380. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 1,825. King William, the county seat, is twenty-seven miles northeast from Richmond, and two miles from the Mattapony river. It is a small country village, with a public school and church. 153 The chief town cf the county is West Point, situated at the ex- treme southeast portion of the county, at the confluence of the Matta- pony and the Pamunkey, and at the terminus of the York river division of the Southern railwav. It is an enterprising town of 1,307 inhabi- tants, census of 1900, and located on deep water navigation at the head of York river, has the best of harbors, with water of sufficient depth for the largest ocean steamers, and with extensive wharves, where ships are regu- larly loaded with cotton, flour, lumber, etc., for Europe and South America. There are also several large lines of steamers from this point to New York, Boston and Baltimore, and a weekly lire to the head of navigation on the Mattapony river. West Point suffered a considerable lost last fall in the burning of the cellulose factory located at that place; but in spite of this misfortune it has gone steadily forward, and is now on a firmer basis than it has been for many years. The large pickling establishment and the wood- working factory located here are actively employed; and the oyster business is constantly increasing. Improvements have been going on at Beach Park, and muoh will be done to make it an attractive summer re- sort. There is not a vacant house in the town for rent, though there is a great demand for them. LANCASTER COUNTY. This county was formed in 1651 from Northumberland, and is located in the northeastern part of the State, on the north bank of the Rappa- hannock river, and on the Chesapeake bay, fifty miles from Norfolk, and sixty miles air line from Richmond. It contains an area of 137 square miles — 80,486 acres, 8S5 farms. Are age size farms sixty acres; farm lands from averaged assessed value $8.00 per acre. Surface is mostly level, but in some parts rolling; soil a sandy loam with clay subsoil, and is easily improved with clover and peas and the ju- dicious use of fertilizers. Farm products are wheat, corn, oats, peas, po- tatoes, varied trucks and grasses ; of which trucking is the most important and profitable owing to cheap transportation rates; but some of the lands produce fine crops of corn and wheat. Fruits of all kinds are abundant, and early fruits and berries are especially profitable, owing to proximity to Baltimore, Washington, and other markets. The most important source of profit and support to the people is the fish and oyster interest, and this industry is attracting to the county considerable numbers of set- tlers from other counties of the State, and from other States. As one of the counties of that isolated peninsula known as the Northern Neck of Virginia, there are no railroads; but water transportation facilities are excellent and cheap, with steamers plying between Baltimore. Norfolk and Fredericks- burg, which touch at the various landings in the county. In recent years the introduction of naphtha and gasolene boats has brought this section into closer communication with the rest of the State, and made mail facilities among the best. Live stock of the county consist of horses, cattle, sheep, and hogs; all of which are raised to some extent; but poultry raising is perhaps at- tracting nest attention on account of easy access to market and the' great demand for eggs in the northern markets. Wild water fowls and rab- bits are also shipped in great quantities from this section. Timbers are oak, hickory, chestnut, dogwood, poplar, pine and holly, of which a considerable amount is shipped; also a large quantity of cord wood. Ample water supply and drainage are furnished by the numerous creeks, -tributaries of the Rappahannock river, and Chesapeake bav from the inte- rior of the county. Manufactories and enterprises are a large number of 154 grist mills, sawmills, fruit and vegetable canneries, fish factories, manufac- turing guano and oil, and numerous oyster packers, shipping the raw oysters on ice to northern and western cities. The climate is mild, health good; the county remarkably free of low and swampy places; water clear and pure, from artesian wells, ordinary wells, and springs ; churches are numerous and conveniently located ; educa- tional advantages consist of public schools, and the Chesapeake Academy, a large preparatory school of high curriculum. Telephone facilities are ample, connecting with telegraph at Fredericksburg; and financial condition of the county excellent. In progress and general advancement conditions are very encouraging. Population, census of 1900, 8,949. Increase since census of 1890, 1,758. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 2,192. Lancaster, the county seat, is located in the northern part of the county. It has a population of about seventy-five, a church and a public and pri- vate school. Other towns are Whealton, in the western end of the county; Kilmarnock, in the central part; and Irvington and Whitestone near the mouth of the Rappahannock. Irvington has a population of 1,100, probably the largest town between Fredericksburg and the Chesapeake bay. Here are located an academy, churches, public schools, canneries, fish factory, a national bank, home office of a fire association, and the only newspaper in that section, The Virginia Citizen. LEE COUNTY: This county was formed in 1792 from Russell and named in honor of Henry Lee, then Governor of Virginia. It lies on the southeastern slope of the Cumberland mountains, in the extreme southwest corner of the State. 450 miles from Richmond; having Kentucky on the north and west, Tennessee on the south, Scott and Wise counties in the east, and is marked at its extreme western limit by the widely known Cumberland Gap. The county is sixty miles in length, by seventeen in breadth, and contains an area of 433 square miles. Undeveloped lands may be had from $5 to $10 per acre. Average assessed value, $4 per acre. The surface is hilly, and some parts mountainous, especially the western part, but the mountains are generally rich to the top. The soil is l : me- stone and sandstone, and while a large proportion of the county is very fertile and productive, the two principal valleys in the eastern part are especially noted in this respect. About one-half the area, of the county is in cultivation, and produces abundant crops of corn, wheat, oats, rye, po- tatoes, hay, etc. Some attention is also paid to the cultivation of to- bacco of fine grades. Average yield of corn, twenty-five bushels per acre; best crops are from fifty to seventy- five bushels per acre. Wheat yields six to thirty bushels per acre. This is a fine grass county for both the cultivated grasses and the indig- enous blue grass, especially in the eastern portion. The broad and beau- tiful valleys in this section which have been for many years cultivatd in corn, have been principally converted into grazing lands ; and the county is now rapidly coming to the front in the production of horses, sheep and cat- tle, having an annual surplus of 6,000 sheep and 5,000 cattle, the great pro- portion being stock cattle. This county has also ranked among the first in the State in the production of hogs. Considerable attention is being paid to the cultivation of fruit, having at least 2.500 acres in orchards of the various varieties. Fruit growing and stock raising rank as the most profit- able industries of the county. The Louisville and Nashville railroad extends through the entire lensrth of the county, affording excellent railroad facilities. The Virginia and Southwestern, also, extends through a small portion of the county. 155 Lee is well watered by Powell's river and its tributaries. In the south- eastern and eastern comers, Black Water and Wild Cat creeks flow through small sections of the county. These streams offer a large number of fine wa- ter powers, affording from 60 to 250 cubic feet of water per second. Powell's river towards its lower end, in the county, is navigable through the winter months for bateaux, and furnishes transportation for large quantities of grain and forest products, 50,000 bushels of wheat being shipped in this way during the winter season. This method of transportation, however, has been largely superseded by railroads. This county is rich in minerals ; such as iron, coal, lead, zinc, lime- stone, barytes, kaolin; but the most important are the iron and coil, which with proper development, will be a source of vast wealth to the county. To an almost unlimited extent of fossil red iron ores, are added extensive deposits of brown ores, and of coals. It contains some of the finest known veins of bituminous splint and cannel coal. There are also mineral waters — chalybeate, white, red and black sulphur — but not important to any great extent. This county is not surpassed in the extent of its timber products; and with increased transportation facilities, this will form one of its most important resources. There are large quantities of oak, poplar, wal- nut, cherry, ash, cedar, beech, chestnut, hickory, dogwood, maple, etc. The seemingly boundless forests stretch unbroken for miles. The lower portion of the county is noted for the extent a v d size of its cedar timber. Manu- factories consist of saw mills, and four fine flouring mills. Some of the caves of this county, especially in the great limestone belt of Powell's valley, are worthy of notice, as among the most marvellous in the world for their great extent and wonderful beauty. One, King Solomon's, a few miles from Jonesville, the county seat, is said to rival the Mam- moth Cave in extent, and to excel the Luray in gorgeous splendor of decoration. Climate is mild; summers not oppressive, winters not severe; health, ex- cellent; water the best, freestone and limestone. It is well supplied with churches of the various denominations. Educational advantages consist of a large number of piiblic free schools, which run six months in the year, and several high schools. The county is almost a network of telephone lines, and mail facilities are good. Progress and general advancement in the county is shown in the steady improvement of the lands and buildings and in improved methods of farming, with introduction of farm machinerv. Financial conditions also are favorable, the county being out of debt with some surplus. Population, census of 1900, 19,856. Increase since census of 1890, 1,640. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 4,163. Nature has left nothing undone to stamp the area covered by Lee county as one of its most favored localities; and, with all its splendid natural ad- vantages, it must excite surprise that no more strenuous efforts have been made heretofore to open them up to commerce. Could it now have the number of furnaces and mining and timbering stations of which it is capable, it would rank as one of the foremost counties west of the Blue Ridge; and the only conditions wanting are capital, enterprise, and ac- cessibility to market. Jonesville. the county seat, is a thriving village of six hundred inhabit- ants, located about the middle of the county, within four miles of Ben Hur station on the Louisville and Nashville railroad ; and is a center of trade for the valuable farming sections which surround it. It has numerous stores of general merchandise, saw and planing mills, -flour mills, tannery and buggy factory. Pennington Gap, a new town, is the largest town of the county, population about 1,000. 157 LOUDOUN COUNTY. This county was formed in 1757, from Fairfax. It is the northernmost of the Piedmont counties, 100 miles north of Richmond, and lies on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge mountains. It contains an area of 519 square miles. Average size farms 160 acres. Loudoun's real estate value exceeds that of almost any county in the State, aggregating about $7,000,000. The surface is varied, with mountains, gently sloping hills, and broad valleys. About sixty per cent, of the lard is under cultivation, of which the greater part is exceedingly fertile; soil, clay and loam, with some sand. Farm products are wheat, corn, rye, oats, hay, etc. Average yield of wheat is about twenty bushels, and of corn, thirty-five bushels per acre; though fifty and sixty bushels of the latter are not an unusual yield. This county takes first rank in the production of corn, and third in amount of wheat and grass raised in the State. Blue grass, also, is indigenous here, rivaling the best blue grass lands of Kentucky. Much attention is paid to improved breeds of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs; and large numbers of sheep and cattle are grazed annually. This county stands first in its wool clip, and third in the number of horses raised, of which there are many blooded, with fine records. Loudoun ranks first in the number of her milch cows, and the amount of butter made; and large quantities of milk and cream are shipped daily to Washington. Fruits of the various kinds grow in great abundance, and bring heavy re- turns when properly attended to. The county also ranks high in this in- dustry. This is strictly an agricultural county, grain, and stock raising being the chief interests; and it is probably not exceeded in the State for good farming. Markets are Baltimore, Washington, Georgetown, and Alex- andria, which are convenient and accessible. The Washington and Ohio division of the Southern railway traverses the central portion of the county from east to west, and furnishes an outlet for the products of this splendid county. Minerals are iron, copper, soapstone, hydraulic lime, and marble; the latter, especially, is very fine. Timber is abundant, consisting principally of oak, hickory, walnut and chestnut. This county is well watered by the Potomac, which skirts its entire north- ern border, and its numerous tributaries; which also furnish fine water- power if properly utilized. Manufactories consist principally of flour mills and some wood-working industries. The climate is pleasant and rather more genial than other sections of the same latitude, being on the eastern and southern slope of the Blue Ridge, and protected by it. The health of the county is good, and the water from springs and wells, of excellent quality, and abundant. Farm lands ar? exceedingly well watered, it being a rare occurrence that a farm is found which has not running water in every field. Churches of the various de- nominations are numerous ; a good public school system exists, and some higher grade schools; mail facilities are ample, and all parts of the county connected by telephone; public roads and turnpikes are excel- lent, and the financial condition of the county very favorable. Population, census of 1900, 21,948. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 5,482. Progress in Loudoun for several years has been marked. Real estate values have noticeably advanced. Farms have been purchased by new comers from Southwest Virginia, New York and other sections. This is one of the most beautiful fertile portions of the State, with thrifty and prosperous farmers, many of them wealthy. Leesburg, the county seat, is a thriving town of 1,513 inhabitants (census of 1900), located on the Washington and Ohio division of the Southern railway, thirty-eight miles from Alexandria and forty-one miles from 159 VV ashington City. It has paved streets, water works and electric lights, numerous churches and fraternal orders, flour mills, public schools, news- papers, and banks; the latter, especially, is a strong and progressive feature of the town, the People's National Bank being one of the largest banks in the State outside the cities; also the Loudoun National Bank is a very strong institution; and has recently erected a commodius building on the principal corner of the town. Another strong banking institution is located at Purcellville, this county, with a handsome bank building. This town and Bluemont have been par- ticularly prosperous, a number of new business houses and residences hav- ing been erected in each. Other towns are: Hamilton, population, census of 1900, 364; Waterford, population, cen- sus of 1900, 383; Middleburg, population, census of 1900, 29(3; Hills- boro, population, census of 1900, 131; Lovetteville, population, census of 1900, 90, now 250; Round Hill, population, census of 1900, 200, now 203; Lincoln (a new town), population, now 100. LOUISA COUNTY. This county was formed in 1742 from Hanover. It is situated in Middle Virginia, in what is known as the Piedmont section, forty miles northwest from Richmond. It is thirty miles long and about eighteen miles wide, and contains an area of 529 square miles. The lands, in the main, are yet in the hands of the ante-bellum owners, or their descendants, and prospective purchasers have not had a chance to purchase the best lands. When these lands come into market, as they are gradually doing, the price will advance; but now, small farms or unimproved lands sell very cheap, and on easy terms. The surface is gently undulating and about one-half oi the land is under cultivation. The soil is generally a granite or gray soil, with clay sub- soil and of good quality. In the western part of the county the lands are very fertile, and embrace the noted Green Springs district, supposed to be the bed of an ancient lake. Along the borders of the streams are many wide and fertile flats, while on the uplands may be found almost every variety and quality of soil. Farm products are wheat, corn, oats, tobacco, potatoes, hay, etc., all of which are very successfully produced; especially tobacco, which is the staple crop of the county, over 2,000,000 pounds being produced an- nually, and of a grade known far and wide as the best type of shipping and manufacturing tobacco. Violet growing is proving to be a profitable horticultural interest; in recent years the soil has been found to be es- pecially adapted to this industry, and especially is this true of the Green Springs section. Fruits of every variety are successfully grown, especially small fruits, grapes, berries and melons. The convenience of the Richmond market renders dairying and poultry raising sources of considerable profit to the people. Stock raising and grazing are specialties with some of the farmers, and the western, or Green Springs section is also specially adapted to this industry. Railroad facilities are ample, and are furnished by the Chesapeake & Ohio, which extends almost through the entire length of the county; and the Southern, skirting the western end. These bring the county in to conve- nient communication with Richmond City, its principal market, and with the country north and west. This county is rich in minerals, such as gold, copper, iron, mica, soap- stone, ochre, and pyrites. Gold has been mined with varying success, and often profitably. A mica vein has also been worked, and extensive beds of iron ore lie contiguous to the Chesapeake and Ohio railway. The three 160 sulphur or pyrites mines, near Mineral, in this county, are worked more extensively than any other mines of the sort in the United. States, employ- ing large numbers of men. Timber consists of oak, pine, poplar, hickory, walnut, maple, ash; and second growth pine abounds to a considerable extent. The county is well watered by the North and South Anna rivers, and their tributaries, which also furnish abundant water power. Good flour and corn mills are located in every neighborhood. Public spirit and en- terprise is shown in the erection of three splendid iron bridges over the rivers. There are numerous fine residences and a tobacco factory. The climate is delightful, having the milder Piedmont, blended with the pleasant cli- GRAPES GROWING IN SOUTHSIDE VIRGINIA. mate of Midland Virginia. Health, there, can hardly be better. The water is delightful and abundant, from springs and wells. Churches are nu- merous, representing all denominations; no neighborhood is without excep- tional privileges in this respect. Facilities for a thorough education in every branch of study are ample in this county. In addition to a good public free school system, there are at several points in the county ex- cellent high schools where children from any section of the county may enjoy good educational advantages free of charge. Mail facilities and tele phone service ample, a good telephone line connecting with all parts cf the State. The county roads are receiving extra attention, and marked 161 improvement is being made in this respect. The financial condition of the county is excellent. The people are public spirited, refined, sociable and kind, vieing with one another in hospitality, and "'the latch string hangs on the outside" to those who will come and partake of their hospitality and home comforts. These and other advantages, such as its great agricult- ural and mining resources, challenge comparison with other sections of the State in presenting attractions to those in quest of a permanent home. Population, census of 1900, 16,517. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 3,679. Louisa, the county seat, is situated on the line of the Chesapeake and Ohio railway sixty-two miles Avest of Richmond, with which it has com- munication both ways by three daily passenger trains. It has a population, census of 1900, of 261. It has several mills, churches, fraternal orders, a graded public school, a bank, and a newspaper, and is a place of con- siderable business. There are several smaller towns, including Mineral, a new place, which has a good bank, and is growing. LUNENBURG COUNTY. Lunenburg was formed in 1746 from Brunswick, and is a southern county, lying near the North Carolina border, fifty-one miles southwest from Richmond. It is thirty miles long with an average width of fifteen miles, and contains an area of 471 square miles. Lands can be bought very low, and this fact is attracting the atten- tion of investors and home seekers. The surface is level, or gently undu- lating, and about one-third of the area is in cultivation. Soil a gray- ish slate or of sandy texture, easily tilled. Farm products are wheat, corn, oats, grass, cotton and tobacco; the last being the most important and valuable, and yielding annually two million pounds, of good grade. Cow peas and clover also do well, and the soil and climate are well adapted to fruits, and the grape. Sheep do well, and rarely need feeding or housing. The growing of fine wool should become a profitable industry in this county, owing to its favorable conditions of climate, soil, etc. Transportation facilities are rather deficient. Nearest railroads are the Southern, which passes through the northwest border, and the Mecklenburg branch of the same road extending along its western border. Fine whetstone is found in the county, but no valuable minerals. The timber is very good, consisting of oak, pine, hickory, walnut, maple, chestnut and elm. The county is well watered and drained by the Nottoway and Meherrin rivers, on the north and the south borders respectively, and by their niunerous tributaries, Avhich penetrate the county in all parts, and al- so afford many eligible mill sites. The health of the county is very good ; the people are kind and hospitable, and society is excellent. There are good public schools and churches of the different Protestant denominations. Population, census of 1900, 11,705. Increase since census of 1890, 333. Number of males twenty- one years and over, 2,494. Lunenburg, the county seat, is located about the center of the county, twenty miles south of Burkeville, a station on the Southern railway, with which it has daily communication. 11 162 MADISON COUNTY. This county was formed in 1792 from Culpeper, and lies on the east side of the Blue Ridge mountains, in the northern part of the State, sixty-five miles northwest of Richmond. On the northwest is Page, from which it is separated by the Blue Ridge mountains ; on the north, Rappa- hannock; Culpeper on the east; Orange on the southeast; Greene on the southwest, the Rapidan river forming the dividing line. It contains an area of 336 square miles; 1,200 farms; average size of farms 140 acres; assessed value $6.00 per acre.- About one-third of the area is in cultivation. The surface is rolling; the soil varies from loam, sand and slate, to red clay, and is very productive; especially on the rivers, which embrace ex- tensive and fertile bottoms. This is an excellent grass and grain producing county, and the slopes of the mountains are especially adapted to tobacco, potatoes, etc. Owing to its exemption from late frosts, this section is especially adapted to fruit culture; and the pippin and other valuable apples do well, with proper attention. Grape culture is also a profitable industry, especially in the section bordering on Orange, the character and quality of the soil here being peculiarly favorable to this fruit. Vegetables do well, and the dairy product is considerable. Nearest railroads are the Chesapeake and Ohio, the Southern, and the Norfolk and Western; near the northern, eastern and western boundaries, respectively. Minerals are iron, copper, ochre and graphite; but none have been fully developed. Timbers are chestnut, oak, pine walnut, hickory, ash, etc. The county is watered by the Rapidan, Robertson, and Conway rivers, and their tributaries. Numerous flouring and grist mills, furniture fac- tories, tanneries, a dairy and a cheese factory embrace the most important industrial enterprises of the county. The Blue Ridge mountains, which extend along the entire northwest border, are 3,860 feet above sea level at the highest point. The top and slopes furnish excellent grazing when cleared, and cattle there thrive well, owing to lower temperature and freedom from insect annoyance. Churches and schools are numerous and good. It has macadamized and other roads. Population, census of 1900, 10,216. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 2,190. Madison, the county seat and principal town, occupies an elevated po- sition in the center of the county, and commands a picturesque view of the surrounding country. It has a population of about five hundred, and is a thriving busy town, with graded streets, churches, public schools, newspaper, and Masonic lodge. MATHEWS COUNTY. This county was formed in 1790 from Gloucester, and is one of the ex- treme eastern counties of the State, lying on the Chesapeake bay, which bounds it on the east with Mob jack bay, and North river on the south and west, a small portion of Gloucester on the west, and Piankatank river on the north, separating it from Middlesex; thus forming a peninsula, united to the mainland by a very narrow neck of country. It is twenty miles long and nine miles across at the widest point, and contains an area of ninety- two square miles. Average size of farms is forty acres. Taking all the advantages of lo- cality, soil and climate into consideration, land is cheap and desirable, selling at from $5 to $30.00 per acre. That, however, lying immediately 163 on the water courses, is very valuable, selling at from $20 to $110 per acre, if it has an oyster shore attached to it. Average price of improved farm lands is about $20 per acre, with an averaged assessed value of $10 per acre. The surface is level, soil a sandy loam, easily cultivated and respond- ing readily to fertilizers. Farm products are corn, wheat, rye, and oats. Fruits do well, but it is particularly adapted to the raising of truck and vegetables. Poultry raising for the northern markets is profitable, and water and marsh birds are abundant; but much the most important and profitable products of the county are its fish and oysters, which are a source of large revenue, and furnish employment for very many of its inhabitants. It ranks as among the first counties of the State in the yield of its fisheries, and is also renowned for their superior excellence. The nearest railroad station is West Point, in King William county, distant about thirty miles; but this deficiency is amply supplied by daily steamers from Norfolk and other seaboard cities. Shell marl is found in many localities, and utilized to some extent; also a species of peet, well adapted to composting, is found in the ravines. Principal timbers are pine and oak. In addition to the surrounding waters mentioned, the East river, extending through the central part of the county, divides it into two nearly equal parts called East and West Mathews. Churches of the various denominations are conveniently located. Owing to prevalence of salt water breezes, the health is good, and this is one of the most thickly settled counties in the State. Population, census of 1900, 8,239. Increase since census of 1890, 655. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 2,149. Mathews, the county seat, is situated in the eastern part of the county, on a branch of the East river, and is a town of considerable importance, having a population of about three hundred, a daily mail, graded streets, the usual county buildings, stores, etc. Hicks Wharf is the next town in importance. MECKLENBURG COUNTY. This county was formed in 1764 from Lunenburg, and is on the southern border of the State, ninety miles southwest from Richmond. It has an average length of thirty-six miles and a width of twenty miles, and contains an area of 640 square miles; about one-third of the lands in cultivation. Surface is generally undulating, average elevation above sea level about five hundred feet; the soil, variable, light sandy to stiff clay, easily cultivated, and readily responding to good treatment; along the valleys of the streams it is alluvial and exceedingly fertile. Farm products are tobacco, peanuts, wheat, corn, oats, cotton, and hay. This county ranks third in the State in the yield of tobacco, which is three and a half million pounds annually, and of fine grade. The various grasses, clover, alfalfa, orchard grass, timothy, etc., grow luxuriantly on good soils. Fruits are apples, peaches, pears, apricots, cherries, grapes, melons and berries of all kinds, which are produced in abundance, large areas being appropriated to orchards and to grape culture. Irish and sweet potatoes, and all the garden vegetables can be abundantly grown; also poultry does well in this section, and wild game is abundant. Tobacco be- ing the leading crop of the county, the farmers have been so absorbed in its culture as to neglect other farm industries; but an interest has recently been awakened in stock raising; and, owing to the mild climate, and con- sequent small cost of raising stock, this industry is destined to assume 'large and increasing proportions. 164 This county is splendidly supplied with railroad facilities. Three railroads, the Seaboard Air Line, the Atlantic and Danville and the Richmond and Danville branches of the Southern railway, traverse all sec- tions of the county, affording ready access to nearest markets, and put- ting the county in close touch with the principal cities of the eastern part of the State. Water navigation is now by bateaux, but will eventually be by steamers, on Roanoke, Dan and Staunton rivers ; and these streams, with the Me- herrin river on the northern border, and their innumerable tributaries, ren- der this one of the finest watered counties in the State, and also afford many eligible sites for mills and manufactories. In some portions of the county, gold, copper, granite, soapstone, and kaolin exist, but are undeveloped. Mineral waters are abundant and noted, especially the celebrated Buffalo Lithia Springs on the southern border of the county, whose waters are famous the world over for their potential health-producing and medicinal properties. At Chase City, Clarkesville, and Jeffress, near South Hill, there are also mineral waters noted for their medicinal ingredients, and adaption to a wide range of diseases. Timbers are oak, hickory and pine, principally; but these are considerably culled, although there still exists some fine bodies of timber of original growEh; but the greater proportion of the timber of the county is second growth, which springs up spontaneously on lands left out of cultivation. A large lumber company of New Jersey has recently bought timber lands in this county, and is preparing to establish immense lumber plants for its manufacture. Sawmills are in nearly every neighborhood, and several wagon and buggy factories are in operation. The climate is delightful, there being little cold weather, and slight fall of snow; while the heat of summer is usually tempered by gentle breezes. Pure, clear water from springs, or from wells as good as from the natural springs, is everywhere abundant, and largely mineral. Health of the county is excellent; indeed the county is noted for its general healthfulness, and the longevity of its people. Sometimes fevers prevail, of a bilious or inter- mittent character, but they are usually due to local causes, which are reme- diable. Churches of the various denominations are numerous, every section of the county being supplied in this respect; and a very large proportion of the population are members of some denomination. Educational advan- tages are excellent; graded and public schools being so situated as to make them accessible to every neighborhood. Southside Academy, located at Chase City, is an incorporated institution, and is well equipped with ac- complished instructors to furnish the higher educational advantages. Telephone service is ample and efficient; Chase City, Clarkesville and Boydton are connected with the North Carolina system. There are a large number of postofnces and a number of rural free delivery routes in the county; and mail communications and facilities in every locality are all that could be desired. Public roads intersect all sections, and are kept in fairly good condition. There has been considerable progress in this county on the line of small manufacturing industries, and improved methods of farming. Financial condition of the county is good; rate of taxation, low; and lands, with few exceptions, free of encumberance. The people of the county are moral, law abiding, and noted for their hospitality. Population of county, census of 1900, 26,551. Increase since census of 1890, 1,192. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 5,615. Boydton, the county seat, located near the center of the county, on the Atlantic and Danville branch of the Southern railway, and six miles 165 from the line of the Richmond and Mecklenburg railroad, is a thriving town in the center of a rapidly growing country, with a population, census of 1900, of 527. The greatest impetus given to the business interest of Boydton is its tobacco trade. Three large prizeries have recently been erected, and within the past year or two the sales of tobacco have increased three- fold, so that it is now one of the chief industries of the town. Its two banks do jointly a business of a half million dollars. A large lumber business is conducted here, and the business extends into adjoining coun- ties in this State, and North Carolina, and lias a large trade in the north. It has, besides the public schools, a splendid graded school where young men can be prepared for a college or business course; also numerous churches, several newspapers, and sawmills and grist mills. Chase City is a town of considerable importance, situated in the north- western portion of the county, on the Keysville and Durham branch of the Southern railway, three and a half hours ride of Richmond. It has a new and progressive population, and although a comparatively new town, it is already a rival of many older towns in all departments of business. It contains three banks. Its sales of le» a ft 51 o o ^ s o h3 O ^ — nl w fu a ^ « o 0) Ph H -<-> a <1> ■*1 ft X - g * t>, H r~, fc 1 m w 185 works, which do an (extensive business, shipping most of their product to Europe. Besides these, there are planing mills, furniture factory, twenty- five fine flouring mills, woolen mill, and a stave and barrel factory — one of the largest enterprises of the kind in the valley. The Shenandoah river — extending through the county its entire length — and its branches afford a plentiful supply of water and magnificent water power. The climate is mild and invigorating, healthful, and free from malaria. Water is limestone of excellent quality. There are also a number of chalybeate and sulphur springs in the county. Churches in every neigh- borhood, and educational advantages all that could be desired. Telephone service is ample, and there are excellent mail facilities. Financial con- dition of county is good, and the farmers are prosperous, as shown by their improved dwellings and barns, some of tine former being handsome structures in modern style. Population of county, census of 1900, 13,794. Increase since census of 1890, 702. