Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1833-11-28

uS.lon OF Such road, wher
practicable, Unjust confess that. if Their,
IS as much difficulty as | suppose in OBJ
tanning money for such objects. ei,be,
by subscription or petition to the state
legislature, it would be enhrely imprac.
ticable for the citizens of this county. OF
inc court, to involve it in any further
difficulties until there is a substantial
oridge erected at the above mentic ned
place, and convenient road opened
across the North Mountain. But it.
on the other hand, besides fully salts.
tying the claims ofthe citizens of Back
creek Valley, there can be funds OBJ.
tanned IN any suitable way, sufficient
to CONSTRUCT the meditated turnpike, let
IT go on by all means.
1t is but right that we, as an intelI.
gent society, should think much before
we act in such matters; for there is rca.
son TO fear, lest whilst the public are
engaged in projecting such enterprises.
the wants and rights of the neglected
citizens of Back creek, will not receive
there merited attention; or, us hereto.
fore, be entirely forgotten. have
said, that people were neglected; and
SO they are: for while other sections of
Berkeley county, and especially that
through which the turnpike of which
you wrote, would be expected to pass,
have received, perhaps, far more than
their rlghJnt share of the county reve.
nue. in different Improvements; the pco.
pie of that creek have been left to la.
Dor under the greatest disadvantages.
AT least ttco substantial bridges have
been built across the Opequon within
the writer's short recollection; whilst
the large and worthy body of citizens
IN the Back creek settlements, have
been frequently prevented from attend
ing to their usual concerns, for want of
one such facility. And are they not
as much deserving the attention of their
fellow citizens as any other portion of
The county? Weigh the claims of each
district of our county, tothe enjoyment
of its common advantages, in the scales
ofjustice, and you will conclude, that
am within the bounds of truth when
assert, that this people have been very
far from receiving that portion of pub
lie privileges, which their large contri-
button to the wealth Of their county
ought, by all means, to entitle them to
enjoy. Considering the matter in re-
gard to taxation, which increases in
to the growth of population,
their rights are plainly discoveries; for,
as has always been the case, in the SET
Element of districts Of country, inter-
spersed with delightful streams, and
Astounding with game, Back creek
Valley was one of the first settlements
formed in the surrounding country, and
for long time one of the most wealthy
and populous.
The building OF the expected bridge
has been postponed too long already;
and the season of the year most adapt
ed to its erection, having passed by, it
must remain until next summer, sup
pose; subjecting those whom il was in
tended to benefit, to the same annual
that they have been wont to
undergo on account of high waters
And unless the court, and citizens ge-
nerally, become more deeply concern
ed for its completion, in all probability
the next summer will pass without find
ing any further steps taken towards its
completion. No one who has not ex-
perienced them, can conceive Of one
half the disadvantages accruing from
want OF some such facility. The peo-
pie living west of Back creek are pre-
vented during the most important part
of the year, by those frequent and
whelming floods which so often occur,
from attending to their concerns either
public or private; and not unfrequently
dcbarred the privilege ofexercising the
common and much appreciated right of
saying who shall rule them, or frame
those laws by which they must consent
TO be governed. And when we add to
this privation, all the expenses and trou-
BILE to be incurred by the frequent and
otherwise unnecessary postpostmcnt
of lawsuits. besides numerous evils,
which | stop not to enumerate, we find,
Immediately strong reason for COM
plant. 1t cannot be necessary to say
much on this subject, for all (and the
inhabitants of Martinsburg in partic-
ular, must certainly be too well aware
ofthe necessity ofthe object under con-
sderation, to need much stimulus on
the subject. They surely are sensible,
that as soon as there is a direct and
ready communication formed between
our county seat and the Back-creek
settlement, much Of the grain and other
produce (of which there is a great
abundance) that is raised throughout
that region, will naturally flow into it,
and tend much to advance its standing;