Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1841-10-28

wagons! And if 1our goes to Winchester, will
not the Cars which carry the plaster to that point,
take return loads of flour, Sc. viii not trade
along all the roads be thus stimulated and extern
ded and will not the aggregate tolls be increas-
ed in the same proportion 1t seems to me i'm
evitablo, and the Compiler thinks SO too, for it is
the very apprehension of that state Of facts, and
the consequent diversion Of the trade from Rich
mond, which has excited his fears, and reused his
slumbering ire!
But there is another question which would
PROFOUND to the Compiler. What would he have
the people Of the Valley do for market for their
producel Is he aware that the citizens OF Rock
ingham and Augusta, and the lower part Of Rock
bridge, are now from the want Of good road to
Scottsville, for months at time, cut off from
market altogether; and this too, at the season Of
the year when the teams Of the farmers are idle,
and when the markets are generally best from the
ffeeziug Of the Northern rivers and canals9
beg leave to put the Compiler in possession
of few facts on this subject, and then will APP
peal to him to say, whether we are not justified
i'm exclaiming with Mr.. Van Buren,, sour suffer-
ings is intoerable ~
The counties above spoken Of, are very popu-
lous and wealthy, and produce immense quanti-
ties of flour, corn, butter, oats, potatoes, whls-
key, iron, &c. &c. for market After harvest is
over we have our grass to cut, and when that is
done we have our fall crops to put in, and when
that is completed we have our corn to gather and
crib. Then we must secure our pork. and then
we are ready to commence hauling our produce to
market. We set about making our preparations,
and in the mean time deep snow falls which
blocks up the road for day or two, and then a
thaw comes, which saturates the red clay of AL
bemarle with moisture, and makes the wheel Of
heavy loaded wagon sink TO the very axle tree;
and the poor fellow who is caught on the road re-
turns home, after days and nights Of exposure,
with his team eXhausted-and perhaps minus a
horse or two-his gears broken, his wagon strain
ed and racked, and the rheumatism in his limbs !!
Probably ne has been tempted by hard freeze to
leave home in the hope that he may make the trip
before the thaw comes, but about the second day
of his journey, he finds that whilst roads west Of
the mountains were locked up with the frosts, on
the eastern side there is merely crust on the top
of the ground, not sufficient to bear the horses,
and rendering the road utterly impossible for a
loaded wagon. In this state Of the case he is
frequently compelled to roll out his -four into the
woods, cover it up with leaves, and return home
until another change in The weather invites him
to renew his effort to get to market. This is no
over drawn picture, and if any doubts its ac-
curacy, let him ask the Augusta wagoners if it is
not true to the letter. All this, while the poor
fellows are tantalized by hearing that flour is
bearing a fine price In consequence of the closing
of the northern outlets to MARKET
Even when our roads are at the best, we pay
upon average from IS cents to 81 for the trans
por.ation of barrel of -four to Scottsvile, indie
pendenty of the cost Of storage and trans-ship-
Rent there, toll and freight to Richmond, and
drayage, inspection, storage and commission at
that place. When -four is worth SIS in Richmond
these charges consume generally from % to 33
per cent of the gross proceeds Bot this is not the
only tax we pay in consequence of the bad roads.
All our merchandise, groceries, salt and plaster
cost us about 81 and sometimes 81 so per hun
dred for transportation from Richmond, and in due
proportion from Scottsville, and as the consumer
pays this, another heavy draw is made through
our store bills, on the lean remnant Of the pro-
ceeds of our crops.
Now if we had a good road to Scottsville, Mac
adamzed, and reduced to grade Of three degrees
transportation WOuiu DC reduced nIty per cent al
least, and we could always avail ourselves of the
best markets, both in selling produce and
buying our supplies We could haul double as
much at load as we now dove could perform
the trip in less time-and we could do our haul
ing in the winter when our horses are eating their
heads off in the stables.
Look at these facts, Mr.. Compiler, and then lay
your hand on your heart and say whether are
to be blamed for seeking to better our condition
Let US not be charged with want of Virginia feel
ing, indifference to Virginia interests! Have
we not petitioned, and begged, and prayed the
Legislature for a railroad or McAdamized road
toScottsylle, and have they not rejected pray
ers! What alternative then, was left us but to
seek an outlet elsewherea We have done So and
we have found 1t. In less than twelve-nay six
months from this present writing, We will see nu-
merous trains of transportation wagons rolling
down towards Baltimore, richly freighted with
the produce of our fertile Valley, and then the
dreaming theorists and abstractionists who have
turned deaf ear to the calls of justice and sound
policy, will see the folly of having banished our
commerce from the Metropolis of Virginia.
AN AUGUSTA FARMER.
FOR THE SPECTATOR.