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 3,247. Luray, the county seat, is a beautiful town of 1,147 inhabitants (census of 1900) situated on the Shenandoah valley division of the Norfolk and Western railroads, and in the center of the rich and beautiful Page valley. It has macadamized streets and paved sidewalks, numerous schools', churches and fraternal orders, two newspapers and two banks — in a very prosperous condition. A furniture factory recently established here gives employment to about sixty workmen. The tannery and bark works located here are large and successful enterprises. The water works and gas plant recently installed have given new life and enterprise to the town. The noted Luray caverns, which annually attract thousands of visitors, are one mile distant from the town. Luray is becoming a very popular sum- mer resort, with its splendid hotel accommodations. Its wonderful caverns have a national reputation. Shenandoah is a growing town situated in the southern part of the county. It has a population, census of 1900, of 1,220 ; which is an increase of 469 since last census. The large iron furnace at this place was put in blast many years ago and is now in successful operation, producing a maximum of 140 tons per day. PATRICK COUNTY. This county was formed from Henry in 1781. It is situated in the south- western portion of Virginia, 158 miles southwest from Richmond, air line, and is the most western county of the State south of the Blue Ridge, which forms its western boundary. It contains an area of 489 square miles. The surface is hilly and mountainous in the western part, with fine bot- tom lands along the numerous streams. The soil varies from sandy to a red loam, and is productive. Farm products are corn, wheat, oats, rye. tobacco, and the grasses. In the southern half of the county, along the North Carolina line and the portion adjoining Henry county, is the fine tobacco belt. About half of -the county is really in the famous Blue Ridge section, well adapted to grain, grass, and cattle, especially the northern portion on the "Meadows of Dan" —a beautiful plateau on and near the top of the Blue Ridge. Stock raising is a considerable industry, and with proper attention could be made very profitable. This is an exceptionally fine county for fruit. The soil and climate are peculiarly adapted to its growth, and the people, realizing these advan- tages, are turning their attention largely to its culture. To those who are interested in this industry, Patrick offers inducements second to none in the State. Lands are cheap, and apples grown here have taken first honors 186 for size, color and flavor, wherever exhibited. There are thousands of acres of first class lands in the county, notably on the face, and at the foot hills of the Blue Ridge, and in the rich coves that are unexcelled for apples and fruit of all kinds; these lands can be bought for from $4 to $6 per acre, producing more and better fruit than lands in other sections rating at $50 to $100 per acre. Railroads are the Danville and Western, extending from Dan- ville to Stuart, the county seat. The Mount Airy and Eastern railroad extends from Mount Airy, North Carolina, to the' lumber districts of the western part of the county some twenty-one miles, having been built to carry out the timber. The recent survey for the Mount Rogers and Eastern railroad through the northern part of the county is also interest- ing the people very much, and brightening the prospects for better rail- road facilities in the near future. The Norfolk and Western railroad i- also building a branch road to the Hairston Iron Works. The minerals of this county Avould be a source of material wealth if de- veloped. They are iron (magnetic and hematite), manganese and lead. The iron is of very superior quality and of unlimited quantity, and was worked by the Confederate government during the war. There are also extensive quarries of very valuable building stone, and soapstone is found in large quantities. There are several mineral springs in the county, notably the famous "Patrick Springs," seven miles below Stuart, which is filled every summer to its utmost capacity by the people of Danville, and Martinsville; ami some wonderful cures have been effected by its waters. The forest growth of this county consists in the main of oak, walnut, poplar, pine, maple, ash, hickory, chestnut, beech, cherry, sycamore, and other hard woods. Yellow poplar and oak timber for staves, framing tim- ber, tan bark and cross-ties, are the leading and most valuable timbers of the county, and the supply — especially of the oak — is practically inex- haustible. Patrick is rich in all the hard woods, except pine and walnut, most of the latter having been shipped out. All sections of the county are well watered by the Dan, Little Dan, Ara- rat, North and South Mayo, and Smith rivers, and their numerous tribu- taries, and the water power is abundant for manufacturing purposes. Num- erous saw mills and roller flour mills are located on these streams and in different sections of the county. The climate is excellent — pleasant in summer, and not too severe in win- ter. There are quite a number of public schools and churches in the county convenient to all sections. Stuart Normal College, located at the county seat, is an excellent school for the equipment of teachers for work in the public free schools. Mail facilities of the county are ample, and its finan- cial condition is good. Considerable attention is being given to the roads of the county, and a new turnpike from Stuart towards Meadows of Dan and Floyd has been built. All that is needed to advance the county to the front rank in importance is capital to develop its resources. Ten miles distant from Stuart is "Lover's Leap," and within about twenty miles are the "Pinnacles of Dan," which are among the most beautiful of all mountain scenery. Stuart, the county seat, is a village of 371 inhabitants, census of 1900. It is situated on South Mayo river, and is the western terminus of the Dan- ville and Western railroad, from which large quantities of fruit, vegetables, poultry, and other produce are shipped to the markets. The streets are graded and lighted, and it has two banks, two schools, four churches, two 187 fraternal orders and a newspaper, a business men's association established, and a joint stock company, organized for the purpose of erecting a furniture factory, and a hard wood working establishment. Population of county, census of 1900, 15,403. Increase since census of 1890, 1.256. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 3,218. PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY. This county was formed in 17G7 from Halifax, and is the central south- ern county of the State, 110 miles southwest from Richmond, and border- ing the North Carolina line. It is thirty-five miles long, and about twenty- five miles wide, and is the second largest county in area in the State, con- taining 986 square miles. Numerous farms in the county have been sold to northern buyers at good prices. The surface is generally rolling and hilly, with some low moun- tains ; but a very large area of fertile bottom lands along the streams. The soil is varied in character and adaptable for the cultivation of almost every known crop of the latitude. The soil of the upla: ds is light, gray and gravelly; producing an immense quantity of the finest bright yellow to- bacco, nearly doubling in quantity any other county in the State, and total- ing over 17,000,000 pounds by last census, and constituting it the money crop of the county. The soil of the lowlands along the streams varies from a stiff red to a sandy character, and is very fertile, producing fine crops of corn, wheat, oats, rye and grass. Fruits and vegetables of all kinds common to other sections of the State are grown to great perfection, and, together with the dairy products, peanuts, etc., are sources of considerable revenue to the farmer. Market advantages are excellent, supplied by its convenient railroad facilities and the large demand at Danville, its manufacturing city. For stock raising, it is principally noted for its large number of mules, and very recently lands have been purchased in the county by parties from, without for the pupose of stocking them with high bred horses. Stock rais- ing presents an inviting field of operation in this county, all the conditions being favorable to it. This county has excellent railroad facilities, having connection with Richmond, Lynchburg, Martinsville, Greensboro and Norfolk, through its various lines — the Atlantic and Danville, Danville and Western, and the Southern and its branches. Minerals also abound, the most notable of which is magnetic iron ore, a high grade, of which is found in a productive vein, running from Lees- ville, in Campbell county, southwest, through the county to the North Carolina line. It is worked very profitably at Pittsville, from which mines eight to twenty ear loads are daily shipped to furnaces at Roanoke, Lynch- burg and Philadelphia. Mineral springs are chalybeate and sulphur. Timbers are hickory, oak, chestnut and. pine, some of which is original growth, but the greater part second growth pine. Its streams are Staunton river on the north, and Banister, Dan and Hyco rivers in the central and southern portions. These rivers and their numerous tributary streams afford an ample supply of water and much valuable water power. The manufactories of the county (other than those located at Danville, which will be mentioned in connection with that city) are a large r. umber of flouring and grain mills, steam sawmills, tobacco factories, tanneries, stone and marble quarries, chair factory, and a large sash, door and blind plant. 189 This county can boast of a climate unsurpassed. Being near the 37th parallel of latitude, midway between the waters of the Atlantic, warmed by the Gulf Stream on the east, and the sheltering wings of the Appalachian range of mountains on the west, it has neither of the extremes of heat or cold, and is extremely healthful, and free from malaria and epidemics. The water is freestone, abundant and good. Churches are numerous and of all denominations. With over two hundred school houses, and a school popu- lation of 20,000, the subject of education is a very absorbing one, and it is fully met by the very efficient free school system of the county, supple- mented by many private schools of high standing. Telephone service and mail facilities are first-class. Much attention is given to road improvements and bridges, over $10,000 being expended an- nually for that purpose ; and as a result the county has most excellent roads. Progress and improvement is apparent in all lines of agriculture, and business. The financial condition of the county is good. The population of the county (independent of Danville), census of 1900, is 46,894, making it second in the State in population. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 9,892. Valre cf real estate $3,819,444.00; personalty $1,138,420.00. Chatham, the county seat, situated on the Southern railway, about mid- way of the county, has a population of 918 (census of 1900), which is an in- crease of 161 since last census, and is a thriving town of considerable im- portance. Its streets are lighted and have brick sidewalks. There are nu- merous churches, factories and fraternal orders; also two banks, public schools ; newspaper, and seven stores. Numerous handsome residences have recently been erected, and a general era of improvement and prosperity pre- vails. POWHATAN COUNTY. This county was formed in 1777 from Cumberland. It is located in the central portion of the State, twenty miles west of Richmond, James river forming its northern and Appomattox river its southern boundary. It is twenty-five miles long and about fifteen miles wide, and contains an area of 284 square miles, one-third of which is under cultivation. The surface back from the streams is gently undulating. The soil of the county varies from a light gray to a stiff red clay, and is fairly fertile, especially on the rivers. Farm products are corn, wheat, tobacco, oats and hay, tobacco being the principal money crop — the annual yield amounting to 1,000,000 pounds and considered among the best of the dark tobaccos sent to the Richmond markets. All the grasses do well here, but those principally grown are clover, timothy, herd's grass, millet, and orchard grass. This is one of the finest apple counties in middle Virginia, and peaches, pears, plums, grapes, berries, melons, and other fruits yield just as well, and but little subject to damage from insects. Vegetables are also easily and abundantly grown. Railroads are the Southern in the southeastern portion, the Chesapeake and Ohio skirting the northern border, and the Farmville and Powhatan through the center of the county, affording ample transportation facilities to Richmond and other markets. Minerals are coal, mica, kaolin, iron and granite. The coal and mica have been developed, and successfully mined. There are several sulphur 191 and chalybeate springs in the county, the most important being the Hugue- not. The sulphur springs near Ballsville also possess valuable medicinal qualities. Timbers are oak, pine, hickory, chestnut, beech, etc. The James and Appomattox rivers on the north and south borders, and their many tributary creeks, furnish ample water supply and excellent water power for manufacturing purposes. The industries of the county are important, the most extensive being the Powhatan Clay Manufacturing Company, located at Clayville, which works from seventy-five to 100 hands regularly in the manufacture of brick. Al- so the Belmead Wagon Works, located at Belmead, on James river, seven miles from the county seat, is doing a thriving business in the manufacture of wagons, carts, jumpers, etc. Connected Avith this plant is a large saw and grist mill. There are several other grist mills in the county, besides two fine roller flour mills, doing a large business. Another factory worthy of notice is the hard-wood works, located at Powhatan Courthouse, that manufacture croquet sets, shuttle blocks, etc., from dog-wood, hickory, ash, white oak, and persimmon wood. They work a considerable force of hands and handle large orders, some for export. Other industries are a spoke factory, and pipe factory, at which the famous and "original Powhatan" pipe is made. The climate is very mild, admitting of out-door work during the winter months, and stock does well with very little feed. Churches of the various Protestant denominations are numerous and conveniently located to all sections. Public schools are ample, and conveni- ent to the school population; also there are many private schools. This county, as the number of Indian relics indicate, was at one time the hunt- ing and battleground of the Red Man, and is happily named for one of their greatest chiefs. The people are largely the descendants of the French Huguenots, noted for their kindness and genuine hospitality; and with its splendid natural ad- vantages and cheap lands, capital and well-directed energy, only, is lacking to bring it to the forefront of the counties of the State. Population, census of 1900. 6.824. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 1,545. Powhatan, the county seat, is located near the center of the county, and near the Farmville and Powhatan railroad, eleven miles from Dorset station on the Southern railway, ten miles from Michaux ferry on James river, and eight miles from Rock Castle depot, C. & 0. R. R. It is a small country village of about 125 inhabitants, and has a saw and grist mill, and wood working factory. PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY. This county Avas formed in 1753 from Amelia, and is situated in the south-central part of the State, sixty miles soutlnvest from Richmond. It is twenty-five miles long and about twelve miles Avide, and contains an area of 345 square miles (one-third of which is in cultivation). The surface is rolling; soil, varied; gray loam, red and chocolate loams, or sandy; generally productiA T e, and Avell adapted to the various farm pro- ducts. Tobacco yields from 300 to 1,000 pounds per acre; Avheat, eight to thirty bushels; corn, ten to fifty bushels; oats, ten to fifty bushels; potatoes, fifty to 300 bushels ; and all forage crops, especially the legumes are pro- duced. But tobacco is the most profitable industry — the soil and climate being peculiarly adapated to it. The grasses, clover, timothy, red top, or herd's grass, are also profitably grown. This is not a natural grazing section, save for sheep, and in that particular it ranks well. All the fruits and vegetables common to Virginia do Avell here. 192 Transportation and market facilities are ample, and furnished by the Southern, Norfolk and Western, and Farmville and Powhatan railroads. The minerals are iron, mica, copper, kaolin, coal and building stone; but all, as yet, undeveloped. Timber supply near the railroads has been much culled out, but in the central portion of the county, pine, oak, hickory and poplar are in considerable abundance. Ample water supply is furnished by the Appomattox river in the north- ern part and numerous small streams in the middle and southern portions : these latter affording considerable water power, on which are located several flour and saw mills of large capacity. Climate temperate and exceedingly healthful. Springs abundant and of purest freestone water. Churches of all Protestant denominations are ample for the population. Educational advantages are very superior — with Hampden-Sidney Col- lege, the State Female Normal, and a fine system of public free schools. Mail facilities ample — four daily mails. Telephone service now well or- ganized and very useful. Financial condition of the county is very favorable, and above the average county in the State. Few counties in the State are superior in the requisites for health, wealth and happiness. Intelligent and refined so- ciety, a moral and hospitable people, good lands and good improvements at cheap rates, are strong inducements to the intending settler, a number of whom from the North and West have already availed themselves of the advantages offered, and purchased farms in the neighborhood of Green bay (on the Southern railway), in this county. Population, census of 1900, 15,015. Increase since census of 1890, 351. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 3,156. Farmville, the principal town, and county seat, it situated in the north- ern part of the county, on the Appomattox river, at the junction of the Norfolk and Western, and Farmville and Powhatan railroads. It is a thriving town of 2,471 inhabitants (census of 1900), and a place of con- siderable importance as a tobacco manufacturing center, being the fifth largest in the State, and an educational center. The State Female Normal School is located here, and Hampden-Sidney College, six miles distant, reached by a good macadamized road, both thrifty and popular. The Farmville Lithia Springs are noted for the curative properties of its waters, which are shipped to all parts of this and foreign countries. It has water works, paved streets and electric lights, a high school, several public schools, newspapers, bank, numerous churches and fraternal or- ders, and a business men's association; also a number of tobacco factories, w T ood-working establishments, fertilizer factories, woolen mills, a cannery and mill. Other towns are Prospect and Worsham. PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY. This county was formed in 1702 from Charles City, and is located in the eastern portion of the State, seventeen miles southeast from Richmond, on the south bank of the James river, which separates it from its mother county. It is triangular in fhape, and contains an area of 302 square miles. The surface is generally level. Soil, sandy loam, and clay subsoil, gen- erally thin ; though there are extensive tracts of valuable alluvial lands on the rivers. Farm products are corn, cotton, peanuts, tobacco, wheat, oats, and the grasses, the light warm lands of the southern portion being best adapted to the peanut and cotton industries. The lands are well adapted to apples, 193 pears, peaches, plums, quinces and grapes; and berries, both wild and culti- vated, are abundant. The sections adjacent to the river landings and Peters- burg" are cultivated largely in trucking. Fish are abundant in the in- land ponds, and James and Appomattox rivers; and the marshes furnish water fowl of the choicest varieties. Grazing facilities and the production of improved grasses is considerable, and live stock of all kinds do well. Transportation facilities, supplied by the navigable rivers (the James and Appomattox), and the Norfolk and Western railway, and Atlantic Coast Line, are ample, and convenient to al) parts of the county, affording easy access to the local and the northern and southern markets. Marl of various sorts is abundant, and has been extensively used with good results. Fine white sandstone and valuable clays of several kinds have been developed to some extent. Timbers are pine, poplar, oak, wal- nut, gum, persimmon, and other hard and soft woods, much of which is shipped north. The James and Appomattox rivers and their tributaries on the north, Blaekwater river in the center, and the tributaries of the Nottoway river in the southern portion of the county afford ample water supply, and drainage; and there is fine water power at Falls of Appomattox, as yet undeveloped. Numerous saw, grist and flour mills are located in the county; also cotton gins, peanut factory, brick kilns, etc. Climate is mild and equable, health good and hygienic conditions care- fully guarded. Water is soft, palatable and healthful. Churches of the various denominations are sufficient for the population. Educational advantages (primary and grammar grade) very good. Mail facilities and telephone service ample, the latter consisting of local and long distance service to Norfolk and Richmond. The farmers are improving their lands and becoming more prosperous; the financial condition of the county very good and growing better. Population, census of 1900, 7,752. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 1,839. Prince George Courthouse, the county seat, a small inland village, is located in the northwest central portion of the county and has several churches, a public school, and Masonic lodge. The nearest market is Petersburg, seven miles distant, with which it has daily mail communica- tion. Other towns are City Point and Newville. The former, situated nine miles from Petersburg, at the junction of the James and Appomattox rivers, is a shipping point of considerable importance, with a depth of water at its wharves sufficient for the largest class of vessels, and was used by the Fed- eral government as a base of supplies during the siege of Petersburg. PRINCESS ANNE COUNTY. This county was formed in 1691 from Norfolk county, and lies in the ex- treme southeast corner of the State, 110 miles southeast of Richmond. It contains an area of 285 square miles, one-half under cultivation. The surface is level, soil dark loam, n ar.-hy and sandy in tome sections, — with red clay subsoil, easily tilled and generally productive, especially the swamp lands in Holland, swamp, Eastern Shore swamp and Blaekwater. There are also some fine lands en the herders ef the creeks and inlets. Farm products are corn, oats potatoes, and trucks. The people are very extensively engaged in the latter, and large quanti- ties of vegetables and fruits are annually shipped to the northern markets. For general trucks this is one of the finest sections of the State, especially 13 195 the Pungo district. This county is noted for its fish — notably the catches in Back bay — -and oysters of unequalled quality; and wild fowls of great variety are found in large quantities, the shipments of which produce large revenues to its citizens. Nature has been exceedingly lavish to this county in the bestowal of natural products, not only in large extent, but of superior quality. This is the home of the renowned Lynnhaven oysters and canvass back ducks, and other water fowls; the latter being in such abundance as to make gunning at certain seasons quite a profitable industry. Stock raising is principally restricted to the raising of cows for dairy and family purposes, although many stock cattle are fed. There are two dairies in the county. Consider- able attention is paid also to hogs. Transportation facilities are ample and convenient to all sections of the •county, consisting of Norfolk and Western, and Southern railway through center, with branch extending south; also the Albemarle canal along the southern border, and numerous navigable bays and rivers, besides an ocean front of over twenty miles. These afford very superior market advantages. Virginia Beach, a famous and attractive summer resort on the Atlantic shore, is in this county. It is connected with Norfolk by rail, and largely patronized. The timber consists of pine, cypress, oak, gum, cedar, elm, etc., and is most abundant in the northeast portion of the county. North river running south, and the various sounds, bays and creeks afford ample water supply and drainage. Numerous sawmills are in operation in the county. Barrels, boxes and crates are manufactured; also large quantities of cypress shingles. The climate is temperate, health fairly good, and water fine in most sec- tions. Churches and schools are numerous and conveniently distributed. The county is well supplied with telephone communication, and mail facili- ties are good. Population, census of 1900, 11,192. Increase since census of 1890, 1,682. Princess Anne, the county seat, is a small inland country place, situated uear the center of the county, 118 miles southeast of Richmond, and 18 miles southeast of Norfolk. Near the village is a steam crate and barrel factory. There is also a public school and church. The nearest market is Norfolk. No other towns in the county except Kempsville, a small country village situated on a branch of the Lynnhaven river eight miles south of Norfolk, and Lynnhaven, a new and improving summer resort. With good lands easily tilled, abundant supplies from the waters, cheap and convenient access to market, climate pleasant and salubrious, and a county showing considerable progress in many respects, it would seem that .this is a section where all should be contented and prosperous. PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY. This county was formed in 1730 from Stafford and King George. It is located in the northeast portion of the State, seventy miles air line north from Richmond, and within about 30 miles from Washington, D. C, and extends from the Bull Run mountains on the north to the Potomac river on the south. It contains an area of 353 square miles. The lands of this section are low in price, but under a proper system of cultivation can be made quite productive, and will undoubtedly increase in value and importance, owing to their close proximity to the National Capital. The surface is rolling, soil freestone, and generally good. Some portions of the county contain as fine lands as are to be found anywhere In the State. 196 The principal farm products are corn, wheat, oats, rye, potatoes, live stock, poultry and fruit. Average yield per acre: corn, 40 bushels; wheat, 12 bushels; oats, 20 bushels; rye, 12 bushels; potatoes, 100 bushels; and hay, one and one-fourth tons. In the upper or northern end of the county, there are some fine blue gr ass lands, splendidly adapted to grazing and stock raising; hence cattle and sheep are raised in large numbers for the northern markets, and horses of all breeds, from draught horses to hunters and racers. Fiui s of a'l kinds succeed well, and their culture is receiving increased attention. Grapes have been found to do well and quite a large acreage is devoted to the vine in different sections. Dairy products pay well, there being special facilities afforded by the Southern railway for placing the milk from stations in this section on the Washington market. Poultry raising has increased largely during the past few years, and is a profitable industry; in fact, the production of any food supplies for the Washington market brings good returns. Railroad facilities are excellent, and. are furnished by the main line of the Southern railway, which passes through the center of the county from northeast to southwest, and its Manassas division, extending north- west to its connection with the B. &. O railway at Strasburg; while the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac railway extends through the south- east portion, and on a line with the Potomac river. The principal rail- way stations in 11 to county, other than Manassas, are Wellington, Gains ville, Hay Market, and Thoroughfare, on the Manassas branch; Bristow and Nokesville on the main line of the Southern, and Occoquan and Quan- tico on the R. K t\ P. railway. These places, while but small villages, are the concentrating points for considerable amounts of produce, and, dur- ing the summer season, the country places tributary to them are popular resorts for city visitors. The Potomac river, on its southeast border, furnishes water transporta- tion to that section and fine fishing shores. Minerals are gold, copper, barytes, slate, soapstone, hrownstone, limestone, marble and coal, but un- developed except brownstone and slate, which are being sue e s fully worked. Timbers are pine, oak, hickory, chestnut and cedar. The county is well watered by the Potomac, the Occoquan and Bull Ru • rivers, and these streams also afford considerable water power. Its manufacturing enter- prises are flouring mills, spoke factory, ppnirg and f aw mills, larytes mines (employing about 100 hands), and a garbage faitory lo ated at Cherry Hill. Climate is mild, beiuc. free from high and low tempera' im\;. Health is excellent. Water, freestone, from springs and well?. Church buildings are good and all the principal denominations represented. Edu- cational advantages consist of Catholic Institute, Manassas Institute, a good system of public free schools and an industrial school for colored youths. Telephone service embraces local lines and Bell and Southern long distance. Mail facilities ample and extending to all se?tions. Public roads are well located and in good condition. This county has greatly improved agriculturally within the past fifteen years, and the financial condition of her farmers is better than at any period since the war. Many norther 1 , western and English families have located in the county, cleared up and put under cultivation large tracts of waste lands and ere. ted theiv- on substantial improvements. Population of the county, census of 1900, 11,112. Increase since census of 1890, 1,307. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 2,796. Manassas, the county seat, is situated at the junction of the main line of the Southern railway with the branch that extends westward through the 197 Shenandoah valley. It is 33 miles southwest of Washington and is a trad- ing center for a productive populous section of the county. It has a popu- lation, census of 1900, of 817, which is an increase of 287 since last cen- sus. Among its industries are a spoke factory, two lumber mills, cigar factory, and confectionery factory; also near the town is a brownstone quarry. There are numerous churches and public and private schools, a bank, newspaper, female college, fraternal orders and a large number of business houses. There are many fine residences both at Man- assas and in the surrounding country, which is very picturesque and at- tractive. Quite a number of people from the North have located in this section within the past few years. Only a few miles di-tant from Manassas is the Bull Run battlefield, on which was fought two of the fiercest battles of the Civil War. Other towns of the county are Occoquan, population, 297; Dumfries, population, 160; and Brentsville and Potomac. PULASKI COUNTY. This county was formed in 1839 from Montgomery and Wythe, and named in honor of Count Pulaski, a hero of the Revolution. It is situated in the great Southwest valley, 200 miles air line southwest from Richmond. It is 23 miles long from north to south, 18 miles wide from east to west, and contains an area of 338 square miles, one-half under cultivation. Sur- face level and rolling and in some parts mountainous. The soil is rich and very productive. Wheat and corn are the staple grain crops, the average yield of which is 15 to 25 bushels of wheat per acre, and from 35 to 50 bushels of ccrn per acre; also oats, rye and millet are grown to a considerable extent. The soil is well adapted to the artificial grasses, and immense quantities of fine hay are annually produced; but the greatest agricultural wealth of this county consists in its splendid grazing facilities, being the natural home of what is termed the Kentucky blue grass. It is unsurpassed in this respect by any county in the State for the territory embraced. The quality of cattle produced is very fine — equal to any in the United States — and the annual shipments are very large, the great proportion being sold for export to the English markets, and that sold in the Baltimore markets conceded to be unsurpassed and commanding top prices. Much at- tention is paid by the leading agriculturists of the county to the intro- duction of superior breeds of cattle; also of horses, sheep and hogs, of which they make fine exhibits at their annual county fair. Large numbers of fine riding and driving horses are found in this county, and the lamb and wool product is very extensive. All the fruits of this latitude, such as apples, peaches, pears, plums, quinces and the smaller fruits, grow to great perfection here, and this industry is growing very rapidly in interest and importance. The dairy products and early vegetables fir.d a ready market at the home towns, and are a source of considerable revenue to the people. Other market advantages are the numerous furnaces and mines of the county that take a large proportion of the farmers' surplus and at good prices. This county is well supplied with transportation facilities. The Norfolk and Western railroad (the great through line of railway from the Atlantic seaboard to the south and east) passes through the heart of the county from east to west with two important branches — one, the New River division, which passes through the eastern portion of the county and extends to the Pocahontas, Flat Top and other coal fields; and the other, the Crip- ple Creek division, which leaves the main line at Pulaski City and extends 199 up New river, opening up the rich mineral section of the Cripple creek valleys. There are also short lines of railway extending to the Altoona and Tyler Brush Mountain coal mines, eight and five mjles in length, respectively. Noted as this county is for its great agricultural resources, it is no less so for its mineral wealth. Though small in the extent of its territory in com- parison with the other counties of this section, Pulaski is making a wide and favorable reputation in this respect — its mineral development in the past few years probably equalling any county of the Stite. Within its boundaries are found iron and coal in extensive deposits; also zinc, lead, manganese, mill stone, grindstone, and whetstone rock of superior quality, and fine building stone, both in the limes and sandstone, the latter unex- celled in quantity and quality. Timbers are oak, pine, poplar, locust, walnut and hickory, though all kinds of timber common to Virginia forests is plentiful. The county is well watered by New river (which skirts its souta- ern and northeastern boundaries) and Little river, and their tributaries. Among the latter Back creek, Peak creek, Big and Little Reed Island creeks and Laurel are the most important. These streams are well adapted to fish, the celebrated New River catfish being plentiful in that stream, and other streams well stocked with black bass and many other choice varieties. They are also capable of supplying a great deal of valuable water power for mills and manufacturing purposes. Pulaski occupies a prominent, if not the leading, position among her sister countips in manufactories. Several large iron furnaces are located in this county, and are now, and through all the recent years of depression in the iron trade have been in constant and successful operation. Here are also a system of zinc furnaces (12 in number) and the largest in the world, reducing the zinc ores of the New river basin to metallic zinc, or spelter, as it is called, which is recognized as the standard in the United States, as it is in a number of European countries for alloy in its silver mintage. Other public works are a half dozen or more large roller flouring mills, many grist mills, and sawmills, and a splendidly equipped foundry, making various kinds of machinery and fixtures for mills, furnaces, etc. The climate is dry, invigorating and comparatively mild. The elevation being between 1,800 and 2,000 feet above sea level, the atmosphere is pure and free from malaria, rendering it exceedingly healthful. Water — very fine, principally limestone, though freestone water is found in some sections. Splendid churches of all the Protestant denominations, with good mem- bership, Presbyterian and Methodist predominating. Educatioral advan- tages are good, with the public schools in a flourishing condition, fine graded schools at several points in the county and good school buildings. Local telephone service excellent throughout the county, and long distance service through the Virginia and Tennessee Telephone Company, to points east and west. Mail facilities are satisfactory with five daily mails to Pulaski (the county seat), and a daily mail at nearly every other post- office in the county. The financial condition of the county is excellent, and public roads good. There are several mineral springs containing alum, lithia, and iron, the most noted of which is Hunter's Alum Springs near Little Walker's creek, eight and a half miles from Pulaski City, which has had a growing reputa- tion among the sick, dating back 50 years; and under the new manage- ment, and substantial improvements, it starts out well the present year. Population of county, census of 1900, 14,609. Increase since census of 1890, 1,819. