Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1839-01-31

]e""tCeb, inc SeIcCtc0 Banks, m
considerations ofsuch deposites, ought TO per.
TORN without charge the same duties To the
Government in transferring The public funds
aud distributing the same in the payment OF
the public creditors, as we're performed by
The late Bank at the United States.
@The following Memorial has been
put in circulation, in this county, fol
signatures. Ii speaks for itself.
To the General assembly of Virginia
The petition of the undersigned, citi-
zens of Augusta county, respectfully
she weth THAT in the year lS3 your
honorable body incorporated company
TO construct Railroad from Staunton
TO some point on the james River. In
January 1896, Charles b. Shaw, then
principal Engineer, reported to the board
oil Public Works a survey of a Rail road
from Scottsville, on the James River, to
Staunton, with an estimate of the cost OF
construction. and of the annual charge
upon the company-& also of the whole
probable revenue arising from the road.
From that report il appears that the pro-
posed Rail road would yield nett annu-
al dividend to the company of seven per
cent. Oh the whole outlay.
Your petitioners are well assured that
a Railroad from Staunton to Sco,tsvile
distance BY the survey, of fify-t two
miles, would cost a much less sum than
the estimate of the Engineer, while on
the other hand they are satisfied tina, the
Engineer has estimated the probable res
venue much too low For instance, Mr..
Shaw supposes 100 600 barrels OF Flour
would be annually carried on the road,
whereas your petitioners, from long
and intimate acquaintance with the re-
sources OF the country, would estimate
the quantity from the valley alone at
10, 900, or more, allowing nothing for
an increase Of product consequent on the
construction OF the road. This quantity,
too, would be greatly augmented by the
flour and wheat from the upper parts of
Nelson and Albemarie N early The
whole county of Rockingham, large
portion of Bath and Rockbrdge, and all
oil Augusta and Pendleton, would be tri-
butary Pendleton, one of the best
wheat counties in tie valley, and which
has hitherto raised little, owing to lis
great distance from market, would then
be as convenient to market as Augusta
is now.
Again. the Engineer estimates all O..
Their down going tonnage at tweDty-one
thousand dollars, while your petitioners
believe it would equal or exceed twice
that amount He puts the whole return
freight at S2l, GOO.-This we think
would average ,000-since all the
goods, groceries. salt, plaster, SC, Of an
immense back country must pass upon
the road, and the quantity of plaster US
ed, (if nothing else would be at least
doubled by cheapening the carriage
The estimated revenue from passen.
gers, we also think too low at $50, 900.
Their number has already increased
OH the route so much in the last lew
years, thai The mail is carried from Staun.
ton to Charlottesville, for mere nominal
r. muuera;ion. Should Raj! road be
made. no one can loresee the increase OF
travel that would ensue. On the whole,
1T cannot be extravagaEt to compute the
revenue Of such road at a nett amount
Of ten or twelve per cent. to the stock
holders.
Your petitioners are impressed with
the importance OF such a communication
as this road would afford with the CAPT.
tai Of their State in a political point of
view, as well as with the happy inhu.
ence it would exercise over the James
river Improvement and the Louisa Rail.
road. The valley Of Virginia is one of
the richest countries in the world--a>
bounding in varied, valuable, and in a
great degree, undeveloped resources. Its
capacities are almost nnbounded whether
you look to the fertility of the soil, or
TO its mineral treasures. Nothing is
wanting but the convenience of mar
ket to realize the highest hopes Of its
citizens Should a Railroad be con-
structed uniting us with the James river
and the Louisa Railroad, no circum.
stance can withdraw from the heart OF
our State the whole commerce oil The
valley above the lower extreme oil
Rockingham, aud the whole travel from
the great West. The M'Adamized Val
ley Turnpike,s so far from drawing off the
trade and travel would become lri6ptaIy
TO the James River, as is plainly SHOVE