Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1824-12-30
1lIa 4A8,GplP-3o
MARTENsBURG. DEC. 80, 1874.
Report Of the President and Directors of
the .Ne,g Shenandoah Company.

II IS at all times (ssys the winchester Repub-
lican.) gratifying to witness The progress Of in
ternsl Improvements in our country. Regard
ing them as tbs main links Of our government.
by which the chain is douby bound, and with
out which il would speedily be rent asunder we
have ever felt it our duty TO raise our feeble
, voice in their support; but when they come
'nesrer home, and We begin to feel thai the per.
sonai interests of our own neigbborhood are
promoted, then it rs that they become sub
.ject OF particular felicitation. We deem these
doah Company, whose report Of the las, year.
read at the neetingin tIarrisonbu TX on the 18th
ult. now lies before US.
The south branch OF the Shenandoah river
rises in Augusta, and pursues its course through
tie wealthy and populous counties of Rocking
han, Shenandoah, Frederick. there receiving
the moth branch) and Jefferson, Distance of
upwards OF 100 miles, where il empties into
the Potomac at Harpers.Ferry THIS portion
OF country may be styled at least equal to any
in Virginia. whether we regard the quality OF
the soil, the dcnseress Of rs population, or the
enterprise Of its inhabitants The District of
Columbia being The natural market for the pro-
duce ct This region, an exped tlous aud easy
highest importance. In the belief that the OBJ
structions in the river might be overcome at lite
tie expense, and the river thus made the com
mon highway OF he valley, number of enter.
prising gentlemen associated for that purpose,
obtained an act of incorporation, took 5.5ths Of
the stock, and, agrceably 70 the provisions Of
the law, the state subscribed and advanced the
remaining 2.5ths The work thus begun, has
regularly advanced, until the directors are ena
bed TO announce its completion. The whole
distance has lately been surveyed, and the work
pronounced Of the first order.
cat convenient swell Of the water in De
cenber last, (s,ys the directors boa, of pro.
per dimensions was provided loaded and sent
down the river. to try the depth of the sluices.
The swell being about three inches above what
had been agreed upon, as the measure of com.
mon low water mark, in the fall an additional
shipment was made, and the boat started with
seventy-six barrels Of -four. Ii this loading
Were equitable, between the parties, At the
head Of the river, it would assaredlv not be
unfavorable to the company in anv Of the lower
parts; for boats hing BY at night. ALWAYS fall
behind The current Of food With this boat,
so loaded, Mr.. Harnsbers r, one Of the diTeo-
tors. descend d it not being dee med nccesss'
~ or economical for he whole board to proceed
with his experiment, This boat passed easily
and stft " the whole route, and his report was
therefore favorable
This was IN December last, ard although the
experiment, with some previous ones, was per-
fectiy satisfactory, the directors nevertheless
thought it necessary, for the fuii performance
oil the contract, that some add fional work should
be done, in certain specified places. The has
since been completed, and "ihe river received
from the hands of the contractors,
There are some pleasing facts detailed in til
report which, though they may be familiar to
the scholar, and furnish nothing new in IL dro-
states, will nevertheless be interesting to the
general reader.
The report concludes with the following en-
erge,ic appeal 10 he good sense, the patriotism
ard the interests of the farmers of the Valley
We sincerely hope it may not be in vain:
"The river mas been used during the sum
-aiFording at least one proof that we were
not unreasonanly precpitate in our receipt Of
it And the use of it hitherto, limited as It has
been, has been so successful as to produce, If
we are not grossly misnormed, an extensive
spirit of boating, which, We trust, viii result in
benefit to the country, and profit to the compa-
ny aud adventurers. 1t viii be dIty and nte.
rest of every member Of the company to en-
courage this spirit, and to bring as much com
petition of adventurers, into the business OF ma.
Vigatlon, as practicable Much now depends
upon the members Individually. They should
not only send their own articles 20 market by
this route, but excite their neighhors to do so.
They should. with generous literally, give EN-
poyment to every Industrious and honest navi-
gs'3r who may offer his services particularly
If he should be son Of the valley. they should
look out for new subjects Of commerce, whether
from the soil, the forest. or the mines-h hemp,
fax, OIL barley, aud tobacco--iron, copper,
lead, coal, state, alum, copper,s, &c In short,
every thing which can be converted 10 use,
from either the valley or the mountains Our
country is rich in thousand yet uutried varie-
ties OF commerce."