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 3,369. Pulaski, the chief town and county seat, is located in the western part of the county on the Norfolk and Western railrcad 316 miles from Norfolk. 200 and 92 miles from Bristol, and is the terminus of the Cripple Creek rail- road, extending into the noted iron and zinc ore fields of that section and of the Altoona railroad extending to near by coal fields on the north, it is a beautiful and flourishing town of 2,813 inhabitants (census of 1900), and shows an increase of 701 since last census. It is extensively engaged in manufactories, having 12 zinc furnaces in one plant in active operation, and two large iron furnaces which have been running continuously since they were put in blast, ten or twelve years ago, except when out for re- pairs. Other manufactories are a large roller flour mill, foundry, and large wood-working manufactory. These operations, especially the iron and zinc furnaces, employ a large number of laborers, many of them skilled work- men at good wages. No town in Virginia is more favorably located for manufacturing purposes on a large scale. Pulaski boasts of one of the finest court houses and hotels in the State; also a number of handsome business houses and residences, many of them built of stone from the sand- stone quarries near by. The public schools of the city are good and well patronized, with handsome buildings, well equipped. There are also several excellent private schools. Churches are numerous, with good buildings — six white, embracing Baptist, Christian, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist and Presbyterian, and three colored churches — two Baptist and one African Methodist. Recent additions are the Pulaski opera house, a wholesale grocery, and a large carriage and machinery building. The Crabtree Min- eral Springs near by are improved and popular. Other enterprises are a newspaper, two banks doing a large business, and several fraternal orders. Other towns are Newbury, Churchwood, New River, Dublin, Snowville, and Allisonia. Some of these towns have manufacturing enterprises, and all have considerable population and are of business importance. RAPPAHANNOCK COUNTY. This county was formed in 1831 from Culpeper, and is located in the northern portion of the State, 100 miles northwest from Richmond, and con- tains an area of 264 square miles — 850 farms, average size farms 195 acres. Average price improved farm lands $10 per acre. Average assessed value of lands $6.75 per acre. The surface is undulating, soil generally fertile and produces fine crops of corn, wheat, oats, tobacco, rye and buckwheat. The soil and climate are especially adapted to the growth of fruit, and all kinds succead well There are large areas of fine grazing lands in the county, and fat cat- tle, sheep and hogs, in large numbers are annually shipped to the eastern markets. Kaolin and iron have bee i found, but as yet are undeveloped. Timbers are oak, chestnut, pine, hickory, poplar and walnut, and are of good quality and of considerable quantity, especially along the line of the Blue Ridge mountains. Owing to inconvenient transportation facilities, very little timber is shipped from the county, but is manufactured into lumber by the numerous sawmills in operation. The mountain sections furnish large quantities of tan bark for market and local tanneries. The county is well watered by the head waters of the Rappahannock river, which also affords most excellent water power. In climate, health and water it is everything that could be desired. Society is excellent, and all sections of the county well supplied with churches and schools. Mail facilities are ample, and as transportation of the products of the county is wholly by wagons, considerable attention is paid to the turnpike, and other public roads, which are kept in better con- dition than most counties with as broken surface; and although without 201 railroad facilities, this fine county offers great inducements to settlers on its fertile lands, and the grazing is practically convenient to the Baltimore, Washington and Georgetown markets. Population of county, census of 1900, 8,843. Increase since last census, 165. Number of males twenty-one years and over, 2. 003. Washington, the county seat, is located near the center of the county, 26 miles from Culpeper on the Southern railway, and 18 miles from Kimball on the Norfolk and Western road, with which place it. has daily mail com- munication. Population, census of 1900, 300. Increase since last census. 48. Other towns are Flint Hill, Woodville, and Sperryville. At the lat- ter place there is a large tannery and many shops for the smaller mechani- cal industries. RICHMOND COUNTY. This county was formed in 1692 from old Rappahannock. It is situated 50 miles northeast from Richmond in the section known as the Northern Neck. It is thirty miles long by about seven miles in width and contains an area of 188 square miles, one-third in cultivation. Average price im- proved farm lands $11 per acre. Average assessed value $5.50 per acre. Surface undulating; soil a sandy loam with clay subsoil and very fertile on the low grounds. Farms products are wheat, corn, rye, oats, peas, potatoes, fruits, and vegetables and grasses of various kinds. Trucking is of con- siderable importance and largely on the increase. The most important and profitable products of the the county are the fish and oysters, in which its streams abound in large quantities and of superior quality. Game is abundant and water fowl of choice varieties. Grazing facilities are fairly good. The usual farm stock — horses, cattle, hogs and sheep — are grown; the latter especially are found to be quite profitable. There are no railroads, but water navigation is convenient via the Rappa- hannock river and inlets, the former being navigable for large vessels. Market advantages are excellent by a daily line of steamers to Baltimore, Fredericksburg and Norfolk. Marl is found in large quantities and is u=e;l with good effect on the lands. Timbers consist of oak, hickory, chestnut, gum, ash, maple, pine, dogwood and elm, the pine and oak being converted into lumber by the numerous sawmills in operation in the county. Rappahannock river and numerous creeks afford ample water supply. There are berry and vegetable canneries and a barrel manufactory for truck and oyster bar- rels. The climate is mild, health and water good, churches convenient; and educational advantages consist of Farnham Academy and numerous public schools. Telephone service and mail facilities ample, and public roads kept in good repair. This county shows ccn iderble vrogress ^nd its people are prosperous and contented. There is much to recommend it to home seekers in its mild climate, fertile soil — easy cf cultivation — cheap and abundant living and convenient access to market. Population, census of 1900, 7,088. Number of males 21 years and over, 1,585. Warsaw, the county seat, is an inland country village, situated near the center of the county, six miles from the river, and contains a population of about 150, one public school, newspaper, fraternal order, and several churches. 203 ROANOKE COUNTY. This county, formed frorn Botetourt in 1838, is situated west of the Blue- Ridge mountains in the famous Roanoke valley, 175 miles almost due west from Richmond. It is 20 miles long and about 15 miles wide and contains- an area of 297 square miles. Altitude at Salem 1,006 feet. The surface is undulating, being divided into valleys and mountains, the latter princi- pally on its boundaries. Soil alluvial, clay loam and limestone, very fertile, especially the valleys. This is a splendid agricultural county, producing large crops of all the staple products — wheat, corn, oats, rye, hay, etc., This county has, in. recent years, made great progress in fruit culture, all varieties of which known to this climate do well; such as apples, pears, peaches, plums, cherries, apricots, grapes and the smaller fruits. Vege- tables also are grown to great extent and perfection, which, together with peaches, berries, etc., are put up in large quantities by the various can- ning establishment located in the county, and Botetourt county adjacent. The apple culture, especially, has created much interest in the county, and it is coming to be one of the foremost apple growing counties in the State, containing some of the largest orchards in the United States. Large ship- ments af apples are annually made to the markets of Europe direct from the orchards, yielding to the grower from $5,000 to $15,000 for the year's crop. Trucking is quite an important industry, and Roanoke City and the coal fields furnish excellent markets for this and other farm products. Grazing facilities in this county, in common with all others in this sec- tion of the State, are superior, especially in the blue grass section in the northern part. Cattle and sheep are raised extensively, and have direct and quick transportation via Shenandoah Valley railroad to the large markets, besides supplying the local demand in Roanoke and Salem. Most excellent transportation facilities are furnished by the different lines of the Norfolk and Western system traversing the country which i elude the main line east and west — the Shenandoah valley division leading northeast to the great cities of that section, and the Roanoke & Southern south through the tobacco counties of southern Piedmont and into North Carolina. The minerals of the county are iron, manganese, barytes, marble, slate and limestone, the most valuable and important of which are its iron ores, mag- netic and hematite, which are in great abundance, and of superior quality, and are being extensively developed and worked. There are several mineral springs in the county, of high reputation for their medicinal properties, the most important of which are the celebrated Roanoke Red Sulphur Springs, peculiarly adapted to consumptives. The most valuable varieties of timber are Avalnut, poplar, oak, chestnut, pine and hickory. The county is watered and drained principally by the Roanoke river and its numerous tributaries passing through the center of the county and flowing southeast, and to some extent by tributaries of the James running north. These streams furnish some very fine water powers, and are good fishing streams for bass and other varieties. Trout are also found in the mountain streams. Manufactories consist of flour mills and sawmills, roller mill supplies, Avoolen mills, steam tannery, a ferti- lizer mill, foundry, and a number of canneries. The climate is an average temperature, health excellent, water very fine. Churches are numerous, and include all the principal evangelical denominations. Educational advantages are very superior. In addition to its excellent public school system, there are male and female colleges of a high order, notably Roa- noke College located at Salem, and Hollins Institute located six mile* from the city of Roanoke in a most beautiful and picturesque section. Situ- ated 1,200 feet above sea level, its climate is salubrious at all seasons and it enjoys the further advantage of having exce]lent sulphur water on the "rounds. This school is conducted exclusively in the interest of the higher education of young ladies, and is thoroughly equipped at a cost of over $150,000. The mail facilities and telephone service of the county are ex- cellent, and good county roads, including a splendid macadamized road, extend through the whole length of the county. The comity is free from debt, and people are prosperous, and progress and advancement are apparent everywhere. Population of county (independent of Roanoke City), census of 1900, 15,83.7. Increase (independent of Roanoke City) since census of 1890, 1,895. The above is a good exhibit of growth in population, as part of the county has been annexed to Roanoke City since last census, and the popula- tion thereof included with that city in the recent census. Salem, the county seat, is situated near the center of the county, in the beautiful Roanoke valley through which flows Roanoke river, and around which rise the Blue Ridge and Alleghany mountains. Lying 1,100 feet abo.e the sea, it is deservedly noted for its salubrious and healthful climate, and is surpassed by no town in the State for beauty of situation, and the wide expanse, fertility and picturesque scenery of the surrounding coun- try. It lies on the main line of the Norfolk & Western railroad, and is connected by an electric railway line with Roanoke, six miles distant. The streets are well paved and macadamized. The water is of exceptio :a! abundance and quality, being supplied !y se/er 1 large springs owned by the town. Salem is noted not only for the intelligence and refinement, but also for the high moral and religions tone of its population. Its elwen churches are well attended, represented by the Methodist, Presbyter an, Lutheran. Baptist, Episcopal and Catholic. Its educational advantages are of a very high order, it being the seat of Roanoke College, an institution for the education of males, widely known and justly celebrated as one of the lead- ing colleges of the State; during its existence of a half a century, having at- tracted students from almost half the States of the Union, and several for- eign countries. The college buildings are spacious, imposing brick struc- tures: the grounds attractive with beautiful green sward and luxuriant growth of forest ar.d ornamental trees. Its able corps of instructors, laboratory, extensive library, location, and excellent moral and religious influence of the community, render it a most desirable schcol for the young men of our State. Other schools are the Salem Female Seminary, the Baptist Orphanage and the Lutheran Orphanage. These are compara- tively young but growing institutions, in numbers and reputation. The graded schools (white and colored) rank among the first cf the State for efficiency and good management. The town is supplied with excellent hotels, and three strong banks, two newspapers, and fraternal orders. There are a number of flourishing i dustries and enterprises at Salem, some of them very extensive, affording employment to considerable expert labor. The most prominent are the machine works, steam tannery, woolen mills, carriage and w?gon works, brick works, roller flour mills, and ice factory. The population of Salem, census of "890, was 3,412, and by the local- school census of 1905, it is over 5.000. ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY. This county was formed from Augusta and Botetourt in 1778, and named from its great natural curiosity, the Natural Bridge. This is cne of the great valley counties lying between the Blue Ridge and Alleghany mountains, 159 miles due west from Richmond. It is 31 miles in length and 22 in width, and contains 593 square miles (about three-fourths in cultivation). Average size farms 185 acres. Average price of im- proved farm lands $20.00 per acre. Average assessed value $12.00 per- 206 ^acre. Farming lands have recently increased very much in value — many farms exchanging hands at $50 per acre, and it is not an unheard of thing for farms to sell at $150 per acre. The surface is rolling, and in parts mountainous, especially on the east- •ern and western borders. The soil is chiefly limestone, very fertile and highly improved, especially in the central portion of the county. Like all the valley counties, this is a rich agricultural, and pastoral county, producing fine crops of grain and all the cultivated grasses. Fruits of all kinds do Avell, and farm dairying, and poultry raising are sources of con- siderable profit. This county has some very fine grazing lands, which ren- der stock raising profitable and the chief farm industry. Transportation facilities are very superior, embracing the Chesapeake and Ohio (and its branches), the Baltimore ar.d Ohio, and Shenandoah Valley railroads. The mineral resources of this county are very extensive and constitute one «of its greatest sources of wealth and importance. Its various mineral deposits include iron ore, in large quantity and exceptionally fine quality, tin ore, manganese, barytes, kaolin, gypsum, marble of superior quality. and limestone, from which is produced a superior hydraulic cement which has a high reputation and large demand. Several of these have been developed and are being successfully worked. The mineral waters of this • county are numerous and of wide celebrity, embracing the Rockbridge Alum, Jordan Alum, Cold Sulphur, Wilson's White Sulphur and Rock- bridge Baths — all places of popular resort for health and pleasure. The scenery in many portions of Rockbridge is very grand and pictur- esque, and the county contains several points of great interest to the traveler and pleasure seeker, among which the most noted is the Natural Bridge, a natural rock arch 215 feet high and 100 feet wide, spanning Cedar creek, a small mountain stream 90 feet. It is famous as being one of the greatest natural curiosities in the world, of which Marshall said: "It is one of God's greatest miracles in stone." Clay spoke of it as "the bridge not made with hands that spans a river, carries a highway, and makes two mountains one." Other interesting points are Balcony Falls on the James, and Goshen Pass on North river. Timber is abundant, of which the principal and most valuable species arc oak, pine, poplar, walnut, hickory, and chestnut. This county is abund- antly watered by James river through its southern border, North river in the central portion, and by their numerous tributaries. They also afford excellent water power (some of which is utilized) and good supplies of fish, especially of bass in the James. The most important manufactories of the county are its large iron furnaces and cement works, both of which are extensively and successfully operated. There are also numerous grain and saw mills. The climate is somewhat variable, though very healthful and invigorating and water excellent. Churches are numerous, also educational advantages of a high order. Telephone service and mail facilities afford ample communication to all sections. This county is not only one of the largest, but ranks as among the most populous and flourishing in the State, and great impetus has been given to its advancement the past few years by a large influx of capital and enterprise which is shown in the growth of its towns and manufacturing plants. Population of county, census of 1900, 21,799. Number of males 21 years and over, 5,135. Lexington, the county seat, is situated on North river, near the center of the county, surrounded by a beautiful and fertile country. It is an active thriving little city of 3,203 inhabitants (census of 1900). It has excellent railroad facilities, being located on the Chesapeake & Ohio and 207 the Valley division of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. It is lighted by •electricity and has water works that furnish an ample supply of water unsurpassed in quality. It has well paved streets, large public schools and school buildings, numerous private schools, beautiful churches (no- tably Grace Memorial Church, Episcopal, which was erected in memory of General Robert E. Lee), three banks of large capital; also two newspa- pers, several fraternal orders, a successful wholesale grocery, large flouring mill and wood working plant. But perhaps Lexington's most notable fea- ture and of which she is justly proud are its two famous institutions of learning, the Virginia Military Institute and Washington and Lee Univer- sity — the former a State institution founded in 1839 and controlled by a Board of Visitors appointed by the Governor; the latter chartered in 1782 as Liberty Hall Academy, first endowed by Washington, and later re- ceiving the added lustre of the name of Robert E. Lee, its president for six years after the war. It is now a handsomely endowed, splendidly equipped and extensively patronized university. Lexington is also noted as the home of Stonewall Jackson before the war, and of Robert E. Lee -after the war, and is the burial place of both. Buena Vista is a new city of large manufacturing importance, beauti- fully situated on North river and has a population of 2,388, census of 1900 which is an increase of 1,344 since census of 1890. Number of males 21 years and over, 604. It has two railroads — the Shenandoah Valley branch of the Norfolk and Western, and the James River and Lexington branch of the Chesapeake and Ohio; also several good hotels, handsome churches, fine public school buildings, private schools, a beautiful city hall and courthouse, good water supply system, and electric plant. Other important towns are Glasgow, Goshen, Collierstown, Brownsburg, and Balcony Falls. ROCKINGHAM COUNTY. This county was formed from Augusta in the year 1778 — 128 years age — and is almost as old as the Federal government, and lies west of the Blue Ridge mountains in the Shenandoah valley, about 130 miles northwest from Richmond. It borders on the State of West Virginia on the northwest, from which it is separated by the North or Shenandoah mountains. It •contains an area of 870 square miles. : The surface is rolling and mountainous on the southeast and northwest borders. The greater portion is valuable farm land and in cultivation, very fertile, and as a grain-producing county it has no peer. In the prediction of wheat, and average yield per acre, it ranks probably as high an any county in the State. Its best farms have produced as high as 45 bushels per acre aud 25 bushels is considered a fair average. Its yield of corn, oats, rye and barley are in like proportion — the latter embracing nearly half the product of the State. Not only is this a notably fine grain producing county, but it is peculiarly a grass and stock section, and this is perhaps the principal source of its great prosperity. Hay is grown in great abundance, and being a natural blue grass soil large numbers of choice cattle, horses, sheep, and hogs are annually shipped from this ccunty to the northern markets. Some of Virginia's finest horses are reared in this county, and it is considered one of the largest and best horse markets in the State, having regular sale days at Harrison>uir?-, at whi^h t'^e sa'e- have been known to aggregate in one day $25,000 to $30,000, principally to northern buyers, and at an average price of $100 per head. Fruits of all kinds do well. No section of the State is better adapted t this industry, and it is receiving increased attention. Railroad facilities 209 are excellent Avith two main lines (the Baltimore and Ohio and Shenandoah Valley railroads ) extending through the county from north to south, and these connected by a cross line, affording ample facilities for marketing the large quantity of grain and other products, and the vast number of cattle, horses, sheep, and hogs annually shipped to the markets. The extension of the C. & W. will, in the early future, bring this county in direct com- munication with the coal region of the west, and Richmond in the east. This county has also great possibilities in the way of undeveloped mineral resources. It has iron, manganese, copper, coal, lead, ochre, marble of several varieties, and limestone abundant in every section. Mineral waters of great virtue are found, the most celebrated being Rawley Springs, eleven miles from Harrisonburg. Much of the original growth of timber has been culled out, but there still exists a considerable quantity, especially in the mountain region, such as oak, chestnut, pine, poplar, cedar, etc. The county contains a number of rivers and creeks. Of the former the principal streams are the Shenandoah, North and South rivers, and it is thus well watered, and supplied with power for milling and manufacturing purposes. Manufactories are numerous and important, embracing more than 30 roller mills with a capacity of 50 to 175 barrels flour each per day. A large number of sawmills, several large tanneries, woolen mills, fertilizer plant, furniture factory, agricultural implement factories, plaster mill, foundries and furnaces, canning establishments, and creamery and cheese plants. The climate is exceedingly healthful and invigorating — cooler in summer and winter than the eastern section of the State, and warmer than the mountains. Malarial diseases are entirely unknown. Water excellent and principally limestone. Churches are numerous and convenient, all Protestant denominations having houses of worship throughout the county. The public schools of the county rank very high, having been pronounced by the United States Commissioner of Education (Harris) the best in the State. Telephone service is cheap and efficient, extending over this and adjoining counties, and it is claimed that Rockingham has more rural telephones than any county in the United States. Mail facilities are of the best, ten rural free delivery routes having been established in this county, reaching almost every section of it and making it the banner county of the State in this respect. This is a very progressive county in the improvement of its highways, good buildings, and general appearance of thrift and prosperity. Finan- cial condition of county and people is excellent. Wealth is probably more evenly distributed than any other county of the State. Of the $1,000,000 on deposit in the banks, the greater part belong to the farmers of the oounty, and all the money wanted can be gotten from the banks at 5 per cent. Its roads are among the best in Virginia, and furnish good and con- venient highways to the various markets throughout the county. Its peo- ple are law-abiding, conservative, hospitable and progressive. Population of county, census of 1900. 33,527. Increase since census of 1890, 2,228. Number of males 21 years and over, 8,045. Harrisonburg, the county seat, is located in the central part of the county, in a rich, prosperous and progressive section 122 miles northwest from Richmond, 25 miles from Staunton, and 40 miles from Charlottes- ville. It is situated on the Southern and the Valley railroads, and has a population of 3,521, which is an increase of 729 since last census. It is a nourishing town rapidly growing in commercial importance, as is at- tested by the number of enterprises recently established, such as the Rock- ingham Creamery Company, with six skimming stations in the county using 4,000 pounds milk daily, and making 150 pounds butter and the same 14 210 quantity of cheese. This enterprise is growing rapidly and has a capac- ity of 1,000 pounds of butter daily. The Rockingham Horse and Colt Show Association have built a new track at considerable cost, and it is claimed to have no superior in the State. This association is doing a good work in encouraging stock raising in this section. An evaporating plant has recently been established here which handles a large quantity of apples and does a profitable business. A new tobacco factory of large capital is doing a thriving business in the manufacture of cigars. Die city recently put in a new sewerage system, and other municipal improve- ments have been inaugurated. Many business and dwelling houses have been erected, and others enlarged and remodeled. An annex to the school building has been constructed with all modern improvements. The county courthouse and other public buildings are among the finest in the State. Other and older enterprises are a steam tannery, turning out 100 sides of leather daily. Planing mills, ice factory, carriage factory, flouring mills — producing 150 barrels per day — several graded public schools, four newspapers, two banks, a large number of churches, several fraternal orders, electric lights and a superior water works system, both owned by the town. Other towns are Bridgewater, population 800; Broadway, population 400; Dayton, population 425; Singer Glen, population 108; Timberville, population 173; also Mount Crawford, McG-aheysville, Dovesville, Keezel- town, Mount Clinton, Linville, and Port Republic. As Rockingham ranks high among the counties of the State in point of area, so it claims a place near the head of the list in wealth, industry, and progress. Thirty-five years ago, owing to the ravages of war, it lay almost a barren waste; today, instead of lands and property devastated, plenty smiles on every hand, and but for the monuments of her heroes a^d his- tory, no one would ever dream when surveying its broad acres of waving grain and grass that it had ever undergone the devastating influence of war. At the close of that war its citizens were improverished, its finances depleted and there was a gloomy prospect for the future; but with that energy characteristic of her people, houses and barns soon again dotted the landscape; fields were fenced and planted, and since that time Roaking- ham has been taking a leading part in every line of material advancement. To the enterprising farmer, one who farms on a business basis, this county offers rare advantages; indeed, among the counties of the State none offer greater inducements to the prospective resident. RUSSELL COUNTY. This county was formd in 1786 from Washington. It is situated in the southwestern portion of the State, 370 miles southwest from Richmond, and bounded north by Buchanan and Dickenson, from which it is separated by a mountain range known as Sandy Ridge, south by Washington (Clinch mountain forming the dividing line), west by Scott and Wise, and east by Tazewell county. This is a large county, being 40 miles long from cast to west, and 20 miles wide from north to south, containing an area of 503 square miles — 370,153 acres; 1,579 farms, average size farms 185 acres; unimproved lands $8.00 to $12.00 per acre; improved lands $15.00 to $50.00 per acre; average assessed value $5.00 per acre; about three-quarters of area in cultivation. The surface to a considerable extent is broken. There are some very fertile sections in the valleys and along the streams, producing fine crops of grain and grass far exceeding the average in most of the counties of the State. Especially is it noted for its extensive area of fine blue grass land-, upon which are raised large numbers of fine cattle that are annually shipped out to supply the export market. 211 The principal farm product are wheat, corn, oats, hay, rye and potatoes, that find a ready and remunerative market in the coal mining region near by. Fruits of all kinds common to this latitude do well, especially apples, peaches, grapes, etc. Fish, such as black bass, cat and red-eye, abound in large quantities in the Clinch and its tributaries. The grazing and feeding, not only of cattle but of horses, sheep and hogs, is extensively carried on, and the quality and breeding is exceptionally fine. Stock raising, especi- ally of cattle, is the principal industry of the county. The numbers of cat- tle* annually sold from the county is from 10,000 to 12,000 head, of which about 3,000 are shipped to European markets. Of sheap there are about 10,000, and horses and mules about 5,000. Railroad facilities are furnished by the Clinch Valley division of the Norfolk & Western railroad, which traverses the county from east to west. The minerals of this county are extensive and valuable, embracing iron ore (red and brown hematite), manganese, coal, lead, zinc, salt, sandstone, limestone, marble and barytes. Timber is abundant and of the most valu- able varieties, such as walnut, poplar, cherry, locust, chestnut, white and chestnut oak, lynn, sugar and hemlock, in its primitive size and beauty. This county is well watered mainly by Clinch river and its tributaries, in the northern portion, and Moccasin creek, a branch of the Holston, in the southwest section. These streams and their tributary creeks afford numerous valuable water powers, reliable throughout the year, upon which are situated man grain and saw mills. Beautiful river scenery and fine landscapes are presented to the eye on every hand. Notably of the latter is Elk Garden, Rosedale and other sections with their splendid grass lands limited by the high mountains and threaded by constant streams, flowing from bold springs; not only filling up the measure of the beautiful, but carrying conviction of the great wealth and fertility of this section. This elevated mountain section is noted for its healthful and bracing climate and splendid water. Churches are numerous, and educational advantages consist of the public school system in a flourishing condition, private schools, and a young ladies' institute. Lebanon, the county seat, has a population of about 300, and is situated near the center of the county a short distance from Cedar creek, and six miles from Cleveland, a station on the Clinch valley division of the Norfolk and Western railroad, with which it has daily mail communication. It is healthfully located, and contains churches of different denominations, a female college, newspaper, fraternal orders, hotels, stores, etc. Other towns are Hansonville, in the southwest side of the county on Moc- casin creek, a handsome little village with mill, stores, etc. Honakersville on Lewis creek, on the north side of the county — also Dickensonville and other places in the county, such as Honaker, Rosedale, Castlewood and Elk Garden, are convenient places of trade for the surrounding county. The Clinchfield Coal Company has a valuable plant at Dante, which has a capacity of 1,000 tons daily. The population of Dante is about 2,500, and it is by far the largest place in the county. Total population of county, census of 1900, 18,031. Increase since census •of 1890, 1,905. Number of males 21 years and over, 4,002. SCOTT COUNTY. This county was formed in 1814 from Washington, Russell and Lee, and is situated in the extreme southwest portion of the State, 350 miles south- west from Richmond, its southern boundary being the State of Tennes- see. It has a population, census of 1900, of 22,694, which is an increase of 1,000 since last census, and 4,927 males 21 years old and over. It con- tains an area of 535 square miles, two-thirds of which is in cultivation. The 212 surface is rather mountainous and hilly, although there are some fine farm- ing and blue grass lands along Clinch river, which flows through the county from northeast to southwest, and on Holston river in the southern part; and also a large amount of land in other sections, while not so smooth is quite productive, yielding good crops of wheat, corn, rye, oats and buck- wheat, especially the two former. It is especially noted for its large pro- duction of sorghum and maple sugar, also butter and other dairy products. There is a considerable area devoted to the cultivation of fruit, such as apples, peaches, pears, plums, cherries, and some grapes. Grazing facilities are good and stock raising is an important and profit- able industry, large numbers of cattle, sheep, horses and mules, of good grade, being marketed every year, and bringing into the county consider- able revenue. Transportation facilities are furnished by the Virginia and Southwestern railroad extending from Bristol and passing through the county to Big Stone Gap in Wise, and there connecting with the L. & iST. system. This road gives a most excellent market in the coal fields of Wise for the pro- ducts of the county. A new road, the South and Western, passing directly through the county, is now building. This county is very rich in minerals, having an abundance of iron ore (red and brown hematite), manganese, lead, coal, marble of various kinds and of superior quality, barytes. fire- clay and limestone in abundance. Some of these have been developed and mined to some extent. Salt is also known to exist in the southeast corner of the county but to what extent, is as yet undeveloped. There are several sulphur and chalybeate springs of known efficacy and reputation, the most important of which are the Holston Springs on Holston river and Hagan's Springs on Stanton creek in the northern part of the county. Considerable