Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-08-12
THURSDAY. AUGUST 70. ls47.
RAILROAD AHOYt

hAlI-itOAD AHOY!
Are the citizens of Augusta county aware that
they in danger of losing forever the chance of
having railroad TO the Richmond market? DO
they know that it must be irrevocaby settled with
in three months whether the great central thor
oughtare of trade and travel between eastern and
western Virginia shall pass through Augusta or
Rockingham?
DO the people of S,aunton know that it depends
in great measure upon action to DE had within the
next month whether our town is to retain or lose
forever the advantageous position which it has here
toiore held of being the converting point of the two
great lines Of travel through central Virginia e?
Whether they know it or not, such is unqucs-
tionably the fact, as we will proceed to show.
Any one acquainted with the geography of the
State must be satisfied that there can never be more
than one railroad from Richmond 10 the Valley
on the north side of James river. That road must
be the Louisa railroad, and upon securing that must
depend all our hopes Of railroad communication
with Richmond
The Louisa railroad has now reached such a
point that it may readily be extended in either of
two drcctions hut the moment il leaves its present
terminus its future course becomes fixed & unchance
able. The Legislature at its last session provided
for its extension to the base of The Blue Ridge and
it may be carried either to Stanardsve or to Rock
fish Gap. One or other of these points must be Sc
lected as the terminus, and the selection must be
made Immediately.
If Rockfsh Gap should he selected it will give to
the town of Staunton and the county of Augusta at
once Increased facilities for trade and travel and
will secure to them the advantages OF any future
extension of the road into the Valley and towards
the Ohio river where it must ultimately co
IL on the other hand Stanardsville should be cho
sen, 1t will at once open line of communca-
ton between the East and the West in which Har
rlsonburg will occupy the position heretofore held
by Staunton, and Rockingham county will take the
place of Augusta.
Whichever route may be selected, there can be
no doubt that along the line of this improvement
the enterprise and capital of the Valley and the
West must to great extent be concentrated-o-
pening up new sources of wealth and prosperity.
and rendering tributary those portions Of the coun
try which are less favored
DO our people consider these advantages worth
struggling for? If they do they have no time to
lose--the time for action has come, and delay is
now equivalent 10 defeat
The selection of the route depends in great de-
gree upon the means which can be furnished on the
different lines, and already hear Of strenuous ey
ertlons upon both routes. Albeinare whose inter
eSts are the same with ours has already raised a.
bout sixty thousand dollars, and now calls upop
Augusta to come to the rescue Rockingham is mo-
wing in favor of the other route and we every Cav
hear of meetings in that county at which liberal
subscriptions of stock are made
Augusta alone Of all the counties interested has
as yet done nothing, and our peopleare tainted with
being generous with the public money but mig
gardy with their own"
Our space will not allow us TO 90 into fuller
discussion OF the importance of securing this i'm
provement and we will conclude by inviting atten
ton to the notice in another column of speech de-
livered in Staunton, on Wednesday the 9TH inst.
by Col. Fon.aine, the President of the Louisa rail
road company and by reminding our citizens that
meeting will be held at Staunton on the first d,v
OF the August court to concert measures for MAKING
an efficient effort in favor of our route At that
meeting there will be several addresses from ren
tlemen of ability, who have given the subject much
consideration, and who will present it in manner
worthy OF its importance. Among the speakers ex
pected are VIM. G. Rives, Thos j. Randolph and
v. w. SouthalI, Esqs. Need we bespeak for them
large audience and an attentive hearing?