areas abound in valuable timber, such as walnut, oak of the various varieties, pine, ash, cedar, lind, hickory, birch, sycamore, elm, etc. The county is well waterd by Clinch river and the north fork of the Holston and their tributaries, and these streams afford unlimited water power for mills and manufacturing purposes. Manufactories consist of a large number of grain and saw mills; also several bark mills and wood cording machines. A great natural curiosity and one of the most wonderful in America is the great Natural Tunnel over 900 feet long, twelve miles west of Gate City, the county seat on Stock creek and on the Virginia and Southwestern railroad, both of which pass through it, the only place on record where a railroad can go through a mountain opened by the hand of God. There can be no scenery more grand and imposing than that afforded by the approach to the tunnel on the lower side. An immense Avail of limestone rock forms a high butting cliff for several hundred yards below, which has been colored in the course of time in beautiful tints of red and gray and brown by the waters car- rying down its face different solutions of lime, iron and magnesia. It is situated about 1,400 feet above sea level, and when it becomes generally known to the tourist its perfectly beautiful and enchanting attractions will draw throngs of visitors. The climate of this county is equable, health uniformly good, and water excellent; large numbers of churches of the various denominations, fine public schools, and one college; good telephone service and mail facilities, Financial condition of the county first class and on a cash basis; and in the matter of progress and general advancement, conditions are highly favorable — as much so as adjoining sections. It has a splendid population of hospitable, industrious and law-abiding people, and with its large unde- veloped resources, it will assume a high position under more favorable con- ditions of transportation. Gate City, the county seat, situated on a branch of the Holston river, and on the Virginia and Southwestern railroad, which 213 extends from Bristol to Big Stone Gap, is an attractive town of about 700 inhabitants, and has a factory, public school, newspaper, two banks and several churches and fraternal orders. Smaller towns are Clinchport, population 183; Duffield, population 98; Nickelsville, population 200; and other places of considerable business im- portance. SHENANDOAH COUNTY. Shenandoah county, formed from Frederick in 1772, was originally called Dunmore, and name changed to Shenandoah in 1777. It lies in the northern part of the State 100 miles northwest from Richmond, and joins West Virginia. It contains an area of 486 square miles. Price of lands $10 to $50 per acre, some of the choicest lands ranging as high as $100 per acre. The surface is rolling and mountainous in some parts, especially the eastern and western sections of the county. About one-half of the area is cleared and cultivated. The soil is mostly disintegrated lime- stone, very strong and durable, and a larger proportion of the county is of the best class of bottom and valley lands of great beauty and fertility. It is also noted for the high state of cultivation which characterizes its im- proved lands, and is justly called, in connection with the other valley coun- ties, the Garden Spot of Old Virginia. This county ranks as among the best grain counties of the State, especial- ly for wheat, which is exported principally in the shape of flour, and has a high reputation; also corn, oats, and rye in large quantities are produced. The next and probably equally important industry of the county is stock raising, considerable attention being paid to the introduction of improved grades of cattle, sheep, horses and hogs, from Kentucky and elsewhere, and this industry is rendered the more profitable on account of the excellent grazing facilities in the blue grass uplands. Railroads are the Southern and Baltimore and Ohio, which afford ample transportation facilities to all sections of the county. Minerals are iron ore, coal, manganese, lead, antimony, marble, lime- stone, marl, and some valuable clays. Some of these are being utilized, and others, as yet, very little developed. Timbers are oak, chestnut, pine, hickory, poplar, walnut, ash, etc., existing in fair quantity. The Shenandoah Alum and Burness White Sulphur Springs and the Ork- ney Springs, especially the latter, are places of much resort for health by pleasure seekers. The north fork of the Shenandoah river traversing the county its entire length, with its tributaries, afford ample water supply and good water power for manufacturing purposes. The climate is tem- perate, healthful and invigorating, and the water excellent. Schools and churches are abundant, all denominations of the latter being represented. Telephone and mail service is extensive, affording ample facilities of com- munication with all parts of the country. Population, census of 1900, 20,253. Increase since census of 1890, 582. Number of males 21 years and over, 5,032. Woodstock, the county seat, is located near the center of the county on the Manassas branch of the Southern railway, and has a population, census of 1900, of 1,069. Its streets are in good condition, paved with macadam, have brick sidewalks, and lighted with electricity. A complete system of water works is in operation, and several fine buildings have been erected, and others are under construction. Its principal industries are flour mills, broom and furniture factories, planing mill, lime-kiln, fruit evapora- tion and sawmills. It has also good public schools, numerous churches, 215 a newspaper, several banks, and fraternal orders. The County Agricultu- ral Fair (with good grounds well located) is annually held here, which is a great stimulus to its agricultural and other interests. Other flourishing towns of the county are Edinburg, population 512; Mt. Jackson, population 472; New Market, population 684 (an increase of 77 since last census ) ; and Strasburg, population 690 (an i crease off 44 since last census). At the latter place are located factories for the manu- facture of porcelain, pottery, etc., and several large lime plants, pro- ducing a very superior quality of lime. SMYTH COUNTY. This county was formed in 1831 from Washington and Wythe and is lo- cated in Southwestern Virginia, 240 miles from Richmond. The Clinch range of mountains rises to a height of 4,000 to 4,500 feet above sea level. The Iron mountain rises in its White Top and Balsam peaks (in the south- west corner) to the magnificent height of 5,540 and 5,720 feet respectively, marking them as the highest in Virginia. The county is thirty-two miles in its greatest length from north to the south and twenty- two miles wide from east to west, and contains an area of 486 square miles. The surface is mainly hilly, and mountainous in parts. The valleys of the north, middle and south forks of the Holstoi) river, including Rich Valley on the north side of Walker's mountain and Rye Valley on the south side of the county, show all the fine features characteristic of the best lands of the valley of Vir- ginia. There is a large area of level or river bottom land lying along each of these rivers affording alluvial deposits of great depth and fertility, and capable of constant cropping without deterioration. The lands are mainly in the limestone area and yield largely of the various crops produced — corn, wheat, oats, rye, buckwheat, hay and tobacco. Cabbage is a very remunerative crop, large quantities of which are produced and shipped from the county to southern points and the coal fields every year. Dairy, orchard and vegetable products are very considerable and sources of much revenue to the farmers. Fish culture should become an important indus- try in this county. The streams are well adapted to game fish and are very well stocked with different varieties, such as bass, red eye, chub, suckers, and some mountain trout. The most profitable branch of labor in this county is stock raising and grazing. The area of limestone or strictly grass lands probably embrace more than half the county. In Rich valley, Saltville and other sections of the county, are found thousands of acres of blue-grass of indigeonus growth equalling in every respect the far-famed blue grass lands of Kentucky; and as a consequence large numbers of fine cattle are annually raised and ex- ported. Much attention is paid to the grade of cattle, and this county can boast of having the largest herd of short horn cattle in the State, and is also noted for its fine horses and sheep. Transportation facilities are ample, with the Norfolk and Western railroad passing through the center of the county from east to west, bring- ing the county into communication with the eastern Seaboard, and the western and southern lines of railway. Its Saltville branch connecting at Glade Spring, Washington county, leads back into this county and will ulti- mately be extended. A new line of railroad, connecting with the N. & W. at Marion, has been built into the Rye valley to reach the valuable timber and mineral of that section. 216 This county possesses unusual importance on account of its great mineral wealth, the principal source of which is the immense deposits of salt and plaster at Saltville and vicinity. The latter is also developed and being mined in other sections of the county. These salt and plaster deposits are considered to be the most extensive and valuable to be found in the United States, immense quantities of each having been mined and manufactured for many years, bringing into the county a large annual revenue. There is also a large alkali plant at Saltville devoted to the manu- facture of alkali soda ash bleaching powder, etc., erected at j a cost of $3,000,000 and employing a large amount of labor. Besides her rich deposits of salt and plaster, she has within her borders valuable deposits of iron ore of the different species (brown, red, hematite, magnetite, and iron, pyrates ) , lead, zinc, barytes, manganese, marble, kaolin, in brick, clay, limestone and onyx stone. A full description of these minerals would require more than the allotted space for this subject. Some very fine tim- ber is still to be found, especially in the mountain sections, consisting of walnut, poplar, ash, oak, pine, hickory, hemlock and maple. The county is watered almost wholly by the different branches of Holston river (the north, middle and south forks), the two latter having their sources in the county, and all flowing southwestwardly toward Tennessee. In Rye valley, this county, are some of the head waters of Cripple creek, which flows eastwardly to New river. These streams, especially the Hol- ston waters and their tributaries, afford extensive water power. Besides the extensive alkali and salt works at Saltville, there are other important manufactories in the cour.ty, such as iron furnaces and forges, woolen mills, tanneries, brick works, and the requisite number of good grist and saw mills. In the three important elements and attractions to any county — climate, health and water — it will not be amiss to say that this county equals any in the State. Churches representing the different reli- gious denominations are very numerous, and the public school system is kept up to a high state of proficiency. Telephone service reaches nearly all sections, and mail facilities are extensive and all that could be desired. In all material, social, and other respects this may justly rank among the first of the counties of the southwest, or of the State, and very few sec- tions of the United States deserve more favorable mention. Its increase in population shows that it is being appreciated. Population, census of 1900, 17,121. Increase since census of 1890, 3,761. Marion, the county seat, is a thriving handsome town of considerable business importance near the center of the county, on the middle fork of Holston river, 275 miles southwest by rail from Richmond, on the line of the Norfolk & Western railroad and at the terminus of the Marion and Rye Valley railroad. It has a population (census of 1900) of 2,045, which is an increase since last census of 394. Its streets are lighted and mac- adamized. It has an excellent water supply, wood and other factories, a fine flouring mill, good hotels, and churches, stores, newspapers, fraternal orders, female college, graded public school, and is the site of the South- western Lunatic Asylum. Much improvement is shown in the erection and repair of buildings; and the quarries, ore mines, and other Avorks in and near the town have been very active and prosperous. A very handsome and complete brick courthouse with stone trimmings has just been com- pleted at the cost of $50,000, and a large new furniture factory also has been finished and put in operation during the last year. A very important and extensive new enterprise in Smyth is that of the Spruce Pine Lumber Company. They purchased a large tract of 30,000 acres of Virgin spruce lying in Smyth and Grayson and acquired the new Rye Valley railroad extending about 30 miles into this region, where it is stated there is suffi- cient supply to last their extensive mills 20 years. These steam sawmills 217 are located near Marion, and are turning out daily an immense quantity of lumber from the supply of timber brought over their own road. Saltville is an exceedingly attractive toAvn beautifully situated in a lovely vale, and is the center of an immense trade growing out of its alkali works, salt manufacturing, plaster mining, etc. It has a good hotel, tasteful church, handsome residences, stores, and numerous factories, with their ap- purtenances. Holston Mills and Chilhowie are also towns of considerable size and business. At the latter is situated the large flouring mills and the Virginia Vitrified Brick and ,Sewer Pipe Company, which ship its products of hard paving brick and pipe extensively in this State and be- yond its borders. A new lumber sawing plant of importance has recently been established at Adkins, on the N. & W. railroad. SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY. • Southampton was formed in 1784 from Isle of Wight. It lies in the southeastern portion of the State, 50 miles from Richmond and bordering the State of North Carolina en the south. It contains an area of 600 square miles. The surface is level, soil a medium light and sandy loam with clay subsoil, considerably Avorn, though naturally very productive, es-' pecially the broad and fertile lowlands on the streams. Farm products are cotton, com, rye, oats, tobacco, potatoes, and peanuts. Southampton ranks all the other counties of the State in the production of cotton, raising over 5,000 bales annually. Cotton gins are conveniently located in different parts of the county. Cotton and peanuts may be con- sidered the most profitable products of the county, though large revenue is derived from other sources, notably trucks and fruits. Some of the largest apple orchards in the State are found here, and other fruits, such as pears, peaches, grapes, plums, cherries, and berries of all kinds, are grown abun- dantly; also cranberries grow to great perfection on the alluvial bottoms. The soil and climate are admirably adapted to the raising of vegetables; and melons of the finest quality and flavor are produced. Sweet and Irish potatoes, and peas of every variety grow to great perfection and abund- ance. Many of the farmers are turning their attention to the cultivation of the grasses which have been found to grow luxuriantly. Cattle do well, requiring little feed and attention during the winter months. Hogs are raised in large numbers, and the sheep husbandry could be made a profitable enterprise with proper care and atten- tion on the fine grazing lands in some sections of the county. The streams abound in fish of the choicest variety, such as white shad, chub, round fish, perch, etc., which are caught in large quantities in seines and nets. Transportation facilities are amply afforded by the Norfolk and Western, Southern, and South Atlantic lines of railway, traversing the different sections of the county; also by water navigation to some extent on Blackwater river. These render the markets easily ac- cessible to all sections. Timber, such as oak, pine, walnut, chestnut, cypress, h'ekcry, persimmon, ash, poplar, gum, sycamore, maple, etc., abounds in considerable quantity and variety, much of which is converted into lumber by the numerous saAvmills in operation. Some grain mills are also located in the county. Blackwater river on the eastern border, Meherrin river on the western, and Nottoway river flowing through the central portion, with numerous tribu- tary streams, plentifully water every section, and furnish excellent drain- age and abundant water power for mills and manufacturing purposes. The 219 climate is salubrious, health good, and pure water unsurpassed, furnished by artesian wells. Every community has its churches. Excellent educa- tional advantages are afforded by public and high grade schools. Telephone service and mail facilities are ample. Financial conditions are prosper- ous, and in progress and general advancement there is a manifest de- gree of prosperity, the last assessment of personal property showing consid- arable increase; and all things considered this ranks as among the most thriving counties of this prosperous section of the State. Population, census of 1900, 22,848. Increase since census of 1890, 2,770. Courtland, the county seat, located in the central portion of the county on the Atlantic & Danville railroad, and Nottoway river, has a population of 288. The streets are graded and lighted, and an excellent water sup- ply furnished from artesian wells. Besides the county buildings there are several hotels, churches and fraternal orders, numerous business houses, a graded public school and factory. Other towns in the county are Franklin, Boykins, Ivor, Drewerysville, and Capron. Franklin is the largest town in the county and quite an important point, having a population (census of 1900) of 1,143, which is an increase since last census of 268. It is located at the head of navigation on Blackwater river, through which it has communication and a lucrative trade by good river steamboat transportation with Eastern North Carolina, also the Seaboard and Roanoke, and the Atlantic & Danville railroads. They con- nect it with Portsmouth and Norfolk. It has two large peanut-cleaning plants, a large lumber mill, good banking facilities, church and school ad- vantages, and is making substantial progress. Boykins has witnessed unusual activity in the past year or so in the erection of a new gin hotise — a large house for storage of peanuts — numerous dwelling houses and stores, and others in process of erection; also the shipment of peanuts has been unusually large. Ivor is a thriving village on the N. & W. R. R. and has a fine trade, large quantities of peanuts being shipped from this point. Near Drewerysville is a peanut-cleaning factory, and several cotton-gin- ning plants. Capron is situated in a large vegetable raising section. SPOTTSYLVANIA COUNTY. Spotsylvania county was formed in 1720 from Essex, King Wiifiam and King and Queen, and it situated about 45 miles (almost due north) from Richmond. It is 25 miles long from north to south, and 17 miles wide from east to west, and contains an area of 401 square miles (about one-half culti vated ) . The surface is rolling and the soil productive and varied in kind and quality, the uplands being a stiff clay, while that of the bottoms and valleys is a sandy loam, the latter producing fine crops of corn, and other products. Other products are wheat, oats, rye, potatoes, hay and tobacco. Fruits of all kinds, especially apples, pears, and grapes, do well; also vegetables, and large quantities of both are sold in the Fredericksburg and other markets. Dairying and poultry raising have largely increased and are a source of considerable revenue to the farmers in connection with general farming. Fish are abundant, and on the rivers are found the choicest of tidewater fowls, and in the marshes sora, woodcock, etc. Considerable attention is given to improved breeds of horses, sheep, and cattle, of which there are several fine herds of the latter in the county. 221 Transportation facilities are excellent. Besides water transportation, this county has two railway lines — the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Poto- mac railroad which passes through the northeast portion, and the Po- tomac, Fredericksburg and Piedmont (narrow gauge) exteading through the northern part from Fredericksburg to Orange Court House, a distance of 40 miles, connecting at the latter point with the Southern railway which brings large additional traffic to the county, and its principal town, Fredericksburg. Minerals are gold, iron, pyrites, granite and sandstone, most of which have been developed and are being successfully mined and worked. The most valuable timbers are oak, pine, poplar, and hickory, but are limited in quantity, having been culled out to a considerable extent. The county is watered by the Rappahannock river on the northern, the North Anna on the southern border, and the numerous tributaries of these rivers and the Mattapony in the interior. The climate is mild and heathful, water good, churches and public schools ample for demand, and mail facilities convenient to all sections of the county. Population, census of 1900, 9,239. Number of males 21 years and over, 2,137. Spottsylvania, the county seat, is situated about the center of the county, ©n the Po river, about ten miles from the Potomac, Fredericksburg & Pied- mont railroad. It is a small inland country village and contains the county buildings, several churches and a public school. The nearest market is Fredericksburg, the chief town of the county. STAFFORD COUNTY. Stafford was formed from Westmoreland in 1765, and lies between the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers in the northeastern portion of the State, 60 miles north from Richmond. It contains an area of 285 square miles, 60 per cent, of which is in cultivation. The surface is generally rolling ; soil a sandy loam, naturally good, and with proper treatment capable of great improvement. Farm products are wheat, corn, rye and oats, of which good crops are produced ; also the grasses (clover and orchard grass) are successfully grown. The most profitable industries of the county are its fruit, vegetable and poultry products, which are extensive, and find ready sale in the near by Washington and Fred- ericksburg markets. The pickling industry is especially important, employ- ing from 1,000 to 1,500 hands, principally boys and girls, and bringing into the county annually from $20,000 to $25,000. Large fisheries on the Potomac and tributaries afford profitable employ- ment to labor and an important article of food supply to the people. Grazing facilities are fairly good, especially for sheep, and the rearing of early lambs for the Washington and Baltimore markets is a source of considerable revenue to the farmers. In addition to excellent water trans- portation facilities by the Potomac and its tributaries, the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad traverses the county north ar.d south, affording choice of markets and convenient access to same. Minerals are gold, iron, mica and sandstone, but not operated to any extent. The White House at Washington was built of white sandstone from Aquia creek. Timbers are oak, hickory, pine, poplar, chestnut, walnut, elm, ash, etc., which bring considerable revenue to the county as lumber, railroad ties, and poplar w r ood pulp for paper. The Potomac on the eastern and the Rappahanock river on the southern border, with the numerous creeks emptying into these rivers, and pene- trating the interior, afford ample drainage and water supply and also 223 excellent power for mills and manufactories. Flour and saw mills are numerous, also shingle mills, and several pickling establishments. The climate is mild and heathful ; water good, embracing some mineral ( alum and sulphur ) . Religious and educational advantages are ample, and con- siderable progress is shown in improved condition of buildings and lands, better farm stocks and increased production of crops of all kinds per acre. With a people kind and hospitable, climate genial and healthful, cheap lands, facilities for easy and pleasant living and convenient access to market, it would seem that this is a section presenting many attractions for the intending immigrant and home-seeker. Population of county, census of 1900, 8,097. Increase since census of 1890, "735. Number of males 21 years and over, 1,969. Stafford Courthouse, the county seat, is located in the eastern portion of the county, about four miles from the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad. It is a small inland country village of about 50 inhabit- ants, church and county buildings. The nearest market is Fredericksburg, which is in Spottsylvania on the opposite bank of the Rappahannock river. SURRY COUNTY. This is one of the oldest counties in the State, having been formed from James City county in 1652. It lies on the south side of James river 35 miles southeast from Richmond. It contains an area of 292 square mile?. Average price improved farm lands $8 per acre. The surface is generally level and soil light and sa-^dy. Principal pro ducts are corn, wheat, oats, and peanuts, especially the latter, large quantities of which are produced ; and so well is the soil adapted to their growth that the lands on that account have very materially increased in value. Fruits of all kinds are cultivated with success, and there aire some fine orchards, especially on James river. This county is well supplied with railroad facilities, having the Atlantic and Danville passing up from the south near the center of the county to Claremont on the northwest border; the Surry, Sussex and Southhampton railway, from its connection with the Norfolk and Western railway at Wakefield on the southern border through the county to its water terminus on James river; the Norfolk and Western along its southwestern border, and eleven miles of the Surry Lumber Company's narrow-gauge road con- necting with the Atlantic and Danville railroad at Spring Grove. James river also affords extensive shipping facilities, daily steamers of various lines touching at its numerous wharves. Marl exists in great abundance, is very accessible, and it is utilized to some extent as a fertilizer. About two-thirds of the county is in timber, principally, pine, oak, hickory, poplar, beech, walnut, cypress, holly, and the gums, much of which is converted into lumber and fire wood, for north- ern markets. Water and drainage is supplied by James river on the north, Black- water on the south and their numerous tributary creeks. There are a large number of sawmills in the county, some of which are of very large capacity. The climate, health and water are all that could be desired. Churches and schools are numerous and convenient, and mail facilities ample. Con- ditions in the county are very favorable. Farm lands are being improved, business is active, and altogether this section will compare favorably with other portions of the State. Population, census of 1900. 8.469. Increase since census of 1890, 213. Number of males 21 years and over, 2,178. ( 224. Surry, the county seat, is located in the northeastern part of tha county on the Surry, Sussex and Southampton railway, five miles from James river, and 55 miles southeast from Richmond, and has a population of about 150. Claremont, in the rorthwest portion of the county, on James river, and the eastern terminus of the Atlantic & Danville railroad, is a new and rapidly growing town of 565 population, which is an increase of 376 since last census. It has several good hotels, churches and school houses, newspaper, and numerous business houses, money-order office, several lines of steamboats, daily trains and daily mails. SUSSEX COUNTY. This county, formed from Surry in 1754, is located in the southeast part of the State, 35 miles from Richmond. It contains an area of 490 square miles — 313,600 acres, 930 farms; average size farms 225 acres. Lands are very cheap, ranging in price from $2 to $20 per acre. Average price improved farm lands $5 per acre; average assessed value, $3.75 per acre. The surface is slightly rolling. Soil, light gray loam and very productive on the streams. Farm products are cotton, corn, wheat, oats, tobacco and peanuts. Pears, grapes, and small fruits do well, and trucking is engaged in to a considerable extent. The grasses do well and much of the county is admirably adapted to sheep raising, Avhich is profitable in the sale of wool and early spring lambs. Railroad and market facilities are excellent, furnished by the Norfolk and Western, Petersburg and Weldon, and Atlantic and Danville railways, which traverse the northeast, southwest and southeastern portions respectively. Marl is abundant, and is used to good effect. Pine is the principal timber, considerable quantities of which are con- verted into lumber. Blackwater river on the northeast border, and Notto- way river in the central portion and their branches, furnish sufficient water supply and drainage. Climate mild, health and water good. Schools and churches of the different denominations numerous and convenient. Population, census of 1900, 12,082. Increase since census of 1890, 982. Number of males 21 years and over, 2,749. Sussex, the county seat, a small inland village, is situated near the center of the county, two miles from the Atlantic & Danville railroad, and about 45 miles from Richmond. Other towns are Wakefield and Waverly. The latter is a growing busi- ness town of 493 inhabitants, and near it is the Copperhonk Springs, a medicinal water of considerable reputation and efficacy. The Bank of Waverly, at the above-named place, and the bank Sussex and Surry, at Wakefield, provides the financial conveniences and security needed at these business centers of the county. TAZEWELL COUNTY. This county was formed from Russell and Wythe in 1799, and is situated in the southwestern portion of the State, about 325 miles southwest from Richmond. It is 40 miles in length with an average width of about 18 miles, and contains an area of 557 square miles (about one-half being under cultivation ) . Much of the surface is mountainous, and lying between are many extensive and very fertile valleys. The soil is principally limestone. 225 and very productive, and a striking peculiarity of this county is that the lands are generally fertile to the tops of the mountains, and don't wash. The lands are well adapted to the production of the various grains — corn, wheat, rye, oats, etc. — and the cultivated grasses, clover, timothy, orchard and herd's grass. But while bountiful crops of grain and grass can be pro- duced, the farmers prefer to preserve their fine blue grass sod and engage in the much less expensive and much more congenial and profitable occu- pation of grazing cattle, which is the leading industry of the county. Large numbers of cattle (unsurpassed in quality) are annually sold from this county, a large proportion of them for export purposes; also quantities of sheep of the finest grade, and no section of the State is better supplied with fine draught and saddle horses. Tazewell has perhaps the largest grazing capacity of any of the south- west Virginia counties. With the exception of a part of the coal belt, per- haps three-fourths of its area is well adapted to agricultural and grazing purposes, and within that area there is a wealth of blue grass lands, which are the admiration of all who see them. Even the lofty ridges and moun- tains to their summits are covered with a luxuriant growth of blue grass which is indigenous. Another very important advantage, fitting it for graz- ing purposes, is that it is exceptionally well watered. Considerable attention is being paid to fruit culture, to which the county is well adapted. The dairy, vegetable and poultry products find a ready and remunerative market at the near by coal mines. Game is abundant, and the streams, being well supplied with bass and other fish, furnish ex- cellent sport. Railroad facilities consist of the New River division of the Norfolk & Western railroad, which extends through the northwestern limits of the county, and the Clinch Valley division of the Norfolk and Western, which traverses its whole length from northeast to southwest. These railroads have put the county in direct communication with all sections of the country, north, east, south and west, and have given great impetus to the agricultural and mineral resources of the county. Tazewell is especially rich in minerals, both in variety and extent, the principal of which are coal, iron ores (brown and red), manganese, lead, zinc, barytes, salt, gypsum, building stone, soapstone and marble. The leading minerals are coal and iron, especially the former, which exists in vast quantities, and has already earned a reputation at home and abroad for steam and coking purposes. Immense quantities of coal and coke are shipped from this county to all sections of the country — especially of coal to Norfolk city — for the coaling of ocean steamers. The superiority of the coke is acknowledged now by all iron makers, and it is in much demand. The great Flat Top mountain range, from which this coal is obtained, forms the northwestern border of the county, and is part of the dividing line between Virginia and West Virginia. Pocahontas, the magic little city that has sprung up in the midst of these mines, is a place of large business and enterprise, situated on the New river division of the Nor- folk and Western railroad. The mines consist of a group of five, known as the East Mines No. 1 and 2, Silver Ridge Mine, Baby Mine and West Mine. The workings of this group of mines embrace an area of about 2,000 acres, while the total acreage of the company's property is about 8,500 acres. The mines of this company are the largest and oldest and most extensively worked in the entire Flat Top field, having been opened in 1882. The coal is of a semi-bituminous character and very easy to work. The seam is about 10 feet thick, and in some portions 18 to 19 feet in thickness. Some of the mines are equipped with electric haulage, coal-cutting machines, and electric pumps. In others, the hauling is done by steam locomotives and mules. Exhaust fans are used in all of them. To admit of a more extensive use 15 227 of electricity throughout the plant, a stone power house with a capacity of 1,500 horse power has been erected. The coke larries and tipple are operated by electricity, and the towns of Pocahontas, Va., and Coopers and Bramwell, W. Va., are lighted from this plant. Another extensive coal industry about three-quarters of a mile from this place and one of the richest in the Flat Top coal field is what is known as the Browning Mines, owned and operated by Col. J. W. Browning, and is the only individual mining operation in this field. This mining pro- perty consist of from 600 to S00 acres of coal lands, extending up Laurel creek a distance of about three and one-half miles. The vein of coal now T being mined at this point is from 12 to 15 feet in thickness, and of very superior quality as a steam coal, having been ordered on several special occasions in the trial of Avar vessels. These mines are well furnished with all the necessary equipments of mine locomotives, extensive fans for supplying fresh air, boilers, and stationary engines for furnishing power, etc. The output of these mines is from 250 to 300 tons per day, employ- ing about 160 men, and turning out 100,000 tons annually. Another very important and interesting industry located at Pocahontas is the By-Product Plant owned and operated by the Pocahontas Collieries Company. These by-products consist of oil and pitch, the yield of which is equivalent to from 2 to 3 gallons per ton of coal distilled or coked and worth about five cents per gallon. Another product obtained by the same process is commercial ammonia sulphate — known more generally as sulphate of ammonia. This product is used principally as a fertilizer, and is very largely in demand for such purposes, and a large quantity of it is also used to make liquid ammonia for ice making. The iron ore deposits of this county are rich and extensive, and their proximity to the magnificent coal fields of this section is destined to make it the iron-producing c.e -ter of the State, and the county will assuredly one day be as noted for mining and manufacturing as it is now for its incomparable grass lands. The mineral springs of the county are the Tazewell Sulphur Springs, situated about five miles from Tazewell, the county seat; and at Mustards, in the eastern middle portion of the county, eight fine mineral spring, very clo-e together, one apparently an arsenical spring, another a blue sulphur while the character of the others has not been determined. These springs are regarded as highly curative, and yield a fine supply of water, but the most attractive and popular watering place in the county is situated at the pretty little village of Cedar Bluff, on the Clinch Valley railroad. The spring is what is known as blue sulphur water, located on the bank of the Clinch river in a lovely and romantic situation, a" n d near by is the Blue Sulphur Inn, with extensive and excellent accommodations. Notwithstanding the large amount of timber that has been shipped out of the county, there are still considerable quantities and of fine quality, the most valuable of which for merchantable purposes are walnut, poplar, oak, hickory, ash and other hard woods. The whole of this county is well watered. The greater part by Clinch river and its tributaries. Bluestone river, East river, and Wolf creek with some of its tributaries, have their source in the eastern poi-tion of the county. These streams are fed by strong never-failing limestone springs, capable of running a grist mill within a few hundred yards of their source. The never-failing character of the streams of the county is one of their chief recommendations, and in no county of the State, perhaps, is such abundance and excellence of water power so little used. The manufactories of the county are several woolen mills of large capacity; brick works at 228 Tip Top with an output of 5,000,000 annually, . and one of the best equipped plants in the South ; extensive lime works at North Tazewell ; iron furnace and plow and foundry company at Graham; ice plant, broom and mattress factory, furniture factory, and numerous grain and saw mills. After all that has been said of the altitude, drainage, and splendid water of this county, it is scarcely necessary to add that the climate and health is par-excellence. Tazewell Court House, and the county east and north, look like the realization of pastoral perfection. There are a large number of churches representing the various Protestant denominations, and in addition to the numerous public schools that are in a flourishing condition, there are two colleges and five high schools. Mail facilities are excellent, and the princi- pal towns and neighborhoods have good telephone connection. The sales of large boundaries of coal and timber lands at good prices have brought much money here, which, added to that realized from cattle, sheep, wood and lumber, has made it very abundant in the county. So there is a healthy and steady advance in all lines of business. Tazewell is situated in the center of the county, one mile south of North Tazewell station on the Clinch Valley railroad, with which it has regular communication by horse car and hack lines. It is a large prosperous county town of 1,096 inhabitants (census of 1900), which is an increase of 492 since last census. Its streets are in good condition, graded, paved and lighted, and there are good water works. It has a college and other schools of high grade, churches of different denominations, handsome business houses, excellent hotels and shops of various kinds, also several newspapers, banks and fra- ternal orders. Other towns are Graham at the junction of the New River and Clinch Valley railroads, a growing and important manufacturing and business town of 1,554 inhabitants (census of 1900), which is an increase of 533 since 1890. Puchlands, population, census of 1900, 475; North Tazewell, population, census of 1900, 320; also Cedar Bluff, Falls Mills, Pounding Mill, Liberty, etc. Much could be said, but space forbids to speak of the grand country about Tazewell, Liberty and Maiden Spring and of the beautiful Bluestone, Wrights and Abbs valleys, and Thompson and Woods Caves ; but more than a passing notice is due to the far- farmed Burks Garden of this county, one of the largest valleys in the county, and noted for its beauty and fer- tility. This elevated mountain basin, 3,200 feet above sea level, contains about 30,000 acres of the most fertile blue grass lands, and is encircled by the Clinch range of mountains (some peaks of which attain an elevation of 4,700 feet), except at one point on the north side where the waters of this singularly beautiful basin break through and form Wolf creek. It is about eight miles long from northeast to southwest, and about four and a half wide, and looks as though it had once been a mountain lake, the waters of which had burst their way through the northern escarpment that restrained it, leaving the beautiful trout stream that now pours through the gorge to mark its course. Burks Garden is an emerald sea in the springtime, with its waving trees and noble pastures, and is doubtless the finest body of land of its size in the State. Population of the county, census of 1900, 23,384. Increase since census of 1890, 3,485. Number of males 21 years and over, 5,474. 229 WARREN COUNTY. This county was formed in 1836 from Frederick and Shenandoah, and is situated in the northern part of the State, nearly 100 miles air line north- west from Richmond. It lies on the western slope of the Blue Ridge moun- tains, which separate it from Rappahannock and Fauquier on the south- east, and Frederick on the north, Clark on the northeast, Shenandoah west, and Page southwest. It is 20 miles long and 12 miles in width, containing an area of 226 square miles. The surface is rolling and mountainous in some portions. At out 50 per cent, is in cultivation. The soil is limestone and very fertile. Farm pro- ducts are wheat, corn, oats, rye, buckwheat, potatoes and the gi'asses. The climate and soil is well adapted to the growing of fruits, and much care and attention is given to this industry, which is one of the most profit- able in the county; grape culture, especially, has been extensively and successfully carried on for many years, and utilized in the manufacture of much fine wine. One of the oldest and largest vineyards of the south is located here. Considerable attention is paid to the raising of poultry. 50,000 ducks are sold annually from the largest duck farm in the world at River- ton. Stock raising rank as one of the most important and profitable indus- tries of the county. Large numbers of fat cattle are annually shipped to the northern and eastern markets. Transportation facilities are ample and convenient, supplied by the Shen- andoah Valley branch of the Norfolk and Western railroad traversing the center of the county from north to south, and the Manassas branch of the Southern railroad crossing it from east to west at Front Royal. Minerals of various kinds are found in considerable quantities, the prin- cipal of which are iron, copper, ochre, umber, limestone, and manganese. There are also numerous mineral springs. The timber consists of walnut, hickory, cherry, oak, pine, chestnut and poplar, but it has been cut out to considerable extent. The south fork of the Shenandoah river passing through the center of the county affords an ample water supply, excellent water power, and an abundance of good fish. Manufactories and enterprises embrace numerous grain and saw mills, several bark mills, a lumber manufactoring company, and a handle and bolt factory, several woolen mills, a sumac mill, and the Carson Lime Company, one of the largest plants of the kind in the South. As to climate, health and water, the conditions are all that could be desired. Public schools are excellent and numerous, and churches of the various denominations convenient to all sections. Good turnpikes and country roads assist, and all that is needed is capital to develop resources and improve the waste places. This is truly a highly favored and most desira- ble section of the State, having all the accessories to prosperity and the happiness of its people. Population, census of 1900, 8,837. Increase since census of 1890, 557. Number of males 21 years and over, 2,089. Front Royal, the county seat, is located at the junction of the Shenan- doah division of the Norfolk & Western, and the Manassas branch of the Southern railroad, and has a population of 1,005 (census of 1900). It is one of the most prosperous and attractive towns in the valley of the Shen- andoah, and is noted for the hospitality and refinement of its people. Situ- ated in the heart of one of the finest farming sections of the State, its com- mercial and manufacturing interests are varied and considerable. It has factories for making handles, collars, cigars, tacks, furniture, knit goods, and pianos ; also several large hotels, numerous business houses, educational institutions, public schools, newspapers, banks, churches, and fraternal 231 orders. It has macadamized streets, brick sidewalks and a good system of water works and electric lights. Educational institutions include Randolph-Macon Academy, under the supervision of the Methodist Episco- pal Church South — a school of fine standing, elegant buildings, and com- petent faculty — a nourishing female institute ad a large high school build- ing. Two large flouring mills are located at Front Royal, capacity from 150 to 200 barrels daily, and an iron mining company has recently opened mines near town and is shipping carloads of ore daily. WARWICK COUNTY. Warwick, though now a small county in area and one of the smallest in the State in population, was one of the original shires into which the State was divided in 1634, and was named for the town of Warwick in England. It lies in a narrow strip along the northern shores of the James river e trance into the Chesapeake bay, and contains an area of 85 square miles. The surface is level, soil a sandy loam, fairly productive and easily culti- vated and improved. The most profitable products are wheat, corn, oats, potatoes, etc., the average yield of which is very good. Trucking, market gardening, and poultry raising are growing in importance and value. Fish, oysters and wild fowl are abundant, the trade in which constitutes a very important feature of the business of the county. Railroads are the Chesapeake and Ohio, and the Newport News, Hampton and Old Point railways, the former traversing the county from northwest to southeast, and having its southeastern terminus at Newport News. Marl, the only mineral, is found in large quantities and of excellent qual- ity. The timber supply is rather limited. Principal varieties are oak, pine, ash and gum, much of which is worked by the sawmills in operation in the county. The James and Warwick rivers afford ample drainage and excellent transportation facilities. Market advantages are excellent, the cities of Norfolk, Portsmouth, Newport News and Hampton furnishing superior facilities in this respect. The climate is mild ; health and water good. Churches are numerous, and the public schools in a flourishing con- dition. Telephone service and mail facilities are ample, and in progress and general advancement there has been great improvement in the county since the extension of the Chesapeake arid Ohio railway to Newport News in the southeast portion of the county. Population of the county (independent of the city of Newport News), census of 1900, 4.888. The difference between the last two census re- ports is due to the fact 1hat nearly 2,000 people Avere included in )th,e city of Newport News, which before 1900 had been listed in Warwick county. The wild animals of the county are deer, fox, raccoon, squirrel and hare. The winter fowls of that region abound, besides which there are such game birds as wild turkeys, partridges, woodcock and sora, and the large proportion of water front creeks and inlets make the little county exceedingly popular with sportsmen and fishermen. WASHINGTON COUNTY. This county, formed January 28, 1776, from Fincastle, is situated in the southwestern portion of the State — 350 miles by rail, 240 air line from Richmond. It is one of the largest counties in the southwest, containing an area of 605 square miles. 232 The surface is generally undulating, and mountainous in parts, especially on the northern and southern borders, though least mountainous of any of the southwest counties. Its valleys are broad and present a beautiful picture in the alternation of hill and dale, of woodland and pasture. Soil varies in character and quality, but all lie upon a stratum of yellow or red clay, very fertile and productive and wears well. The grey or gravelly soil is adapted to wheat, rye and tobacco, and the dark alluvial soil to corn and grass. The principal and most profitable farm products are wheat, corn, rye, oats, hay, and tobacco-, of which abundant crops are annually produced, though the tobacco production has fallen off from 2,- 000,000 pounds in 1889 to 776,000 in 1899. This is a superior grass-pro- ducing section, especially of clover, timothy and orchard grass, that yields largely, and much of which is grown. Tobacco is not as profitably grown as formerly. Fruits of the various kinds, such as apples, pears, peaches, plums, grapes, etc., grow to perfection and yield abundantly. Considerable revenue is derived from the poultry and egg product, which have a fine local market. The county abounding to a large extent in the spontaneous growth of blue grass, stock raising is the chosen and most profitable occupation of a large number of the most enterprising farmers of the county. Transportation facilities are excellent, emDracing the Norfolk & Western railroad, which traverses the county centrally from northeast to south- west, and has its western terminus at Bristol, this county. The Vir- ginia and Southwestern railroad extends from Bristol northwest to Big Stone Gap, reaching the vast beds of coal and iron of that section. The Virginia and Carolina railroad starts from Abingdon and extends south to the Tennessee line and opens up the immense timber and mineral re- sources of that section. There is also a branch of the N. & W. from Glade Spring to Saltville, near the Smyth county line. Iron and marble are found in this county in various localities, mainly on its southern border; but its principal wealth consists in its great deposits of salt and plaster, owing to the value of the salt wells in the Saltville basin, the dividing line between Washington and Smyth counties. When this latter county was formed in part out of the former, this basin was made the dividing line between them, so as to throw equal values of this great wealth into each of the counties, and it would be difficult to estimate the approximate quantity of the Saltville deposit assignable to Washington county; but it may be confidently asserted that it has inexhaustible deposits of both salt and plaster close to the Washington-Smyth line, and dividing as it does with Smyth this valuable territory, a more specific description will suffice for both, which will be found in report of Smyth county. Mineral springs are numerous and valuable, embracing chalybeate, alum, magnesia and sulphur waters, the most noted of which are the Seven Springs on the Saltville branch of the Norfolk and Western railroad, at which is made the famous "Seven Springs Iron and Alum Mass," of great efficacy in many forms of disease. Mungel's Springs, situated nine miles northwest of Abingdon has a high local reputation for curative virtues, and with proper accommodations for visitors should command a good patronage. Washington Springs are situated one and one-half miles from Glade Springs in a lovely and health- ful spot amid the mountains, and are regarded as having valuable medicinal and curative properties. There are four distinct varieties of the water, the most effective being the Alum, Chalybeate, and the White Sulphur Springs. There are large bodies of well timbered lands, as yet undeveloped, the principal and valuable varieties of which are oak, pine, poplar, walnut, hickory, ash, chestnut and cherry. The county is finely watered by the north, south and middle forks of Holston river, and numerous tributaries 233 passing through its most fertile portions, and affording a quantity and variety of excellent fresh water fish, besides offering facilities for water power possessed by but few counties in the State. Industries and manufactories consist of sash, door and blind factories, woolen mills, flouring and saw mills, extract plant, plaster works, soda ash and bleaching-powder works, and others that will appear in the Smyth statement. The climate is temperate, and pure spring water plentiful. All the Protestant denominations are represented in the county and have good church buildings in every community. This county is celebrated for its superior educational advantages, on account of its institutions of learn- ing of a high order and wide reputation • — =its public school system in a flourishing condition and numerous high schools throughout the county. Telephone service is K.eclleiit, the Bristol Telephone Company's lines con- necting almost all parts of the county. Mail facilities are good with post offices in every community, and rural free delivery service. The financial condition of the county is possibly as good as any section of the State, and progress and general advancement (in recent years) have been botl] rapid and permanent. Population of county, census of 1900, 28,995. Increase (city of Bristol included) since census of 1890, 4,554. Number of males 21 years and over, City of Bristol included, 7,853. Abingdon, the county seat, is beautifully situated near the center of the county on the Norfolk and Western railroad 190 miles southwest from Lynchburg and 15 miles northeast from Bristol, and has a population, census of 1900, of 1,306. It is one of the oldest towns west of the Blue Ridge, certainly the oldest town of southwest Virginia. In "Ye Olden Time" it was really the capital of southwest Virginia, and was the great highway of the stage coach between the great Tennessee and Virginia valleys, and many noted celebrities would pause here on their way to Washington and rest and refresh themselves in its then celebrated hostel- ries; but in 1860 came the railroad and with it the telegraph and express, and the old stage horn was relegated to the past and a new order of things ushered in. Abingdon is now a town of public buildings and schools, with two fine female colleges (Martha Washington College and Stonewall Jackson Institute, controlled respectively by the Methodist and Presby- terian denominations) with beautiful grounds and buildings handsomely situated, which add much to the importance and attractiveness of the place. Besides the county courthouse there is a spacious United States court building in which is held the district court of the Federal government for the Western District of Virginia, of which Abingdon is nearly the geo- graphical center. Here are also nice churches of the different denomina- tions, a male academy and other good schools, several newspapers, banks and fraternal orders, factories of different kinds, repair and smith shops, excellent hotels and livery stables, numerous mercantile establishments, electric lights, water works, and macadam streets. Abingdon is a town of considerable business importance, commanding a large trade not only from the county of Washington, but from surrounding counties in Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina. The Virginia and Georgia railway starting at Abingdon and extending 26 miles southward into the primeval forests of Tennessee is a comparatively new enterprise, and is forging to the busi- ness front in a manner scarcely expected by its promoters. At Crandell, its present terminus, there is an immense lumber plant. There are also other industries in the same section such as steam tanneries, extract plant, etc. Damascus/ a new and growing town is situated in that vicinity and on the railroad. The culture and refinement of its people and splendid cli- mate render Abingdon a most delightful residence town, ard these advan- tages are being appreciated, as phcwr. by the number of new residences recently erected, adding much to the attractiveness of the place. 234 There are several ether good towns and villages, viz: Saltville, at the terminus of a nine mile branch of the Norfolk and Western railroad, the site of the great salt works, an account of which has been previously given, with a population of 1,051 (census of 1900) ; Emory, situated 12 miles east of Abingdon, on the Norfolk & Western railroad, an interesting point as being the site of Emory and Henry College, established in 1837, now under the patronage of the Holston Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. It lias had quite a successful history in the past, having been the "Alma Mater" of some of the most distinguished men of this country, and with its fine facilities for education, excellent faculty, convenient location, commodious buildings and great natural beauty and healthfulness, it de- serves and will doubtless have a long and growing patronage and prosperous future; and Glade Sring, a nice little village situated on the Norfolk and Western railroad, and the junction of the Saltville branch. It has a popu- lation of 304 (census of 1900), and is a place of considerable business. WESTMORELAND COUNTY. Westmoreland was formed in 1653 from Northumberland, and is situated in the northeast portion of the State on the lower Potomac river 55 miles northeast from Richmond. Its average length is thirty miles, width ten miles. It contains an area of 245 square miles, and a population by last census of 9,243, a gain of 844 since 1890. The surface is generally level, but hilly in some portions. Soil light loam on river bottoms, stiffer clay soil on uplands and easy of cultivation. Farm products are corn, wheat, millet, rye, clover, and peas for hay. Fotatoes, sweet and Irish, do well, and the raising of clover seed for market is a considerable industry. Orchard grass and timothy are suc- cessfully grown. Average yield per acre of corn 25 bushels, of wheat 10 bushels, and of hay cne and a half to two tons. Fruits of the various varieties, such as apples, peaches, pears, plums, strawberries, etc., grow well, and several canneries are located in the county. The climate and soil is especially adapted to the raising of vegetables, and trucking is becoming quite an important industry. The numerous creeks and inlets along the Potomac boundary abound in the finest of fish, oysters and wild fowl. There are large natural oyster beds on these tidal waters, and the species of fish obtained embrace trout, rock herring, shad, and perch, which are caught by nets, traps and seines. Grazing facilities are fairly good, and stock does well, especially sheep, which are receiving increased attention and proving quite remunerative. That class of stock is being improved by the importation of better breeds. There are no railroads in the county, but excellent transportation facilities are afforded by steamboats on the Rappahannock and Potomac to Fred- ericksburg, Washington, Baltimore and Alexandria markets. Marl is abun- dant, also marsh mud and oyster shell lime. There is some ash, poplar, etc., but the timber consists chiefly of pine, of which a large amount of cord wood and lumber are annually cut and shipped. Water and drainage are furnished by the Rappahannock and Potomac rivers; and the numerous tributaries of the latter penetrating inland about 10 or 12 miles, with good water power, are utilized. Besides numerous saw and grain mills, the manufactories of the county consist of a number of fruit-canning factories, two plants for blasting and crushing marl, and one for digging and grinding infusorial earths. The climate is temperate. Health generally good. Water good and abundant in the uplands ; not so good on water courses, except where artesian is used. Churches numerous — principally Baptist, Methodist and 235 Episcopal. There are also a large number of public schools. Telephone service from Fredericksburg to every important point in county. Financial conditions excellent, and considerable progress shown in improved build- ings. This is one of the oldest settled counties in the State and in colonial days was the home of wealth and influence, the immigrants to the county from England comprising many of the rich and aristocratic families of the old country. There are many valuable and highly important estates in the county, and by the more modern and improved system of agriculture which has been adopted the past few years, the waste lands are being re- claimed and the farming interests generally improved. This county enjoys the proud distinction of having bee.i the birthplace of two of the Presi- dents of the United States — George Washington and James Monroe — be- sides another no less honored and distinguished Virginian, Gen. R. E. Lee. Montross, the county seat, with a population of about 150, is an ancient town of some importance, located near the southern border, six miles dis- tant from landings on both Potomac and Rappahannock rivers, with which there is daily mail communication. There has recently been erected a handsome new court house and clerk's office. WISE COUNTY. This county was formed in 1856 from Russell, Lee and Scott, and named in honor of Hemy A. Wise, the then governor. It is situated in the great Cumberland range, in the extreme southwestern portion of the State, 3S0 miles from Richmond, and is bounded on the north by the State of Ken- tucky. It contains an area of 413 square miles (under cultivation 25 per cent. The surface is hilly and mountainous. Soil mostly sandy. Farm products are corn, rye, oats, millet, potatoes and sorghum, and the lands are also very well adapted to the growing of vegetables and fruits. All the products of the farm find a ready and remunerative sale with the numerous and extensive mining operations in the county. Transportation facilities are very good, embracing the Louisville and Nashville, and Norfolk and Western, and Virginia and Southwestern rail- roads. The South and Western, and the Virginia and Southeastern are important lines now being constructed into the county. There are six short independent lines in the county, used principally as feeders for the mineral interests of this county, which are various and valuable, and destined to make it one of the wealthiest counties in the State. The most important minerals are iron ores, and coal (bituminous, splint and cannel). Limestone and sandstone for building and other purposes are of very superior quality, and abundant, the latter being very cheaply quarried, and made ready for use in any desired shape or size. Iron is found in large deposits, especially in the neighborhood of Big Stone Gap in the southwest portion of the county. Here, in close proximity to each other, are the iron ore, limestone and coal, and few localities are more favorably situated for the manufacture of iron. Since the construction of convenient transportation facilities, these ores are being largely developed and mined, and extensively worked by the furnaces here in operation. But its great wealth consists in its immense deposits of coal, having the greatest amount of valuable bituminous and cannel coal to be found in any county of the State, the industrial value of which can scarcely be overestimated, In fact, there are few areas of like size and value in this particular to be found in the world. Since the building of railroads through the county, rapid IJr^*t. i» 237 progress has been made here in the coal and coke industry. From year to year new mines are being opened, and coke plants constructed, until this county has become a hive of industry, teeming with thousands of laborers; and the indications point to the establishment here of some of the largest collieries and coke plants in the United States. The coke ovens, now in operation in the county, are as follows: At Tom's Creek, 800; Stonega, 666; Dorchester, 550; Osaka, 300; Inman, 150; Imboden, 300; Blackwood, 250; Josephine, 80; Essexville, 50; Carbon, 25; Norton, 150; Glamur, 200, making a total of 3,521, and other new plants in course of construction. Wise is especially noted for its fine forests of valuable timber, such as poplar, walnut, cherry, oak, etc., but since it has been opened up to the markets by the railroads, and owing to heavy local demand, the supply of timber has been largely depleted, though still a considerable quantity remains. The county is well watered in the northern part by the numer- ous streams flowing into Russells fork of Big Sandy river, and in the southern and eastern portions by Powells and Guests rivers, and other streams tributaries of the Clinch. The manufacturing enterprises of note are iron furnaces and foundries, grist, saw and planing mills, a silicon brick plant, a large tannery, and an extract plant at Big Stone Gap. Climate healthful and invigorating, average temperature 55 degrees, rainfall about 54 inches. Water fairly good. County well supplied with churches of the various denominations, and the public free schools are in an exceedingly prosperous condition, also a model graded school at Big Stone Gap and a college at Wise, the county seat. Most of the towns are connected by telephone, and mail service with every neigh- borhood. The financial condition of the people is highly favorable, and great progress and advancement is noted here in recent years as indicated by the large increase in population. Total population, census of 1900, 19,653. Increase since census of 1890, 10,308. Number of males 21 years and over, 5,247. There are five banks in the county all doing a prosperous business. Wise, the county seat, is located near the center of the county, five miles from Norton, the junction of the Clinch Valley division of the Norfolk & Western R. R., and the Louisville & Nashville railroad. It has a popula- tion of about 800. The most important town is Big Stone Gap, population, census of 1900, 1,617. Other towns are East Stone Gap, population, census of 1900, 349; Coeburn, population, census of 1900, 295 — now about 500; Norton, popula- tion, census of 1900, 654 — now about 1,250; Tacoma, population, census of 1900, 247. Norton especially, has made very rapid strides within the past four or five years. There has been located here two wholesale grocery houses, a wholesale hardware house, a branch of the Armour Packing Co.; also a branch of the Standard Oil Company, two large hotels, numerous resi- dences and business houses. The coal and coke companies have constructed large power plants with the latest improved electrical machinery, and the Indian Creek & Pound River railroad extending from Norton into the Pound Gap country, which is very rich in lumber and coal, has been complete I for seven miles. Pound Gap, a widely known place in the Cumberland mountains (a depression in the crest of the mountain, whose lowest point is nearly 2.300 feet above sea level) being the objective point for all railroads leading from this part of Virginia to Kentucky places this county in a direct line of all such contemplated railroads, the necessity for which will arise and some will most surely be constructed in the near future. 239 WYTHE COUNTY. This county was fcrmed from Montgomery in 17L0. It is located west of the Blue Ridge, in the southwest portion of the State, 270 miles south- west from Richmond, in the midst of the great mining and grazing section. It contains an area of 474 square miles, one-half being under cultivation. .Lands vary much in price as they do in value. The surface is varied, alternately mountain and valley. Several mountain ranges traverse the county, mainly from northeast to south- west, between which lie extensive and very fertile valleys, notably Reed creek, Cripple creek, and headwaters of Holston on the west forming an elevated plateau of high table land from east to west. These valleys con- tain blue grass and farming lands of a high order that are scarcely sur- passed in the State. The staple crops are corn, wheat, oats, rye, barley, millet and hay, abundant yields of which are produced. Fruits and vege- tables of various kinds are successfully grown, and these industries are receiving increased attention every year, and in portions of the county, constitute a very important and profitable source of revenue to the farm- ers, for which there is always a ready cash market. The raising of cab- bage, Irish potatoes, and apples in the western part of the county is be- coming quite an industry. These products are mostly shipped to the southern markets and bring remunerative prices. Being situated between the North and the South gives this section an unusual advantage in dispo- sition of her products. The cabbage industry has built up an important business center at Rural Retreat, with good hotels, banks, mercantile houses, etc., which attracts much attention in the wholesale vegetable market. The United States Fish Hatchery, three and a half miles west of Wytheville, is quite an important enterprise in the county, and is rapidly stocking the waters of the State with the best varieties of fish. Agriculture is carried to its highest perfection in this county in the de- partment of grazing, and in this respect it is scarcely excelled in the State. Its cattle, sheep and horse products are immensely remunerative, much of the former being exported and commanding the highest prices. Transporta- tion facilities are excellent furnished by the Norfolk & Western railroad passing through the heart of the county and tie Cripple Creek branch of the Norfolk & Western railroad extending into the great mining region of the southeastern portion of the county; also a branch of the latter 10 or 12 miles into a rich mineral section developing the celebrated Cripple Creek iron ores. This is one of the richest counties in the State in the va- riety, quality and extent of its minerals, and in their develop- ment the county is making rapid strides toward a position of com- mercial importance well calculated to excite the just pride of her citizens. Alternating with each other on the south side of the county are wonderful veins and deposits of iron ores, manganese ores, and lead and zinc ores of extraordinary purity; while in the northern half of the county fine magnetic and brown iron ores are abundant. These minerals have been de- veloped and found to exist in immense quantities and are being worked on a large scale in different sections of the county, the large works affording an excellent home market for the products of the farm. There are various mineral waters in the county, the principal of which are its many alum- chalybeate springs, also the arsenic bremo-lithia springs, which are fast coming into favor and are of high medicinal virtue. SUMMER APPLES. 241 On the north and in the middle section there are still larger boundaries of very good timber, such as white and Spanish oak, walnut, cherry, locust, hickory, poplar, gum, pine and chestnut. The county is well watered by New river, which flows through the southeastern portion of the county, and some of its prin- cipal tributaries, such as Reed creek in the central and northern portions, and Cripple creek in the southwestern part of the county. These streams with their many minor tributaries leave but little of the whole area that is not thoroughly well watered, and, like all mountain streams of this section, are unfailing and afford much excellent water power. Manufactories consist principally of iron, zinc and lead furnaces, in which it probably leads any other county of the State. These works supply ex- tensive home markets besides employing the labor of the county at re- munerative wages. In addition to the above there are forges, smelting works, rolling mills, wool factories, manufactories of wood; and flour mills, saw mills and ordinary grist mills are numerous throughout the county. Owing to the altitude of this section, averaging half a mile above sea level, the cli- mate resembles that of the Middle States, and may be said to be almost per- fect, health unexcelled and water pure as can be found. Churches are nu- merous and of all denominations. Educational advantages are excellent, consisting of colleges, high schools, and numerous public schools. Telephone service in all parts of the county, and mail facilities excellent. The county is in splendid financial condition and growing rapidly in wealth, importance and population. The latter as shown by census of 1900 is: Total population, 20,437. Increase since census of 1890, 2,418. Num- ber of males 21 years and over, 4,571. Wytheville, the chief town and county seat, is a pretty and flourishing place of 3,003 inhabitants, census of 1900 (now about 3,500, an increase of 433 ) , and is situated near the center of the county, on the line of the Norfolk & Western railroad 280 miles southwest from Richmond, Its elevation is 2,360 feet above the sea level, affording picturesque scenery, healthful and bracing climate, pleasant days and cool nights, fine alum and chalybeate water, excellent society, well-kept hotels and boarding houses, handsome streets and residences, constituting an eligible summer resort of great popularity. Churches are numerous and handsome, and its educa- tional advantages are of a high order. Besides colleges and well regulated public schools there are private boarding schools for young ladies. It has also several newspapers, two banks, fraternal orders, water works, electric lights, and macadamized streets. In addition to several flourishing manufac- tories and machine shops, there are stores in every department of business. A new courthouse costing about $50,000, and one of the finest in the State, has recently been erected. The Supreme Court of Appeals of the State holds a session here annually during the months of June and July. Other towns, besides Rural Retreat, are Ivanhoe, Max Meadows, Fosters Fall, and Austinville. These are all thriving manufacturing or business places, and of considerable population and importance. YORK COUNTY. This county Avas one of the original shires into which Virginia was di- vided in 1634. It was first krown as Charles county, but changed to York in 1642. It lies 50 miles south by east of Richmond. It is 30 miles long with a mean breadth of five miles, and contains an area of 124 square miles, one-half of which is in cultivation. Lands have advanced in price in the past ten years about 40 per cent., and near Yorktown about 60 per cent. The surface is level, the soil varying from a light loam in the south to clay in the north, and generally of a good quality. 16 242 Farm products are corn, wheat, oats, potatoes, etc. Considerable fruit of the various varieties is grown, and melons in great abundance. The York and other streams abound in the finest of oysters, and this is the leading money product of the county; also fish of every variety are in great abund- ance. These, and truck farming, constitute the county's most profitable industries. Some portions of the county are very well adapted to stock raising, especiallyy sheep. The Chesapeake & Ohio railroad passes through the southwest border of the county and a survey has been made for a railroad from Yorktown to Hampton, which, if built, will be a great benefit to the county. Water courses are numerous. Besides Chesapeake bay, York, Poquoson, and Back rivers, there are numerous navigable creeks, all of which afford excellent shipping facilities, which have been greatly improved the past few years, having daily steamers to the wharves, from Baltimore and Nor- folk. There are no minerals except marl, which is in great abund- ance. The county has been largely depleted of timber, and second growth now constitutes the principal supply. Manufactories are limited to lumber plants and barrel factories, of which there are several. In climate, health and water this county compares favorably with other counties of this section. Churches of all the Protestant denominations, and public schools are numerous and convenient. Telephone service excellent, embracing a hundred miles of line reaching to all sections. Population, census of 1900, 7,482. Number of males 21 years and over, 1,790. Yorktown, the county seat, is located on York river near its mouth, 33 miles from Norfolk and 70 miles from Richmond. While a town of limited population, and advantages, it possesses a historic interest second to none other in the confines of our great country, as having been the scene of the closing conflict for American Independence, where, on October 19th~ 1781, the army of Cornwallis surrendered to the combined armies of America and France, which notable event was a century later commemora- ted by the erection, by the government near the spot, of an imposing monu- ment, 97 feet in height, adorned with patriotic devices and inscriptions, and pronounced by travelers to be the handsomest monument in the Avorld. This county was also the scene of the first battle of the late war fought at Big Bethel, as well as the last battle of the Revolution fought at Yorktown. 'The Moore House," on Temple farm, lying in a peninsula formed by York river, Waverly creek and Mill Pond, one mile east of Yorktown, is another precious relic of our past history, noted as the place of capitulation of the army of Cornwallis to the armies of Washington, Lafayette and Rocham- beaux. The house is still occupied as a residence, and stands about 50 feet above York river, commanding a beautiful view of the Chesapeake bay, Yorktown monument, and quaint old Yorktown. All along the York river are beautiful residential sites breezy the year round, and overlooking the placid blue waters of the broad river. Other towns in the county are Grafton and Poquoson, and branches of the Peninsula Bank are located at these points, indicating the demands of a growing business in this section. Cities of Virginia. ALEXANDRIA. Alexandria, the county seat of Alexandria, is situated on the Potomac river, six miles south of Washington, and is in full view of the national capital, with which it is closely related in social and business affairs. Transportation facilities are afforded by four great trunk railways, while the largest vessels find a safe landing at the wharves on the Potomac river. The census of 1900 gave the city a population of 14,528. Among the numerous enterprises located at Alexandria are two glass works — the Old Dominion Glass Co., and the Virginia Glass Co. The Em- erson Pump Works, recently of Baltimore, have moved their plant to Alexandria. The city has made rapid progress in the past few years. The work of paving the streets with vitrified brick has been extended to all parts of the city. The water supply is of the purest. Excellent public schools are conducted in this city, the educational advantages being all that could be desired, and the churches are large and elegant. During the past year the city of Alexandria has steadily advanced in material prosperity along many lines, with the best indications that this progressiveness will be maintained and increased in the succeeding years. The general improvement has been brought about by a combination of causes, including a remarkable development of the transportation facil- ities both by rail and Avater, the skilful handling of the city finances, and the adoption by the city council of many methods having especially in view the encouragement of the growth and advancement of the city. BRISTOL. Although not the county seat of the great and fertile county of Wash- ington, the largest town in it is Bristol, situated in the extreme southeast- ern part of the county, immediately upon the line dividing the States of Virginia and Tennessee, Bristol, Va. being on the north side of Main street and Bristol, Tenn., on the south. Owing to its unique position in this respect, some complications may arise in a description of the industrial and business interests confined to the Virginia side of the city. The pop- ulation of Bristol, Va. (census of 1900) is 4,579 and is being steadily in- creased. The increase of population since last census is 1,677, and in the number of males 21 years and over, 1,278. Bristol, Tennessee, has 5,271 population. Its highly favorable situation, and exceptional railroad facilities are rapidly bringing it to the front as a commercial, manufacturing and edu- cational center. It would be difficult to imagine a place with greater natu- ral advantages of location, situated about midway between the great cities of the north and south, and between the great coal fields of Virginia and the mineral and timber lands of Tennessee, thus becoming the distributing center of a large area of contiguous country, abounding in mineral deposits of enormous value, also in practically inexhaustible quantities of timber. 244 Bristol is the terminal of the two great trunk railway lines, the Norfolk and Western and the Southern, and the two divisions of the Virginia and Southwestern. It is expected that there will soon be a direct connection with the Seaboard Air Line railway. The Bristol Belt Line railway furnishes quick and easy transit to every part of the twin cities. A beau- tiful and costly union station has been built by the Norfolk and Western railroad and is occupied jointly by the railroads centering here, the station and sheds having a total length of over 500 feet. The Virginia and Southwestern railway has its shops here and builds its own cars, employ- ing a number of operators. The manufactories embrace a large variety of valuable works, among which are an iron furnace, a foundry and machine shops, tannery, a $500,000 wood pulp plant, spoke and tub plant, barytes mill, lumber mill, roller flouring mill, furniture factory, and many others oi greater or less importance to the number of 79 in the double city, whose annual pay roll aggregates over $2,000,000. Hardly a month passes without some new industry being established or a former one being enlarged with increased output. The excellent shipping advantages fur- nished by the several through line railroads have resulted in a large increase of its jobbing trade, until there are one or more wholesale houses in every line, and the books of the jobbers show customers in not less than ten States, Avhile Bristol's manufacturers ship their product to every State in the Union and several of them have a large export trade. Cheap fuel and abundant supply of labor are important factors in this condition of prosperity. The growth of the city, including that portion in Tennessee, bringing the total population up to over 10,000, has been so healthy and regular that there has never been any scarcity of labor, and strikes are unknown. The city banking facilities are all that are needed, being furnished by three prosperous, well-managed banks, having a combined paid-up capital of $350,000. The churches include those of every denomination, and several of them have very handsome and costly buildings; while the public schools are of superior excellence, and there are several educational institu- tions of high order, two large female colleges, one male, and still another for the education of colored youth; such are the facilities for higher educa- tion that some of Bristol's most valuable citizens have been attracted here with their families by the inducements afforded in this particular. Buildings to the value of $506,428 were erected here in 1904, and to the value of $675,882 in 1905. . With paved streets, granolithic sidewalks, gas, electric lights, street rail- ways, fine stores, elegant residences and all modern conveniences, a moral citizenship and such conditions of health as may be expected to exist, where the altitude above tidewater reaches 1,676 feet, as reported, the city is forging to the front as one of the most thriving manufacturing, jobbing and retail cities in the south, to which end, its capable and aggres- sive Board of Trade contributes largely in promoting. It has three well-conducted newspapers, ever alive to its welfare, and which lose no opportunity to advance its interests in every legitimate way within their province. They are The Herald, a morning paper, and The News, an evening issue of Bristol, Va., and Courier of Bristol, Tennessee, a morning paper. BTJENA VISTA. Buena Vista, as a home, combines all the advantages of beautiful scenery, an invigorating climate, and pure mountain water, with good schools and churches. As a place for business, it offers abundant natural resources, good transportation, cheap labor and a most favorable location with re- spect to the sources of raw material as well as to market. It is a town 245 that has survived the stress of industrial and commercial depressions and fluctuations, and to-day it is enjoying greater prosperity, and has a brighter future than at any other time of its history. Buena Vista is situated in one of the most desirable parts of the Valley of Virginia. It lies between the western slopes of the Blue Bidge mountains and the north branch of James river, eight miles from Lexington, and fourteen miles from one of natures greatest wonders — Natural Bridge. Its altitude ranges from 1,000 to 1,100 feet above sea level, while the mountains on the east and south rise to a height of 2,500 feet. Its climate is not severe in winter, and in summer its fresh breezes and cool nights bring health and comfort. In no part of this favored section has nature been more lavish with her beauty or combined more varied charms of scenery. It is located on two railroads — The Shenandoah Valley division of the Norfolk and Western and the James River division of the Chesapeake and Ohio, the latter connecting at Lexington with the Valley division of the Baltimore and Ohio. By these railroads Buena Vista is furnished coal from the Pocahontas region of Virginia, and from the New River district of West Virginia, at low rates. In the immediate section surrounding the town are vast mineral and timber resources, and fertile blue grass lands. The water power fur- nished by North River is but partially utilized. The town has a population of 3,000 industrious and thrifty people. It owns its water works, and purest freestone water is supplied by gravity from limped mountain streams. An electric light plant, owned by the town, but now leased, furnishes lights, arc and incandescent, on most reasonable terms. There are eight churches, two banks, a modern and well equipped sanitorium, and numerous stores in the town. A public graded school, with an enrolment of about five hundred and a capable corps of teachers, is maintained nine months in the year and thorough work is being done. There is also the Southern Seminary, a col- lege for young ladies, with splendid buildings, capable of furnishing accom- modation for 150 or 200 girls. Among the enterprises now in successful operation are the following: Paper and pulp mill, blast furnace, extract plant, a five set woolen mill, and fire brick plant, a tannery and a foundry, a sash, door and blind factory, saddle factory, and a patent roller flour mill. In the foothills near the town, mining operations are successfully carried on. The mountains surrounding the town abound in beautiful pink sand stone. From the character of the enterprises now in operation a large per cent, of the employees are men. The women and children in the homes would supply the necessary help in knitting mills, shirt factories and similar industries. Buena Vista's location in the Iron Belt and its railroad facili- ties make it a fine site for car-plant, machine shop and the manufacture of all iron products. As an index to the volume of business done in the town, mention is made of the fact that the receipts for freight hauled to and from the town by the two railroads passing through it for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 1905, amounted to $324,557.67. ^ With its wealth of natural resources, its superior transportation facili- ties, its proximity to the great markets, its central geographical position, which puts the southern as near as the northern trade, Buena Vista offers a combination of advantages that few other localities of the south can equal. Her people are liberal and broad-minded, and bid strangers welcome. Cheap houses and cheap sites can be secured on easy terms. 247 CHARLOTTESVILLE. Charlottesville is the county seat of Albemarle county and near the center of the State. The railroad facilities are excellent, two great trunk lines passing through the county, the Chesapeake and Ohio east and west, and the Southern railroad north and south. The city has three banks, two national, and one State bank. Among the manufacturing enterprises is the Charlottesville Woole 1 Mills, making specially military goods. The Monticello Wine Co., located here, has a big reputation for its table wines, and has a large foreign market. It owns a four-story brick building with a capacity of 250,000 gallons. A cigar factory and several planing mills are also enterprises of Charlottesville. The city has a population of about ten thousand. The celebrated Uni- versity of Virginia, with over seven hundred students, is located here, besides which are several excellent female schools, and one of the best public schools in the State. Charlottesville has electric street cars and electric lights on the streets. The city owns its gas plant and water system. The town is growing in a substantial and healthy way. It has a large back country and the mer- chants here do a profitable business. Nearly every religious denomination , is well represented, with full membership and handsome churches, and most of the leading orders have organizations. DANVILLE. The city of Danville, which thirty-three years ago was a straggling vil- lage with a few hundred ambitious citizens, has grown so rapidly in size, wealth and importance, that now it ranks among the largest of the cities of Virginia with a population of 19,765, last census. It is situated on Dan River, from whence its name, in Pittsylvania county, two and a half miles from the North Carolina line, 240 miles south of Washington, 208 miles west of Norfolk and 140 southwest from Richmond, at an elevation of 413 feet above sea level. Danville was the first city in the United States to own its electric light- ing plant. It has also a gas plant and furnishes its people with cheaper light than scarcely any other city in the covintry. Its water supply is from a watershed, running ninety miles to the Blue Ridge and its water power has a fall of 19 feet at Danville, and a minimum flow yielding about 3,000 horse power. The city is situated in the healthful Piedmont country and is ascertained to be very near the health center of the United States. Her natural drain- age and sewerage system is unsurpassed and the water works, in addition to superior equipment in other respects, include a reservoir with a capacity of six million gallons. The total length of water mains is twenty-four miles and the price of water is at the low rate of 7 1 /, ceits per 1,000 gal lors. In connection with this subject it may be stated that it is surrounded by a great variety of mineral springs, among which are Patrick Springs, Carter's Sulpho-Calcic and Hodnett's, all of which are easily accessible, and there are two beautiful well-laid-out parks. One of the best equipped city hospitals in the south is also the boast of the city. Danville enjoys very superior church privileges. Rarely will there be found a -community in which so large a proportion of its population is identified with the churches, and with active Christian enterprise. Nearly all the leading denominations are represented. There are six Methodist churches, four Baptist, three Presbyterian, three Epi-copal, one Christian, one Catholic, one Jewish, together valued at $270,0C0, and e ; ght large 249 colored churches valued at $35,000. Many of the church buildings are of modern style of architecture and handsome imposing structures. The large, and comfortable tabernacle with a seating capacity of four thousand is a monument to the fraternal spirit and evangelical zeal of the churche3 and pastors. In this large building, great religious meetings are held from time to time under the co-operative superintendence of the churches. Con- nected with each church are flourishing Sunday schools and an unusually well-equipped corps of teachers and officers. Few cities the size of Danville enjoy better educational facilities. It has the primary and grammar grade system of free schools for both white and colored and a high school connection with each, which continue in operation nine calendar months. It has excellent school buildings, supplied with all the modern conveniences. The present total enrollment of pupils is 2,643, of whom 1,627 are white and 1,076 colored. Number of teachers fifty-two, 35 white and 17 colored. Cost of public schools about $15,000 annually. Besides the public schools there is a preparatory school for boys and a number of private and denominational schools, which are well patronized; Roanoke Female College (the oldest) was established in 1859, and is under the control of the Baptists. The second female school of high grade, in point of age is the Randolph-Macon Institute — successor to the Danville College for young ladies, which was established in 1883 under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. The Danville Military Institute was established in 1890 and has five departments of instruction — classical, scientific, English, commercial and military, the latter department conducted by an officer of the regular army. The Danville Commercial College, organ- ized in 1893, is equipped with modern furniture, and affords advantages equal to those offered by leading business colleges of the South. The Danville Academy of Medicine and Surgery is a permanent organization, its membership consisting of a majority of the physicians of the city. Danville does a fine banking business, due largely to her immense loose tobacco business, which requires a great deal of capital and which is fur- nished, to a large extent, by her own banking institutions. There are seven banks, whose last statements April 1, 1906, show: LOANS AND INVESTMENTS First National Bank $1,470,000 Bank of Danville 672,000 Commercial ' 466,000 Peoples 222,000 Union 220,000 Home 63,000 Totals $3,113,000 $686,000 $2,744,000 This statement does not include one large private bank, which can be safely estimated at $200,000 capital and deposits. There are two cotton factories, the Riverside Cotton Mills — capital $2,000,- 000, surplus $500,000— and 69,000 spindles. The Dan River Power and Manufacturing Company is still larger than the Riverside, and when com- pleted will be of 80,000 spindle capacity; the two combined employing over 4,700 operatives. The daily newspapers are The Register and The Bee, the former morning, and the latter evening papers. In addition, there is The Tobacco Journal, issued weekly in the interest of the tobacco trade; also temperance, labor, and church organs; of the latter The Baptist Union, a monthly church CAPITAL AND UNDI- DEPOSITS VIDED PROFITS $237,000 $1,311,000 221,000 521,000 133,000 429,000 44,000 213,000 33,000 225,000 18,000 45,000 251 journal published in the interest of the Baptist denomination, and The Methodist, also a church monthly published in the interest of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. The electric street car line has been rebuilt and extended at an expen- diture of about $300,000, and now has some seven miles of track in opera- tion, a good portion, through the thickly settled part of the city, double track. Hotel and boarding house facilities are superior, consisting of three first class hotels and several licensed private boarding houses. The city has many handsome and extensive buildings — a fine City Hall, United States public building, Masonic Temple (cost $40,000) , the Dudley Block, Main street (cost $80,000), the American Tobacco Company's large storage warehouse, and numerous others. The residence portion of the city is very attractive with its niauy elegant homes, and as a place of residence offers many advantages. The transportation facilities of Danville are excelled by few cities in the south. It is the western terminus of the Atlantic and Danville railway, the eastern terminus of the Danville and Western railway, and the junction point of three of the Southern railway's branches. The main line of the Southern passes through the city, and the Richmond branch, 140 miles in length, connects Danville with the capital of the State. The Southern railway also has a line between Danville and Portsmouth, through which port most of its eastern and foreign business passes. The city is connected with its prosperous twin city, North Danville, by a magnificent iron bridge spanning Dan river, making them one in their interests and business relations. Danville has been, from its earliest days, prominently a tobacco town, and now the tobacco trade makes the strong claim that it is the largest bright tobacco market in the world, handling about 45,000,000 pounds yearly, representing approximately three and a half million dollars. This claim is reasonable, when it is understood that Pittsylvania and all the finest bright tobacco growing counties in Virginia and North Carolina are convenient and pour their great product by thous- ands of wagons and hundreds of freight trains from this wide area into the great market, where the farmer sells promptly, is paid at once, and goes home at the day's end with his pocket-book well lined, and himself laden with goods and family supplies from the many well-stocked stores of the city. Thus it is that Danville, in the season, is one of the busiest markets of trade in the country. With this immense business to handle, Danville must necessarily have good thoroughfares, and she has 39 miles of paved, graded and macadamized streets upon which hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent. The assessed valuation of property owned by the city, including gas, water and electric plants, foots up $812,933.77, and the total value of all prop- erty, real and personal, in the city, is $12,280,287. Among the principal manufacturing industries in Danville are an extensive knitting mill, foundry and machine shops, two large grist mills, flouring mills, overall and pants factory, two good brick yards, three large furniture factories, two sash, door and blind factories, and three up-to-date printing offices, with a pay roll averaging $37,500 per week, totaling about $2,000,000 annually. Danville has also three building loan associations, with a total capital and undivided surplus of $151,517.56, a complete telephone system with 905 phones, many excellent charitable institutions and twenty secret orders, famed for their liberality and helpfulness. The wholesale and retail trade is healthy and progressive, and Danville's commercial association is alive to every interest of the city and being composed of active, intelligent busi- ness men in every department of trade or profession, loses no opportunity to advise and assist all worthy enterprises which may need its good offices. 253 FREDERICKSBURG. Fredericksburg is sixty miles north of Richmond and sixty miles south of Washington; is at the head of tidewater in the Rappahannock river valley and is within a few hours of the big markets of the eastern seaboard. Five great trunk lines run their trains through the city every day over the R. F. & P. railroad; the Potomac, Fredericksburg & Piedmont railroad furnishes transportation facilities west, and connection with the Southern, and Chesa- peake and Ohio railroad, and large steamers and freight barges ship from the city's wharves, provide this section with cheap water freights. This city and section are healthful, no epidemic ever having visited them, and the death rate is extremely low. A splendid water power of a present capacity of five thousand horse power, and a possible capacity of ten thousand, furnishes cheap power to three large flour mills, two electric light plants, stone cutters, large woolen mill, large silk mill, and other factories. There are, in addition to the factories mentioned, two shoe factories, one shirt factory, canning factory, overalls and pants factory, cigar factory, several wood-working plants, the largest sumac mills in the south, and a large tannery and three newspapers and several printing offices, in addition to numerous other smaller manufacturing plants. Sev- eral large pickle factories and excelsior mills, and two large iron foundries, with the other factories, furnish employment to many hundreds of work- men and women and add to the business importance of the city. Freder- icksburg is the center of the hard-wood trade of the State and is the main terminus of the R. F. & P. railroad. The last few years have been marked by great material progress in this city. The sound of the saw and hammer are heard on every side as sub- stantial business houses and beautiful residences are being erected. The city has taken on new life and awakened to the splendid possibilities pos- sessed. Real estate values have steadily increased during the last five years from thirty to one hundred per cent. The growth of population has been gradual but steady. Fredericksburg offers splendid opportunities for the location of factories on account of her excellent water power. The credit of the city is unsurpassed, its four per cent, bonds selling'at a handsome premimum. To those in search of homes or manufacturing sites, Fredericksburg offers many advantages. The city is rich in historical associations, with a cul- tured and refined people and a mild and delightful climate, making it an ideal spot for the home seeker. The country contiguous is the equal of any in the world for combined general farming, stock-raising, grasses, vegetables, fruit, grain, fuel, water, fish and game and the climate is mild and equable, the mountains to the west about fifty miles sheltering this section, and the Gulf stream off the f«nes adding to its healthfulness and genial qualities. LYNCHBURG. Lynchburg, the thriving city of Campbell county, was laid out as a town in 1786, and named for John Lynch, an officer in the Revolution, and one of its first settlers. He donated the land for its site. It was an important crossing on James river in "Ye olden times," known as Lynch's Ferry, Being for many years the western terminus of canal transportation from Richmond, before the advent of railroads, it was a commercial metropolis of the country, reaching to and embracing a large portion of the States of North Carolina, Tennessee ana Kentucky; and, being the natural gateway and distributing point of this rich and extensive territory, it still main- tains its importance as a commercial center. 254 It is situated in the extreme northern part of the county, on the hilts overlooking the James river on the south and west, 524 feet above sea level, and on account of its picturesque and elevated location, it has acquired the name of the '-'Hill City." It has well paved streets, electric lights and street cars ; also modern municipal Avater service of pure water piped from the mountains of Nelson at the cost of over half a million dollars. It has a delightful climate, exceedingly healthful. Mineral waters and summer resorts of wide reputation are within a few hours' travel. There are thirty churches in the city, some of which are very handsome, and the Young Men's Christian Association, with $93,000 in hand, is build- ing an elegant structure. Educational advantages are very superior, em- bracing eight public schools and a number of good private schools, a business college and the famous Randolph-Macon Woman's College, with a large and valuable addition in 1906, the Presbyterian Orphanage and the Christian College. The six fine banking institutions are in a flourishing condition, having a combined capital of $1,200,000, surplus $910,000, with total deposits amounting to over six and a quarter millions. The deposits in the past ten years show an increase of $3,912,857, and in the last ten months of $725,230. There are two excellent daily newspapers, morning and evening — the News, and the Advwnce. Lynchburg has also two superior hotels and several smaller but popular ones, and a fine United States building. The Miller Orphan Asylum, in a near by suburb, has commodious buildings and large endowment, and a beautiful and extensive park. The city is connected with Madison — a suburban town of Amherst county, two thousand inhabitants — by a free bridge across the James, and also with its suburb Rivermont, by a splendid iron bridge over Blackwater creek, twelve hundred feet in length, sixty feet in width, and one hundred and thirty-two feet in height, with a double electric railway and two roadways, and walking ways. This bridge reaches an avenue ninety feet wide, upon which is located Randolph-Macon Woman's College, the Presbyterian Orphanage, the Public Library and many beautiful residences. The three largest railroad systems of the south, the Southern, Norfolk and Western, and Chesapeake and Ohio, controlling 10,440 miles of railway, (also the Lynchburg and Durham railroad), center here, offering com- petitive rates and ready communication with all parts of the country. The amount of tonnage received in Lynchburg annually is two billion pounds, the amount forwarded one billion pounds, and the number of daily passenger trains is twenty. The advantages of Lynchburg as a manufacturing center, on account of its splendid water power, close proximity to a vast tributary country furnishing coal, cotton, tobacco, iron, timber and other raw material, superior transportation facilities, low taxes and freight rates, have attracted the attention of prospective manufacturers and, as a consequence, secured the establishment of new industries, and development along all industrial lines. There are in the city more than fifty enterprising manufactories, of which the principal are Adams-Monroe Manufacturing Company ; Adams Brothers- Paynes Company, brick and building material; American Cigar Company: Almond Dry Goods Company; American Trunk Manufacturing Company; American Snuff Company; Allen Bros. Tobacco Company; Acme Mill Works; American Manganese Company; J. P. Bell Company, blank books, stationery and publications; Beverly and Scott, barrels and hogsheads; T. 3. Bass and Bro., cigars; Butler and Butler, cigarettes; Smith Baxandall, 255 custom-made clothing; Commercial Printing Company; Camm Bros., bot- tlers; P. G. Cosby and Company, coffee, baking powder and salt fish; H. E. DeWitt, sash, doors and blinds; C. P. Doss, cigars; Doherty and Casey and Thos. B. Dornin Company, cornice and sheet metal; M. E. Doyle, sad- dles and harness; Fiedler and Bay, tombstones and marble products; Flec- nor Furniture Company, mattresses; M. Goldstein, ladies' wearing apparel; S. H. Franklin, custom-made clothing; Glamorgan Pipe and Foundry Com- pany; Gilliam and Company, mattresses; C. M. Guggenheimer, millinery and women's wearing apparel; J. E. Gutman, millinery; Hancock Brothers Tobacco Company, chewing tobacco; Harris Carriage Company; Harris Woodson and Company, candy and confections; Hughes Buggy Company; John H. Heald and Company, bark extract; Hubard Machine Shops; N. B. Handy Company, sheet metal; Highlander Tobacco Company; Jones- Terry Foundry and Machine Shops; Lynchburg Steam Bakery; Lynchburg Cotton Mill Company;- Lynchburg Milling Co.; Lynchburg Lounge Com- pany; Lynchburg Paper Box Company; Lynchburg Foundry Company; Lynchburg Diamond lee Company; Lynchburg Furniture Company; Lynch- burg Hosiery Mills ; Lloyd Moore, planing mill products ; D. Moses and Com- pany, picture frames, window shades and millinery; J. P. Millner Com- pany, women's wearing apparel and millinery; T. E. McLaughlin, bottled goods and mineral water ; Nelson, Klein and Krausse Company, barytes ; Ninth Street Shoe Factory; Norfolk and Western Overall Company; Old Dominion Box Company; M. O'Mieara, custom-made clothing; Pierce and Akers, brick and building material; Payne, Seay and Anderson, druggists; Piedmont Milling Company; H. A. Robinson, peanuts and popcorn; Stam- ford Manufacturing Company, dyestuffs ; A. M. Shaner. buggies, wagons and carriages; Southland Shoe Factory; R. H. Shepherd, cigars; Strother Drug Company; G. Stalling and Company, tobacco extract; W. O. Taylor, planing mill products; Thornhill Wagon Works; I. Tonik; women's Avearing apparel; United Cigarette Machine Company; Virginia-Carolina Chemical Company; J. I. Van Ness, tombstone and marble products; S. A. Wright, planing mill products; L. 0. Wrenn, saddles and harness; J. A. Wilkins and Liggan and Holt, stationery and printing; Wills-Camp Co., custom- made clothing; J. W. West and Company, chewing tobacco; Craddoek-Terry Co.; and Geo-. D. Witt Co., shoes. The capital employed in manufacturing plants in Lynchburg reached the sum of $4,604,740, as of January 1, 1906. The number of employees of these factories is 5,012. The amount paid out for the annual aggregate of pay rolls is $1,469.- 018.00. The value of manufacturing plants is $2,835,618. The total output of the city from its manufacturing enterprise reaches the total of $12,428,019. About four years ago similar statistics to the foregoing were compiled, and the result of a comparison between the two shows an increase in the value of manufactured products of nearly seven million and a half dollars or over 150 per cent. The largest plants in the city are those manufacturing pipe, plows, shoes, cotton goods, cigars, tobacco, flour and bark extract, but the multiplicity of the smaller plants make up in their great number what they lack in individual size of output and contribute no little to the prosperity of the community. During the year the building permits issued in the city show a grand total of $872,325, while a conservative estimate of the cost of new structures in the immediate suburbs place the amount at $300,000. The class of build- ing erected during the year is far ahead of anything ever before seen in the city. 256 The Southern Bell Telephone Company has just completed the installa- tion of a new underground metallic central energy system of telephones, which, when completed, represents an outlay of $200,000. The Lynchburg Traction and Light Company has completed at Reusens, several miles above the city on the James river, a water power plant, which has cost nearly $500,000. The Southern Fire Insurance Company with a capitalization of $200,000, a product of the year, is doing a splendid business, and the promoters of the American National Life Insurance Company, which will be limited to $500,000, has begun business recently with $100,000 of its stock sold at a premium. COMMERCE STREET, IN LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA. The wholesale dry-goods section of the city. The Old Dominion Bridge and Iron Company has been organized, and, it is said, will soon be ready to begin work on its plant in the southern por- tion of the city. The Krise Banking and Office Building, with its seven stories, Lynch- burg's "sky scraper," and a decided ornament and convenience to the city, was completed and occupied early in the year 1906. The railways have enjoyed great prosperity during the year, both the freight and passenger business of all the roads being larger than ever before. During the year ending July 1st there were sold 325,869 tickets out of the city. One of the achievements of the year has been the fact that every cent on an assessment of about $9,000,000 of real estate for city purposes has been 257 ■collected, a condition that probably has never anywhere existed in the South. The manufacture and trade in shoes has, of recent years, attracted much attention to Lynchburg, on account of the immense business done by the Craddock-Terry Company, and the George D. Witt Company. Their success has been so marked that both of these firms are building new factories, with which to largely increase, if not double, their output, and the Smith- Briscoe Company is also erecting a large factory for making men's shoes and in the near future Lynchburg may threaten the monopoly of the shoe business of the South. Another leading business of the city is that of cast iron pipes, in which the Glamorgan and the Lynchburg Pipe Works are engaged. These pro- ducts are now sold in every State in the Union. In twenty-five years the volume of business done by the wholesalers of Lynchburg has grown from nothing to over twenty-two millions of dollars annually, and the growth for the year 1905 has exceeded that of any previ- ous year. Instead of the one or two straggling salesmen who at the beginning of the period sometimes made trips, there are now over four hundred knights of the grip on the road representing Lynchburg houses. It costs the mer- chants nearly three quarters of a million dollars every year to keep these men in the field. Something over five million dollars is the capital actually invested by these distributers in the operation of their business, and they employ over six hundred house and stock men at a cost of five hundred thousand dollars in yearly salaries, thus providing a circulating medium from this source alone of nearly ten thousand dollars a week within the city limits. MANCHESTER. Thj city of Manchester is thought to be the oldest settlement, next to Jamestown, in Virginia, dating back nearly 300 years, having been set- tled seventy-eight years before Philadelphia, May 13, 1609, by Sir Thomas West (Lord De La Ware), the president of the Virginia colony. In 1773 the James River Bank was established there, being one of the first banks in America. The city is in Chesterfield county, opposite Richmond, on the southern bank of James River, at the head of tidewater, having an altitude of 38 feet, and by the census of 1900 a population of 9,715 with a near by surburban population of five or six thousand persons. Manchester is virtually in the heart of Richmond. The center of Man- chester is but a few squares from the corner of Seventh and Broad streets, in Richmond, and Manchester is hedged in by Richmond on three sides, and Forest Hill Park, with its beauty and sylvan attractions, is as near the central business part of Richmond as Richmond College or Libby Hill Park. There are fine street car lines in this city, whose service has been quickened and rendered more efficient. These two considerations put Manchester in the very heart of Richmond. Therefore, if Richmond succeeds, Manchester is bound to succeed. She has three street car lines, which connect her with all parts of Richmond on the most favorable condition of transfer. She is connected with Petersburg by a splendid electric railway, which is superbly built and equipped, and which also connects her with all of the intervening portion of Chesterfield county. She has fine railway and transportation facilities, being in close economical contact as far as her business, manufacturing and commercial interests are concerned, with the great railway systems of the Atlantic Coast Line, the Southern, the Chesapeake and Ohio railway system and the Seaboard Air Line, and the steamboat companies of the James river. 17 258 These railways traversing her territory, and the territory of the county of Chesterfield, contiguous to her limits, afford splendid facilities for trans- portation and intercourse, and from the situation of these lines and their length in the city and county, together with their proximity to business centers, and especially to Richmond, present almost unlimited sites of great excellence and suitability for all kinds of manufacturing enterprises and general business. Bordering the James river for at least two miles, the city possesses one of the most magnificent water powers in this State, which will most favorably compare with that of any other spot in this country, as well as fine har- bor facilities in that part of the city opposite the wharves of Richmond. The usual summer discharge of the river is about 2,000 cubic feet per second. During freshets the discharge is much greater, and at one time, in 1877, the discharge was estimated to have reached the enormous quantity of 200,000 cubic feet per second. The river, however, is so well regulated and its capacity for discharge so great, that this great volume of water was carried off without loss or destruction of property. The taxes in Manchester are graduated and based upon the business done, not the amount of capital invested. This wise provision has induced many merchants and manufacturers to locate here, prominent among which are the Donnan Hardware Company; Stephen Putney Shoe Company; Virginia- Carolina Chemical Company; Richmond Electric Company; Richmond Wood Working Company; Johnson Axle Factory; Wingo Ellet and Crump Shoe Company; Blair-Ronche Glass Works and James River Furniture and Mat- tress Company. The health of the city is excellent, the rate of mortality having been materially decreased of late. The sewerage system, amply adequate; the water works well managed and in excellent condition; and the fire depart- ment is economically conducted and very efficient. Manchester is proud of her banks, of which there are two progressive and well-managed institutions, and the finances of the city are in good con- dition and well managed. The religious and educational opportunities of Manchester are unusual for a city of its size, there being sixteen church edifices, representing all denominations, of which ten are white, the others colored. Some of the buildings are beautiful and costly. The children of the city are provided with very good public schools, which are conducted by an experienced superintendent and competent principals and teachers, and are adopting progressive methods, especially in music and drawing. The American Telephone and Telegraph Company has a very fine ex- change, located in the Leader building, corner of Tenth and Hull streets, in this city. Employees twenty-four. The equipment is complete and up- to-date. All of the telephone business of the community, including Rich- mond, as far north as Maine, south as Florida, and west as Denver, passes through this office. An increase of 18 per cent, over the business of 1904 is reported. Manchester is connected with Richmond by seven bridges — five railroad, and two wagon-way and street car bridges — and a new free bridge is con- templated, which erection is considered as merely a question of time. There are many prosperous and profitable manufacturing establishments in this city, where a great variety of products are turned out, constituting the business life of the city. Among these may be mentioned dynamos and motors, hosiery, belting, butts, rough side leather, ground sumac, lumber, flour, meal and mill feed, lace leather, brooms, wash boards, wood work, paper — coated and enameled — iron bridges, railway axles, ice, tobacco, furniture, shoes, paper twine, railroad material, fertilizers, brick and tiles, glass bottles, stoves, etc. 259 Thousands of men are engaged in these manufactures and but few idle men are seen on the streets. A great mr.ny people have come to this place to reside. Hundreds have been compelled to seek homes in Richmond and the surrounding country because the houses in Manchester are all occupied. It is conservatively estimated that at least 400 new homes could be rented here in the next few months, if built to meet the demand, which is for houses with modern con- veniences and improvements at reasonably profitable rentals. The outlook for real estate, as inquiries indicate, show renewed interest and is most encouraging. At no time in the history of this city have her prospects been brighter and more flattering. NEWPORT NEWS. Newport News is an important port and ship-building center, a modern city of Tidewater Virginia. It was, according to the best authority, named for Sir William Newce (a wealthy English soldier who was granted 2,500 acres of land and settled at this point October, 1621, dying soon after) and not, as is sometimes stated, after Captain Newport. This old Eng- lish voyager died in Java prior to 1617, more than four years before he is claimed to have relieved the settlement in 1621 with a ship load of provisions. Captain John Smith, in the General History of Virginia, November 22, 1621, mentions the place as Newport News, which is perhaps the first time the name occurs in history. Twenty-five years ago this peninsula, which is washed by the James river on the west and Hampton Roads on the south, was virtually a wilder- ness. Today it is a city, as modern and as enterprising as any in the country. Near by, within the range of vision, is a population of 50,000, some day to become citizens of a metropolis that will extend from what is now known as North Newport News, to the government reservation at Old Point, nine miles away. Between the city proper and Old Point is a section already well built up, embracing the towns of Hampton and Phoebus, and another stretch of five miles between the former and Newport News, traversed by two elec- tric lines and a railway, and building up with marvellous rapidity. Newport News is situated on a plateau considerably elevated above high tide, at the extreme end of the Virginia peninsula where tbe historic James empties into Hampton Roads, twelve miles from Norfolk, seventy-five miles from Richmond, and two hundred miles from Washington and Baltimore. The water supply is ample for all purposes, and is brought in under- ground pipes from a lake sixteen miles north of the city. The streets of the city are nicely paved with sheet asphalt, and there are three costly viaducts, spanning the Chesapeake and Ohio yards. It is well lighted by electricity and gas, and has a magnificent sanitary sewer system, a splendidly equipped fire department, and a well organized and disciplined police force. The business of the city is in a splendid condition. Real estate values are firm with no important failures. Industrial investments have recently been secured, including a shoe factory, brewery and mantel, and grate plant, besides several other minor operations. The city has a land assessment of $10,000,000, on personalty, $10,000,000, with assess- ments on industries, hardly more than nominal, and bonded indebtedness less than $500,000. It has a tax rate of $1.50 for all purposes, $1.15 of Which goes into the municipal and school coffers. a? § * eh 261 The admirable climate, insignificant death rate, and light percentage of sickness, commends it as a place of residence and business. There are twenty churches, representing the various denominations, many of which are costly and handsome edifices. School facilities are very superior with a fine corps of efficient teachers, and five large brick school buildings and several smaller city schools, in addition to a number of pri- vate educational institutions, including a kindergarten. Few cities of the same age and population anywhere have done so much for the educa- tion of the children. The city has seven banks — all sound and doing a flourishing business — and two excellent daily papers. The hotels of the city have excellent ac- commodations. The public buildings are a handsome courthouse, and jail, and a government building erected at a cost of $250,000, for post office and custom house purposes. Building activity is very marked; new residences — and some very hand- some ones — are going up in every section; also large and handsome busi- ness houses, and office buildings, school houses engine houses, livery estab- lishments, etc. Newport News has but one railroad, the Chesapeake and Ohio, it being the deep water terminus. It is one of several factors in the development of the city, and is the largest single railway terminal in the world; comprising ten large commercial piers, two monster grain elevators, sixty miles of track in its yards, and a fleet of two steamers, five tugs, two car floats, and six coal barges, representing an investment of probably $8,000,000. Between 250,000 and 300,000 cars are handled annually in the Chesapeake and Ohio yards. Co-operating with the railroad are a number of shipping companies which operate regular lines from Newport News to European ports, and in addition a number of coastwise and river lines operate from this port to all convenient points on the river and coast. The passenger traffic is also very heavy. Four daily trains leave for, and arrive from, Richmond, mak- ing connection with the steamer for Norfolk and Portsmouth. The railway and steamship companies pay out here weekly about $40,000. Besides, a great many tramp steamers come and go daily. There are several foundries in a prosperous condition, also a knitting mill, shirt factory and tobacco factory. Another vast enterprise to which Newport News largely owes its existence is its Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company. The ship yard employs 7,000 men and has a weekly pay roll of $65,000. The capital invested in the plant is about $15,000,000. There are two monster dry docks, one of them the largest on the American continent, constructed at a cost of $1,000,000 and capable of accommodating the largest vessel ever constructed. The basin holds 24,000,000 gallons, and is filled by an electrical pumping system with a capacity of 200,000 gallons a minute. The company has also two electri- cal cranes above two ship ways. The yard is supplied with the largest electrical lifting crane in the world, having a capacity of 150 tons, and in other respects it is perfectly equipped for its large business which is perhaps twice as much annually as that of any other ship yard in the United States. Large numbers of naval and merchant ships are built at this yard. The great battleship Virginia was launched in 1904 in the presence of 70,000 people. In addition to construction work the yard is kept busy day and night on repair jobs. April 2, 1906, will mark the 23d anniversary of the birth of the port at this place, for it w T as on that day twenty-itlhree years ago that the British steamship Paxe sailed with the first cargo of export goods brought here over the Chesapeake & Ohio 263 railroad. From this modest beginning, the commerce of Newport News has grown with such rapid strides, that today it is one of the leading seaports in the United States. Indeed, it would be conservative to say that the in- crease in trade here has been hardly less than a commercial miracle. The duties collected annually amount to about $1,200,000. Newport News has one of the largest, deepest and safest harbors on the Atlantic coast, with depth of water ranging from eight to eleven fathoms, and capable of accommodating the navies, martial and commercial, of the planet. A signal tower nearly 100 feet above sea level warns mariners of approaching storms day and night. This is perhaps, with Norfolk, the best coaling station on the continent, and its business in this respect has grown to enormous proportions, amount- ing to 3,000,000 tons annually— requiring 65,324 cars, which, if strung together, would reach a distance' of 475 miles. The record of this port for its coal business is probably not equalled anywhere in the United States, and it is rapidly increasing in volume and importance. Reference to the coal business would be decidedly incomplete without par- ticular mention of the increase in its foreign coal trade. The total value of goods that pass through Newport News to and from foreign countries annually is about $50,000,000, of which amount about $38,000,000 is ex- ported and $12,000,000 is imported. . The aggregate duties amount to $3,- 200,000, which shows a large increase for the past two years, surpass- ing any other port in the United States in this respect. In all respects the city continues to grow rapidly. Building operations are active. The suburbs are becoming more thickly populated; northern and western farmers are settling on lands adjacent to the city for trucking purposes, and a large amount of outside capital is awaiting investment here. These and many other agencies are contributing to the upbuilding of the city, and the Jamestown celebration next year will prove an import- ant factor in its progress. Population of city, census of 1900, was 19,635, which is an increase of 15,186 since last census. This shows a phenomenal increase, and if the city continues to grow in population the next five years as it has in the past five, it will boast of 40,000 or more inhabitants. It has a community of wide-a-wake and progressive people, which can but prove to be an important element in its future progress and advancement. NORFOLK. This city, which for generations, on account of its commanding commer- cial situation on the deep and safe waters of Elizabeth river and Hampton Roads, has been known among Virginians as the "City by the Sea," not only maintains its prominence as thetvgreat "seaport of the commonwealth, but has, of late years, advanced rapidly in size; wealth and importance. At the head of a harbor so deep that the largest ships afloat anchor with safety there, and so wide that the combined fleets of the world may float uncrowded on its smooth Avaters, it challenges the seaports of the globe for a superior position. Virginians from the early years of the aspiring colony, to the present time, when as citizens of a great and progressive State, looking bravely and hopefully to the future, have felt, and do feel, proud of Norfolk. They share, with its people, their exultation as they see it risen from the desolation of a long and disastrous war — a desolation now forgotten in the progress and wealth and opportunity of the great city by the sea. 265 During the last forty years, the development and prosperity of Nor- folk's harbor, have, in one way and another, been impeded. Those difficulties having been adjusted or overcome is substantial, and rapid ad- vancement in every direction now prevails, and the 30 miles of wharf front, embracing the contiguous cities of Portsmouth and Berkeley, are alive with great and constantly increasing activity. Large amounts of local capital and many thousands of foreign money are profitably invested, and there is room for almost any additional amount, with sure promise of large gains in present or new investments. When it is remembered that Norfolk is the central port on the whole Atlantic coast for the exportation of both southern and western products, and thus the export gateway of a vast agri- cultural, manufacturing and mineral territory, the statement just made may be understood. The Norfolk & Western railroad, Southern, Seaboard Air Line, Chesa- peake and Ohio, Atlantic Coast Line, all great trunk lines, reach out into the far distant industrial and agricultural fields, and pour their immense freights into foreign-bound ships. The completion of the Tidewater railroad will add another to the same class, having enormous terminals on Hampton Roads and, duplications of the same on the Great Lakes of the Northwest, and will be a great road for Norfolk. Other railroads of minor importance, two canals, and numerous steam- boat lines, penetrating the interior waters, and serving coastwise trade, collectively make up an aggregate of transportation facilities, second only to New York. It may be a surprise to some to know that there are fully 26 lines of transportation, by rail and water, at Norfolk. The terminals of the great railways are located on one or the other side of Elizabeth river, and all connected by a uniting belt line, while the Trans-Atlantic and Coast Steamship companies, have wharves on both sides of the river. Thus the commercial interests of Portsmouth and Berkley are closely linked with Norfolk, and frequent ferry boats con- stantly plying between the three cities constitute a passenger and freight transit over the few hundred yards of intervening water, almost as rapid as if by land. The wide-a-wake Board of Trade of Norfolk makes the following state- ment: "Nature has been lavish in the opportunities offered to make this section the great distributing point of exports and imports, for nowhere between the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Gulf of Mexico is there located so com- modious a harbor, such an abundance of anchorage ground, such splendid dockage facilities. No harbor upon the Atlanatic coast is so near the great northwestern, central and southwestern manufacturing cities of St. Paul, Chicago, Cincinnati, Louisville, St, Louis and Kansas City and their con- tributing territory, and it is the natural outlet for their products and for the great grain growing and cattle raising districts. "Within twelve hours ride of Greater Norfolk are the agricultural and manufacturing products of 21,000,000 of people, and within 24 hours ride there live and move and have their being and industrial life 39,000,000 people. "The concentration of railroads at Norfolk will make it the port for a vast commerce, and just as the development of the west and middle west have built up New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, so the develop- ment of the south and southwest will build up Greater Norfolk. "Connected by electric lines, ferries and railroads with all points on its shores, Hampton Roads becomes the larger harbor for Greater Norfolk and the cities of the Roads, Newport News, Hampton and Old point, aggregating a total population of from 160,000 to 165,000. The outer harbor contains an anchorage ground of nearly 40,000 acres, with a depth of 50 feet; while 266 the Elizabeth river and its branches form the inner harbor, with a depth of 30 feet and an area of about 1,000 acres, while dredging to increase the depth is constantly going on." The remarkable facilities and results of the trucking business in Norfolk county having been already referred to in preceding pages of this work, it is pertinent, in referring to the subject, right here to state, that Nor- folk city is the largest shipping point for "truck" or vegetables on the At- lantic coast. Railroad trains and steamships of large capacity, making daily and nightly trips, are taxed to their utmost — as stated in a leaflet of a reliable Norfolk real estate firm — to convey the products of the fields for ten miles around Norfolk to the northern and western cities, which largely depend in season on Norfolk for their supply of "green stuff," the aggregate of which is, in returns, not less than $7,500,000 annually; and every available hand — man, woman and child — is pressed into service to cultivate, gather and ship this large product. The conditions of climate and soil in this vicinity, where the usual rigor of winter is tempered by the Gulf Stream, are such that trucks are ship- ped from this market every month of the year, as many as four crops being often raised on the same ground annually. Large capital is required in producing and handling this immense business, and all branches of trade, and every citizen of Norfolk share more or less directly or indirectly in the results. Norfolk has just annexed a new ward, having about 8,000 people, and active movements are now being made to add two others from the immediate suburbs. This new territory contains about 15,000 inhabitants. When this is arranged, Norfolk will have 88,000 people. Experience shows that new wards increase 25 per cent, each year. In 1874 the population of Norfolk was less than it was prior to 1855. In 1881 Norfolk had 22,000 people. In 1900 it had increased to 46,624. The U. S. estimate in 1904 gave 56,662; today it has little short of 65,000. The county of Norfolk, embracing Norfolk, Portsmouth and all the smaller towns, aggregate at least 130,000. The mortality rate of the city, for many years, had averaged 34 to the 1,000; today it is 18.60 as the result of improved sewers, drainage, etc. The manufactories of Norfolk have increased steadily and largely during the last ten years, but the advance since the year 1900, has far sur- passed the anticipations of the most sanguine citizens, more than 200 pei cent, in that time. Thus thousands of operatives, business officers, clerks, etc., have largely swelled the population. The census of 1900 gave 4,700 as the number of operatives at work in the industries of the cities, situated in Norfolk county, whereas 1,519 were employed in the whole county in 1880. Today over 20,000 are paid at least $5,200,000 in annual wages in all the factories of Norfolk county. Two new extensive plants to work 1,500 hands are being built. The Norfolk navy yard, located in Portsmouth, works an average of 2,000 ■ men in shipbuilding and repairing, and had last year a pay roll of $1,659,- 214. The largest winery in the country is here, the largest creosoting plant and the largest oyster packing plant. Over 600,000 bushels of oysters are handled annually, requiring the services of more than 6,000 persons. This is the second fish port in the United States. One tobacco stemmery employs 700 operators. The knitting industry employs 1,200 hands. One box fac- tory cuts 150,000 feet of lumber daily. This is the fourth cotton port of the country, having exported last year 36,400 bales — the annual business amounting to more than $24,000,000. 267 It is reasonable to mi'er that where there is such a volume of business, provisions Avould be made for the traveling public. This has been most effectively done and no city of its size can boast of better hotels, some of them large and elegant, while there are scores of less pretentious ones, and many superior , boarding houses, capable of meeting all such demands upon the city. It is hardly necessary, in referring to a large and pro- gressive city, to notice the electric transit system; but it may be stated that it is modern in every particular, and supplied to every settlement and seaside resort within 19 miles, including such popular places as Virginia Beach, Ocean View, Cape Henry, Willoughby Spit, and the rapidly growing site of the Jamestown Exposition Company. The public schools of Norfolk are widely known for their good man- agement and efficiency. The High School is the pride of the city and enjoys a reputation surpassed by none of its class, and there are excellent private schools and academies, male and female, of long standing. Perhaps no city in Virginia is so well supplied with churches, there being seventy-four in all — forty-seven white and twenty-seven colored. Of the white there are thirteen Methodist, eight Presbytrians, eight Baptist, six Episcopal, three Jewish, three Catholic, two Christian, one Lutheran, one Disciple, one Christadelphian, and one Christian Scientist; colored, thirteen Baptist, nine Methodist, two Christian, one Episcopal, one Unitarian. Four modern hospitals supplement the splendid Marine Hospital of the Government. So great has become the reputation of these resorts for the relief of the suffering, that patients from all parts of the country patronize them. There are also eight or nine asylums of different kinds. The Carnegie Library, but lately finished, fills the full measure of the public's desires in that line. The Jamestown Exposition. The eyes of the country and of the world, will, during the next two years, be directed to Norfolk, Hampton Roads and its cities on account of the unique celebration of the Jamestown Exposition, arranged to begin on the 13th day of May, 1907, and to be held near Norfolk, commemorating the three hundredth anniversary of the first English settlement on the North American continent, at Jamestown. Extensive preparations have been going on for more. than two years. In its incipiency $1,000,000 of stock was taken, largely rri Norfolk and the other near by cities and localities. The State of Virginia subscribed $300,000, with which to furnish a great ex- hibit of her varied resources, with the necessary buildings, including a suit- able Virginia homes- in which to entertain her own people and the repre- sentatives of -foreign nations. Many of our sister governments have heartily accepted, the invitation to attend, which was extended by the Presi- dent of the United States and presented in person by the Hon. St. G. Tucker, president of the Exposition Company, who last year visited these foreign courts for that purpose, and was everywhere gracefully and cordially re- ceived. It is not the province of this work to give a detailed program of what is proposed in connection with the Jamestown celebration, but as it is to be a great event in the history of Virginia of today, and virtually a part of that of Norfolk, to which this chapter is appropriated, it is important to note, in the words of another writer, the following: "Commanding a view of 160 square miles of protected harbor-wa.y, the Jamestown Exposition will consist largely of a naval and marine show. Upon these historic waters the first battle of iron-clads was fought, and 269 upon these waters the purpose is to hold the greatest rendezvous of mod- ern iron-clads. Here the combined navies of the world can be harbored, and leave room for myriads of merchant craft and pleasure boats. "At anchor will ride the exact reproduction of the three ships which brought the colonists — the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Dis- covery. "The showing of boats in different eras, in juxtaposition will give the best possible opportunity of tracing naval marine development. "Ihis will doubtless constitute the greatest naval show that the world has ever seen as the chiefs of the Navy Department, the Admiral and the Secretary of the Navy have signified their cordial sympathy with the Ex- position movement, and the great powers of the world will send their finest and largest ships and heavy detachments of troops, which, in addition to the United States navy and large details from eveiy branch of the army, will make up a magnificent naval as well as martial display upon the wide waters and ample grounds of the Exposition. Many States North and South have made generous appropriations for the erection of State buildings and the collection and display of exhibits illustrating their resources, and Congress has appropriated a large sum with which to meet the necessary outlay, which is contemplated in con- nection with the celebration of an event of so much importance in the history of the country, and which must attract millions of people from the United States and other lands. PETERSBURG. Petersburg, situated in the county of Dinwiddie, founded in 1733, and incorporated in 1784, was named for Peter Jones, its founder. It is very favorably and delightfully situated at the head of navigation on the Ap- pomattox river, 12 miles southwest of its confluence with the James at City Point, 22 miles south from. Richmond; 81 miles northwest from Nor- folk; 63 miles north from Weldon, N. C, and 138 miles south from Wash- ington City. The city proper is in Dinwiddie county, though it has popu- lous suburbs extending into two* other counties ( Blandf ord in Prince George and Pocahontas in Chesterfield). It is an active, thriving place, well supplied with all modern con- veniences and improvements. The streets are well paved with vitrified brick and sheet asphalt, a large amount having been recently expended in this line of improvement. The city is lighted by gas and electricity, and owns its own water works, which furnish an abundant supply of fine water from springs and rivulets in the neighborhood, carefully protected by law. The commercial bodies are the Chamber of Commerce and Young Men's Business Association, the Petersburg Club, the Bicycle Club, and the Appo- mattox Boat Club, the latter being the oldest of its kind in the State, and noted for its hospitality. All the religious denominations are represented in Petersburg, and many stately and beautiful edifices adorn its streets. The combined membership of the churches aggregate over one-half of the city's population. There are several fine libraries which are largely patronized. The Masons, Odd Fel- lows and Red Men own fine properties. The educational advantages of the city are of the highest order. The municipality sets aside $24,000 annually for the use of the School Bo-ird. The public schools are admirably managed, with abundant accommodations for the entire school population. The races, of course, are educated sep- arately. There is a high school for the blacks as well as the whites. The colored youth of the State of both sexes have the additional advantages of 270 the Virginia Mormal and Industrial Institute, a State institution founded in 1882 and erected at a cost of $150,000, for the higher education of the colored youth of the State, with special reference to the training of teachers. This institution has 485 students, State annuity $15,000. There are 11 private schools and academies of high grade, which prepares young men and women for college. One of these, the Southern Female College, was founded long anterior to the war, and is one of the best female colleges in the South. It has 150 students, an able staff of instructors and thorough course of study. Another high grade school is the Petersburg Academy, Prin- cipals Hall and Arrington, the successor to the University School of Capt. W. Gordon McCabe. St. Joseph's School is conducted by the Sisters of Charity. It has a large patronage. The Central State Hospital for colored insane is located in the suburbs of the city. Petersburg has three very prosperous banks, doing a large business, with stock far above par, and paying handsome dividends. The city has excellent telephone service and ten miles of street railway, thoroughly equipped, and car shed costing $30,000. A great deal of attention has been given in recent years to local improvements. Numerous new buildings have been erected, and a marked change has been wrought in the appearance of the city. It has two beautiful parks abundantly supplied with pure water, and adorned with lakes, flowers, and beautiful shade trees. The National Government has two large cemeteries near Petersburg, where rest the re- mains of some 12,000 or 15,000 soldiers of the Union army who fell around the city. One of these is in this county and the other at City Point. In Blandford cemetery, in this city, are gathered the remains of about 15,- 000 Confederate soldiers whose graves are tenderly cared for by the Ladies' Memorial Association. Petersburg is not only an active business place, but a beautiful and delightful residential city. On many streets are stately mansions that would attract attention anywhere. There are no gambling dens, Sunday law is strictly enforced, and. it enjoys the reputation of being a quiet and orderly community. Though the negroes constitute about one-half of the population, they are as a class industrious, peaceable and steadily em- ployed, and many of them have accumulated property. The transportation facilities of Petersburg are extensive, furnishing com- munication by rail and water with all parts of the country. It is es- pecially important as a railroad center, being the junction point of three great trunk line railroads ■ — the Seaboard Air Line railway, the Atlantic Coast Line, and the Norfolk & Western. The Seaboard Air Line has through service from New York to Tampa and Atlanta, opening up a system embracing 3,000 miles of track. The Atlantic Coast Line passes along the border of the county for ten miles, and is a north and south line, connecting the great Pennsylvania system of the north with the Plant system of the south, forming a through route to Florida. This road has large depot buildings and machine shops in the city. The Norfolk and Western passes through the northern portion of the county for a distance of 30 miles, and is an east and west line, beginning at Norfolk, passing through Petersburg, Southside, Southwest Virginia, and West Virginia to Columbus, Ohio. It has handsome depot buildings and large machine shops in the city, and a branch road to City Point, on the James. In addition to these transportation facilities, Petersburg has a profitable commerce by navigation, by canal and river, for 80 miles west of the city, and by the Appomattox and James rivers eastward to the sea. The ton- nage of this port is 200,000 tons annually, and value of freight $1,500,000. Petersburg offers very superior advantages for productive industries in its excellent facilities for transportation, cheap and desirable sites, and 271 especially in the extraordinary resources of its available water power — not one-half of which is utilized. Thisjower is furnished by the Appo- mattox river and by canals within and without the city for a distance of many miles. Two large granite quarries are operated near the city and the product is being used by the government in the erection of seawalls; it is also largely in demand for street paving, building purposes, and for monu- ments and tombs. Petersburg has an extensive lumber business, owing to the large quanti- ties of fine timber in this and the adjacent counties of Brunswick and Mecklenburg. Petersburg is a notable manufacturing center. Statistics of the city's business interests, and progress, give the number of manufacturing estab- lishments as 290; persons employed 6,000; wages paid annually $1,750,003; value of material used $5,500,000, product $11,000,000, and indications of constant, and substantial increase from year to year. The most important lines of manufacture are those of tobacco, cotton, and peanuts, with many others following close in point of magnitude, and value. Petersburg is one cf the oldest tobacco markets in the State, beginning its history as such in the colonial days. The section contiguous, embracing the counties of Dinwiddie, Brunswick, Amelia, Lunenburg, Prince Edward, Charlotte, Mecklenburg, etc., is famous for the quality, and flavor of its tobacco, and for export purposes it is very superior. It has the largest export tobacco manufactures in the United States, producing 8,000,000 pounds (valued at $1,700,000) of the total 10,000,000 pounds of plug tobacco exported from the United States. There are also several large factories devoted exclu- sively to the manufacture of tobacco for the domestic trade. The capacity of the warehouses of the city, is about 12,000 hogsheads, and the total number of persons employed in all branches of the tobacco trade is about 3,500, whose wages aggregate $550,000. The cotton manufacturing business is also one of the most important industries of the city. There are located here five large cotton factories in active operation, running on full time, and using the greater part of the 10,000 bales received in the city, a large portion of which is of Virginia growth received from the adjacent counties. Osnaburgs, sheetings, duck and yarns are the principle varieties of goods manufactured, much of which is exported to China, Central America and other points. The capital employed in these mills is about $600,000; hands employed 750; number of spindles 30,000; looms 590; manufacturing annually 11,000,000 yards of cloth, and 100,000 pounds yarn, and sewing thread. The annual value of the product exceeds $700,000. Petersburg also claims pre-eminence in the peanut trade of the country, and dominates to a considerable extent the markets in this commodity. The peanut fields begin almost at the city line, stretching away through the rich belt of counties to the east, and south down through the Carolinas. Estimates place the Virginia crop at 650,000 sacks of four bushels each. A large quantity of these nuts are handled in Petersburg where there are five large factories, in which the uncleaned nuts are cleaned, assorted, polished and sometimes shelled for the markets of the country. The capital invested in these plants is about $100,000; hands employed 300; annual wages paid $60,000; annual output 1,800,000 bushels; value of output $2,- 500,000, and independent commission dealings $300,000. Another extensive industry is the manufacture of trunks and valises. Four immense factories are engaged in this business, one of them the largest in the world, representing alone an investment of over $100,000, and giving employment to 300 or 400 hands consuming 2,000,000 feet of lumber an- nually, turning out 150,000 trunks, and 12,000 dozen hand bags., and 272 valises and covers, and sending their products to nearly every city and town in the Union, and to Central America, and West Indies. The daily output of all these factories is 1,200 trunks and 1,500 traveling bags. Petersburg is well supplied with corn meal and flour mills whose output is widely distributed through Virginia and the Carolinas. Of these there are four corn mills with an output of 1,000,000 bushels of meal; and one flour mill producing 40,000 barrels of flour annually. Silk mills of large capacity and output is another industry of import- ance, employing about 500 hands. The bark, sumac and extract works located here give employment to- hundreds of people in town and county, and have a product of five or six thousand tons of ground bark, and 6,000,000 pounds of ground sumac leaves. The manufacture of fruit baskets and crates is a large enterprise, in which are utilized 1,000 cords of poplar and gum logs, and over 1,000,000 feet of sawed lumber annually. Among the new industries in the city is a ship yard, not only building vessels, but making the engines, boilers, etc. There are four foundries and machine shops running on full time, and turning out the highest grade of work. It will be a surprise to many to learn that in Petersburg was made much of the shot and shell used in the Spanish War, including some of the largest and most destructive projectiles. There are also extensive fireworks factories doing a very large business. The lumber shipped, aggregating 50,000,000 feet per year, is valued at $400,000. There are four planing mills in the city, doing a business of about $250,000, one barrel-head factory, and two large ice factories with a daily capacity of forty tons. Many other manufacturing enterprises of less magnitude might be cited. Prominent among these is a fertilizer factory which unloads from 100 to 150 vessels per year, its capacity being 20,000 tons; a pants factory, which turns out 3,000 pairs a week; a hoisery factory; and a number of others for the manufacture of clothing, bags, hats, soap, candles, candy, snuff, canned goods, cigars, harness, paper boxes and wagons. The estimate of the city's jobbing business, combined with such retailings as cannot be separated from it, is about the equivalent of its manufactures, $11,000,000 — both together $22,000,000— to which add $5,000,000 for real estate, banking, rail- road and shipping and other miscellaneous lines, and sums up $27,000,000. The principal jobbing lines are groceries and provisions, dry goods, clothing boots and shoes, this line alone amounting to more than $1,500,000. Its building improvements will reach $300,000 a year, such investments realizing from eight to ten per cent., and the average annual increase in all branches of trade and manufacture in the city for the past few years has been fully twenty per cent., making it necessary with the jobbing houses to materially increase their traveling force. The business of the three banks has also kept pace with the growing business of the city, showing a general increase of twenty per cent, over previous years. 'Hie bonded debt of the city is $1,261,000, which was incurred in aid of public improvements, especially of railroads. The taxable values of the city, real and personal, are about $10,000,000, and the rate of taxation is $1.60 per $100 of value for the city, and 40 cents for the State. The annual income of the city from all sources is about $225,000, and the annual regular expenditures about $213,000. Rich as Petersburg is in other respects it is no less so in historical interest. Splendid old colonial sites made historic, as the homes of patriots in the dark days preceding and following the birth of the nation, dot the surrounding country. To come nearer to the present, is the memory of the long and weary siege cf 1864-5, through which the devoted city passed; every day and every right, shot and shell from the Federal guns sweeping the town almost from end to end — a large portion of the city practically 273 deserted, and danger lurking on every hand, with houses ruined, property destroyed, and starvation almost in sight; but notwithstanding it all, the people were brave and patient and ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of honor, and their beloved south. The end came in 1865, and found the trade of the city practically destroyed, capital gone, and the people almost in poverty. But with that brave, hopeful and energetic spirit character- istic of them, she began to build anew, and very soon the Cockade City stood forth, herself again, and is today making great strides in the race of progress. Population of city, census of 1900, 21,810. Number of males 21 years and over 5,425. PORTSMOUTH. Portsmouth is located in Norfolk county, just across the river from Nor- folk city. The new Portsmouth of today is the vantage ground for industrial pur- suits, being the result of the many advantages possessed by this section. From a rail and water standpoint it is unexcelled for manufacturing pur- poses in nearly every line, due in a large measure to the inception and con- struction of the Portsmouth Belt Line railroad, an iron link of five miles connecting nine great radiating rail systems, besides innumerable subsidiary lines to points in the sounds of North Carolina and estuaries of the Chesa- peake bay, James, York and Nansemond rivers. These lines connect daily, tri-weekly and weekly with the leading markets of the country. The great rail systems, centering here, jointly own the Portsmouth Belt Line, and the especially attractive advantage to industries, seeking locations, is the that Portsmouth rates are applied to all car load freights shipped to and from industries reached by its tracks. Portsmouth is also particularly favored from the standpoint of water freights, enjoying as it does low rates from the west, south and southwest. Steam coal from the coal fields is abundant, reaching the city direct from the mines via the Norfolk and Western and Chesapeake and Ohio rail- ways. Pocahontas coal, considered the best for steaming purposes, sells for $2.65 per net ton, at times as low as $2.35 per gross ton, while great quantities of George's Creek coal, preferred by some, is also used. The manufacturing institutions are particularly blessed by being in such close proximity to two of the country's greatest coal distributing depots — the world famous Pocahontas coal piers and Chesapeake and Ohio coal piers. Skilled labor has been sufficient to meet all requirements thus far, but the introduction of new industries opens up new fields of employment, and experience teaches that labor will seek the opportunity to work where all living conditions are favorable to the wage earner. The markets are abundantly supplied with vegetables, fruits, meats, fish and oysters, and the prices are so reasonable as to make 1he ccst of living much cheaper tl an in less favored sections. It is said of the city "a man is poor indeed who wants for a sufficiency of good nutritious food at any season of the year," while rentals are very moderate, ranging from $5.00 to $25.00 per month according to location of residence. The public free school system of this city is unsurpassed, being modern and up-to-date with a large corps of experienced teachers while the oppor- tunities for religious training are equal to the best. The garden spot of the country is at the very doors of the city, and from the products of these lands, many fortunes have been made, raising early vegetables, berries and fruits, which are shipped in large quantities to New York, Boston, Baltimore, Washington and the western cities; this section IS 275 having the advantage of at least two weeks in point of early shipments over the raisers of similar garden products in Maryland and Delaware. It is estimated that the returns from this source for this part of the State will average $7,000,000 annually. The famous oyster beds of this section of the country are located in this vicinity from whence they are shipped to all points of the compass in great quantities and form small item of revenue. Hundreds are employed in this calling and thousands of dollars are paid out annually to those engaged in catching, shucking, and shipping them. One of the most infallible straws that show which way the wind of com- merce blows is reflected in the prosperity of the banks. There has been a steady increase in the growth of deposits and a commensurate increase in the earnings and surplus of these institutions during the past year which is the best indication of the prosperity of their customers. The mean annual temperature of the city is 59.5; the mean for spring being 65.6; summer 75.6; autumn 51.6 and winter 43.3. It is stated that Venice has a mean annual temperature of 56.7. The Gulf Stream runs nearer the shore off Cape Henry than at any other point on the Atlantic coast. RADFORD. The pretty little city of Radford enjoys the distinction of being higher above tidewater than any other city in Virginia, having an altitude of 1,810 feet, one hundred feet higher even than Bristol, and is situated on the natural and extensive terraces, which rise from New river and located at the junction of the New river branch of the Norfolk and Western rail- road with its main line, in the midst of a fertile grazing section of country. It has an ideal location, with its twin city East Radford, with which it is connected by an extensive trolley line and a well-graded central street. They form a busy prosperous community with a combina- tion of interests helpful to both and constitute the largest place in the fine cou ty of Montgomery. The climate is all that could be desired. As an illustration of its healthfulness, it is stated that, in seven years Avith an average of 700 in the public schools, not a death has occurred and there has not been a seriously sick boy at the large St. Albans School since it was founded eleven years ago. Radford has ten churches, five public schools, a University preparatory school for boys, electric lights, and street railway, two ice plants, abundant water supply, a fertile surrounding country, unequaled scenery and ex- quisite sunsets. It is near the "Mountain Lake," "Crockett's," "Carper's Lithia" and other celebrated "springs," to which points, short and pleasant trips can be made. In fact, it is in the heart of the beautiful bluegrass region of Virginia, which has been a camping ground for health for quite an hundred years. There are two post offices, Radford and East Radford, a school population between the years of eight and twenty of 973 and a total population at the present time of over 4,000 souls. The census of 1900 showed 3.344, an increase since 1890 of 1,280. This city has surrounding it, a good farming and grazing section, while the timber and mineral fields still afford good opportunities to capital. Here are found a fine system of public schools, Belle Heth Academy in the eastward and Wadsworth Street School, in the westward. The special joint commission appointed by the General Assembly of Virginia for the purpose of selecting a site to establish a new State Female Normal School with industrial training, upon their last recorded rate to the Legislature recommended Radford, unanimously, as the best location for the school in southwest Virginia. Eleven churches representing all the principal denom- 277 ination, a telephone exchange, telegraph office, Southern Express, one weekly newspaper, two large and modern hotels, electric lighting stations for both commercial and municipal purposes, good sewerage system, fire department, electric cars, three banks with deposits of nearly one million dollars, are here. There are also nearly 100 retail establishments and wholesale jobbing houses, one of the largest cast iron pipe foundries in the south, two roller flouring mills, veneering plant, hickory woodworking plant, blast furnace, sand, lime, brick works, two lumber yards, railroad shops and round house, candy factory, two ice plants, cold storage plant, and bottling works. At this point are two fine new iron bridges across New river, and another one in contemplation, into Pulaski county, and many other improvements. There also is water at this point awaiting development, estimated at 150,000 horse power. The city maintains a Board of Trade with over one hundred members. The year of 1905 has been marked by a steady increase of business in Radford and considerable activity in building. One new industrial plant has been built — the Radford Milling Company — at a cost of about $7,000, and four large brick business blocks on Norwood Street, ranging in cost from $7,000 to $10,000. A number of new dwelling houses have also been built. Among the improvements to take place in the coming year, the most important are the enlargment of the iron furnace owned by the Virginia Iron and Coal Company, and the establishment of the general hospital of the Tidewater Road. The furnace has a very large output, but its capacity is to be almost doubled, and it is to be fitted with new machinery and equipments. Radford was chosen as the site for the new Tidewater Hospital because of its central position as a railroad town ; and the $20,000 hostelry, La Belle Inn, Avill be transformed into a high-class and thoroughly modern hos- pital, capable of accomodating 200 patients. The New River Sandstone and Brick Company has had a prosperous year, their business being twice as great as the preceding year. The Pipe Works have done the largest business in years. One million dollars' worth of pipe and castings was shipped during the last year. Radford has opened a new bank, "The Farmers and Merchants." Every business concern, including the mercantile firms and hotels, report a prosperous year, and the outlook for 1906 is even brighter. RICHMOND. Richmond, the capital of the Old Dominion, though by no means the largest, is yet perhaps the most widely known city in the Union. It has been historic since the days of its origin, when King Powhatan held his Indian court on one of its highest hills, to more recent years, when, as the capital of the Southern Confederacy, the contending armies of the north and south, led by the two greatest generals of the greatest conflict of modern times, one fighting to hold, the other to win it, fixed the attention and admiration of the waiting world; while inside the fortifications and outside the lines of the devoted city, men from every state and terri- tory of this great country and from almost every foreign land, joined in the combat. Since then, their sons and their grandsons have watched the rebuilding of the famous city and seen it rise upon its debris, an hundred times more glorious; have seen it extend its lines again and again, till the city and its immediate suburbs embrace a population of 125,000 souls and the smoke of hundreds of factories float above it; while the clatter of six great railways, as eighty passenger trains, daily, come and go, sound the 19 278 notes of business, and the bustle of a thousand great stores and lesser shops keep busy throngs of people moving along its well paved streets and sidewalks. The elevation of Richmond above sea level is 96 feet, and she sits, not like old Rome on her seven hills, but on a dozen of them, rising from the north bank of the James river, ninety miles from the sea coast, affording sites for scores of fine and costly monuments and heroic figures of her and Virginia's illustrious statesmen and jurists and famous soldiers, which proclaim in enduring bronze and marble her noble history and the admiration and liberality of her affluent citizens. Richmond is pre-eminently the monu- ment city of the south and will rank with any in the north. It was founded by Colonel William Byrd in 1737. EDUCATIONAL. The educational advantages of the city are such that the people may well take a just pride in them. There are twenty large school buildings, of which eight are for colored children. The total enrollment was 11,666 February 1, 1906, of which 4,184 are colored. In addition are depart- ments for manual training and kindergarten. The standard of scholar- ship in the public and in the numerous private schools of the city is of the highest. A new high school for white children will be erected this year at a cost of $300,000. Richmond has two medical colleges which have no equals south of Balti- more — the Medical College of Virginia and the University College of Medi- cine. The leading Theological Seminary of the Southern Presbyterian Church is also here. Richmond College is one of the oldest and best institutions of learning in the South, under the auspices of the Baptist Church. One of the best Colored Theological Seminaries in the south is located here, and well equipped and taught. The claim of Richmond to the title of "The city of churches" of which every denomination is represented, is justified by the following statement as furnished by Mr. E. G. Leigh, President of Chamber of Commerce, Jan- uary, 1, 1906. No. of Churches. Baptist 16 Christian 5 Episcopal 14 Methodist 15 Presbyterian 8 Lutheran 4 Jewish 2 Unitarian 1 Apostolic 1 Life and Advent Mission... 1 Christian Science 1 Total 68 This statement does not include the Catholic churches, which were not presented, or the colored churches, many of which did not report and are estimated as follows: Twenty-six churches, of which there are twenty Baptist, five Methodist and one Presbyterian, making a total estimated membership of 18,000, contributions $31,250 and Sunday school pupils 4,000. Member- Contribu- Sunday Pupils. ship. tions. Schools. 9,148 $88,056.78 571 6,465 2,137 18,799.62 127 1,046 4,954 122,097.50 379 3,244 6,907 91,931.99 523 4,608 3,095 44,869.73 197 2,008 894 6,167.50 37 337 325 (families) 14 163 50 900.00 5 15 200 12 125 30 200.00 5 20 50 600.00 5 18 28,190 $371,940.12 1,875 18,049 279 Adding the statistics of the colored churches to the white, and leaving out the Catholic, the following estimated figures will be reached: Number of churches, 96; total membership, 46,190; total contributions, $403,190.12, and total number of Sunday school pupils, 22,049. These data show a decided increase along the lines of membership, contributions and Sunday school attendance, as compared with the figures of 1904, given as follows. Church membership, 45,559; contributions, $369,863, and Sunday school attendance 21,266. The new Catholic Cathedral just completed at a cost of about half a million dollars is handsome and capacious and one of the finest church structures in the south. It is doubtful if any city in the country is better supplied with accommo- dation for the sick and afflicted in the way of hospitals, surgeons and attend- ants, as there are no less than eight hospitals in Richmond, furnished with equipments, the equal of any in the United 1 States, two of which are for colored people. HOTELS. The hotel accommodations are very superior, there being three or four large and handsome hotels and a number of smaller and well kept hostel- ries, which accommodate well the large and constantly increasing travel and winter visitors attracted to the city by its mild climate and accessibility to every section of the State and country, being immediately upon the line of the immense travel between the northern and southern cities. Popular and well equipped boarding houses by the hundred are also to be found in every quarter of the city, affording suitable temporary homes to every class of citizens. These facilities have given Richmond a reputation, far and wide, as a convention city. This reputation has been largely due to the Jefferson Hotel, one of the largest, handsomest and best equipped in the country, which was partially destroyed by fire several years ago, but is now restored on a larger and grander scale than ever before. POST OFFICE. Tne great increase in the Richmond post office is a positive index to the business development of the city. The receipts for 1905 amounted to $434,- 943.34, exceeding those of the preceding year by $50,779.77, over 13 per cent. The sale of postage stamps, envelopes and postal cards amounted to $62,167.79, the sale of special request envelopes to $42,596.92, and news- paper and periodical postage to $18,945.21. The amount of domestic orders issued was $228,804, paid $923,897. A total of 53,571 letters and parcels were handled in the registry division. Nearly 175,000 pouches and sacks were received and over 220,000 were dispatched and a grand total of 49,- 095,481 pieces of mail were handled. EAILEOADS. With the railroads the year has been one of imusual prosperity. Operat- ing expenses have increased slightly, but the gross earnings have advanced entirely out of proportion to the larger expense item. Railroad stocks generally are booming. The Chesapeake and Ohio, Southern, Norfolk and Western, Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line stocks are all selling high. Passenger traffic and the tonnage handled have been greater than ever before. During the year 633,554 passengers left Richmond and 532,- 341 arrived. The tonnage forwarded from Richmond amounted to 1,309,- 675,775 pounds, and that received to 2,664,701,922 pounds. Extensive im- provements have been made by nearly all the roads, and are still being made. The new year, it is believed, will bring only greater prosperity to all the lines. 281 MANTJFACTTJBES A remarkable exhibit of the manufactures of Richmond is made in the United States census report of 1905, covering the five previous years' opera- tions from 1900. It shows that in that time the value of products, includ- ing custom work and repairing, had increased 28.2 per cent, from $23,048,- 353, to $29,536,499; cost of material used 38.1 per cent, from $10,375,140 to $14, 329,541; wages, 14.8 per cent, from $3,973,704 to $4,561,946; capital invested 100 per cent, from $16,203,927 to $32,402,847. It is very unusual for any large city to double, in five years, its capital invested in manu- facturing enterprises. In a work of this character, treating of a great manufacturing city, num- bering 282 plants, it is impossible to name them all. Only a few of the largest industries can be given, as conveying some idea of the size and im- portance of them ; such as the Richmond branch of the American Locomotive Works, which employs 2,700 men, with a monthly pay roll of $125,000; the Richmond Cedar Works, the largest in the world, 800 employees, with a monthly pay roll of $28,000 ; and the various Richmond plants of the Ameri- can Tobacco Company and the American Cigar Company, having about 5,300 employees, with a monthly pay roll of $130,000. A very interesting statement, however, compiled by Mr. J. H. Whitty, classifying the varied products of Richmond's factories, with number of employees, amount of capital and annual sales, is given here: No. of No. of Capital in Annual Class, Article or Kind Plants. Hands Business. Sales. Beer, mineral waters, ice 14 316 8 487,500 $ 1,952,162 Blacksmiths, wheelwrights 51 287 280,762 811,223 Boots and shoes 164 1507 725,130 2,874.480 Boxes, barrels, cooperage, paper, twine, tags, bags 22 1,931 775,000 3,280,401 Bakers, yeast powder, spice mill, blueing 35 173 225,100 1,327,114 Bricks, tile, marble, mantels, stone, glass 25 1,201 675,275 1,456,277 Carpenters, contractors, builders 169 1,314 537,260 2,893,488 Carriages, wagons, carts 27 262 293,625 542,809 Clothing, men's, merchant tailors, shirts 72 389 350,750 827,634 Clothing, women's dressmaking, millinery 153 316 95,250 414,293 Confectionery 122 204 111.310 467,833 Dyeing and cleaning 26 42 29,765 51,080 Drugs, medicines, perfumery, meat juice 77 389 720,250 2,000,326 Electrical, typewriters, locksmiths, wiremakers, bicycles, type 2 337 120,275 551,400 Fertilizers, chemicals, cement, lime, grease, tallow 12 641 5,135,750 8,190,200 Flour, corn, meal, pickles, flavorings 10 322 410,125 968,023 Foundry, machine shops, agricultural imple- ments 36 7,839 4,550,260 9,081,800 Furniture, mattresses, cabinet making, uphols- tery, picture frames 53 389 325,660 637,412 Jewelers, hair workers 34 429 110,200 370,023 Lumber, sash, doors, blinds 18 321 425,100 1,299,300 Packers, curers, butchers, soap 123 640 550,2o0 2.380,100 Painters, house and sign, varnish, paper hanging 45 135 32,500 137,006 Plumbing and gas fitting, tin and coppersmith, sheet iron 7. !! 67 377 275,490 851,230 Printing and publishing, book and job, bookbind- ing, blank-books, lithography, engraving 46 1,409 2,225,580 3,019,304 Saddlery, harness, hides, leather 20 126 265,515 381,770 Tobacco, cigars, cigarettes, cheroots 40 5,207 2,560,250 5,895,750 Tobacco, smoking, chewing, stemming and re- prizing :.. „. 25 4,960 3,775,800 13,506,209 Woodenware, willow-ware, trunks, brooms, brushes 14 1,041 675,275 2,032,707 Total 1,521 32,504 $26,875,007 868,201,354 It will be seen from the above that Richmond must have a substantial claim to be the principal tobacco market in the country, as she has 65 tobacco concerns, employing 10,167 hands, $6,336,050 capital engaged in the business, with sales amounting in 1905 to $19,401,959. The American 283 Tobacco Company does an enormous business here ; so do the nine independ- ent companies which last fiscal year had an output of 10,556,380 pounds. RICHMOND RETAIL TRADE. The retail business of the city has nearly doubled within the past five years. The stores in Richmond compare very favorably with the retail houses of much larger cities. Actual comparisons have proven that the department stores of Richmond, which are among the largest in the entire south, are equal in appointment and service to the leading stores of the north. The quality of merchandise demanded by the people of this city is equal to that of any city in the country, and it is the center of a large mail order trade from the surround- ing territory. BANKS AND FINANCES. In connection with what has been said regarding Richmond's manu- facturers and retail trade, it is pertinent to show the operations of her financial institutions, there being eighteen banks, a compilation of which is given below, furnished at the close of the year 1905 by Mr. W. M. Habliston, president of the National Bank of Virginia. The deposits show an increase over 1904 of $2,540,112, increase of assets $3,018,317, and of capital stock $106,275, with surplus and undivided pro- fits an increase of $204,298. The following bank statement for March 1906 is the latest given out: Surplus and Loans Total Capital. Undivided and Deposits. Re- Profits. Discounts. sources. First National Bank 8 600,000 $ 645,916 35 $ 5,350,351 47 8 4,821,389 96 $ 7,342,336 14 Planters National Hank.. 300,000 948,373 27 4,275,473 12 4,273,548 68 6,034,056 75 National Bank of Va 500,000 229,544 30 2,556,298 13 2,959,258 71 4,301,946 59 Merchants National 200,000 780,007 36 2,264,439 46 3,643,795 99 4,834,103 35 American Nationnl 400,000 123,392 52 2,239,089 35 3,046,903 82 4,002,347 70 State Bank of Va 500,000 302,322 34 2,865,583 96 2,635,809 90 3,626,453 98 City Bank of Richmond.. 400,000 163,828 44 1.402,122 03 1,291,913 03 1,855,94147 Bank of Richmond 800,000 400,873 65 2i395,306 92 2,352,742 58 3,564,045 65 Union Bank 219,750 340,845 37 1,751,488 56 1,632,385 15 2,193,12152 Savings Bank of Richm'd 160,000 110,326 62 1,450,495 70 1,332,640 45 1,603,133 07 Southern Interstate Bank 50,000 11,388 82 176,817 39 138,138 84 200,587 66 Broad Street Bank 200,000 46,744 63 790,257 20 882,597 83 1,130,584 28 Commerce and Trust 200,000 17,933 08 352,133 36 250,609 90 468,593 02 Capital Savings 48,280 12,376 87 321,50150 314,536 23 376,953 10 Virginia Trust Co 500,000 121,996 22 628,032 72 183,043 05 815,289 04 Totals 85,078,030 84,255,871 84 828,819,380 75 829,900,310 92 842,353,493 42 The above figures speak for themselves and are worthy of careful study. They show that Richmond is holding its own as a banking center with the leading cities of the country, and, population considered, stands at the very head of the list among Southern cities. The figures quoted are taken from the following comparative statement: ASSETS. Nov. 10, 1904. Nov. 9, 1905. Increase. Decrease. Loans and discounts 823,132,032 79 $26,403,891 28 83,271,858 49 United States and other bonds 6,743,370 44 6,073,659 55 8669,710 89 Banking houses and other real estate 750,066 03 816,973 50 66,907 47 Cash, and due from banks 8,448,873 59 8,798,135 99 349,262 40 Total assets $39,074,342 85 $42,092,660 32 *$3,018,317 47 * Net increase. 284 LIABILITIES. Capital stoik $5,071,754 75 $5,178,030 00 $106,275 25 Surplus and undivided pro- fits 4,018,605 63 4,222,904 41 204,298 78 National bank notes out- standing... 1,822,400 00 1,918,400 00 96,000 00 Bond account 919,900 00 843,531 25 $76,368 75 Bills payable and redis- counts 2,000 00 150,000 00 148,000 00 Deposits 27,239,682 47 29,779,794 66 2,540,112 19 $39,074,342 85 142,092,660 32 The only decrease in the statement is in bonds and stocks, which shows that the banks, to meet the commercial needs, have sold over $660,000 in bonds and stocks and loaned the money to their customers. The following table shows the remarkable growth in the last eight years : 1897. 1905. Increase. United States deposits $ 181,329 95 $ 498,247 97 $ 316,918 02 Bank deposits 937,505 07 7,700,18125 6,762 676 18 Individual deposits 8,745,072 46 21,581,365 44 12,836,292 98 Total deposits $ 9,863,907 48 $29,779,794 66 $19,915,887 18 1897. 1905. Total assets $ 16,822,354 64 $42,092,660 32 $25,270,305 68 There are also three prosperous banks, owned and controlled by colored citizens, which do a considerable local business among their own people. SUMMARY OF BUSINESS. What has been said may be summarized as follows: Richmond has $27,000,000 invested in manufacturing plants. The sales in 1905 were $70,000,000; an increase of more than seven million dollars over 1904. She has $10,500,000 invested in jobbing business. The sales in 1905 were $55,000,000; an increase over 1904 of five million dollars. She stands fifth in the shoe market of the world. Her bank clearings in 1905 were $260,000,000; a gain of 8% per cent, over 1904. Her bank assets in 1905 were $42,000,000; in 1897 they were $17,000,000; a gain in eight years of about 250 per cent. Her post office receipts in 1905 were $435,000; a gain of 14 per cent, over 1904. THE NEWSPAPERS. Richmond has three dailies — a morning and two evening papers. The first, the Times-Dispatch, with an average daily circulation of about 18,- 000, and the oldest in the city, owns its own handsome five-story building. The News-Leader is an afternoon paper with a circulation of about 28,000 and is published every day but Sunday. It also owns a fine new three- story building. The Evening Journal is also an afternoon paper just one year old, and has a circulation of about 12,000. They are all excellent journals, none better printed and edited or more devoted to the local interest of their city, of which they are invaluable exponents. It is^ impossible to present, in a book like this, a satisfactory statement of the immediate condition of progress in Richmond and some other rapidly growing cities of Virginia, as the improvements and new enterprises follow so rapidly one upon the other, that the report is materially changed between the time of writing ... it and the printing and issue of the book. 285 ROANOKE. The city of Roanoke, situated on the great through line of the Norfolk and Western railroad, one hundred and ninety-nine miles by rail, west from Richmond, is the chief city of Southwest Virginia. It is in the county of Roanoke 907 feet above sea level, and being at the head of the Valley of Virginia has a good claim to be the gateway and the leading city of both these great natural divisions of Virginia. It is convenient by rail to both sections, the main line of the Norfolk and Western running through the southwest 151 miles to Bristol, Va., and north 239 miles through the Val- ley to the Potomac, thus reaching all the cities and larger towns of both, with which it maintains large and profitable business relations. The Nor- folk and Western also places the city in direct communication with Lynch- burg, 53 miles east, and Norfolk 257 miles; while another branch of the same tr unk line carries Roanoke's business south through the State to Winston-Salem, N. C, and southern points. The new Tidewater railroad now building from Deep Water, W. V., to Norfolk, passes through Roanoke, and furnishes the "Magic City," as it is called, another great railroad from Chesapeake bay to the Ohio river. It is a modern, up-to-date, well paved, well watered city, possessing all the conveniences to be furnished by elec- tricity and water power. Its twenty-seven churches embrace every leading religious denomination,