Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1848-12-27
To the Editors The Stau,ton Spectator

GENTLEMEN We all agree that facilities in
travel and transportation all that we want to
raise Virginia in the scale of her existence. How
ARE these TO be accomplished? Some are in favor
of carrying on works of improvement State ac-
count eone-otiers on State and individual account
Others, on individual account alone. The first Of
these, to my mind, is highly Objectionable the Sc
coRd, not much SO the third, preferable. As
the State has accepted the second mode will not
stop to discuss them my object being to try TO say
something Tor the encouragement of thuse who feel
lively interest in the subject, and to excite an in
terest In those who have felt none heretofore
make the assertion broadly that every individ-
ual interested IN community ought TO subscribe
Literally out of his means to works of Internal I'M
prOvement, for the simple that they tend to
the wealth and prosperity of the whole. But there
are some individuals in the community more imine-
diately benefited by works of Internal Improve
ment than others.-There are the producing class
es, and to those now intend to address myself par
Iicularly.
We all agree TO the proposition that the wealth
OF every country or community depends on its pro-
ductlons. Another proposition that none can deny
is that increased facilities in getting an article to
market are equal to increase of the production of
the article For example, farmer produces for
market annually so barrels Of -four; it now costs
him ST. per barrel To send it to Richmond you
construct a Rail Road by which he sends his flour
TO Richmond for 80 cents per barrel here 3 4 diff
i've barrels of flour, taking s. the price per bib.
We maintain that the facilities can be SO increas-
ed as to bring about this result.-Then we submit
the question whether it would not be greatly to the
interest Of every farmer in the county of Augusta
to lay out each year, the at least of S25 to
every 50 barrels of flour produced, towards estab-
fishing some permanent work that will afford him
such facility.
If he'expends to the amount of 500 in all, why,
In short time he will get all back and have an i'm
provemeht for all time to come worth to him S25
annually. These calculations alone, 10 my mind
ought to be sufficient to induce farmers to sub
scribe literally towards some object of permanent
improvement.
produces SO barrels -four annually to own farm
of say 100 acres, now worth $50 per acre. His
farm is so far from market to require ST. per bar
rel to transport his flour, but an improvement is
made by which ii is, as it were brought so near
that SO cents per barrel only is expended. What
increase will it give his farm in value2 We will
take 20 per cent (al;hough satisfied is too
low which will make an increase in the value of
his farm Of $500 Then would not this be the re.
suit, that by thus expanding 500, (for hold that
S25 in every SO barrels -four produced in the cou-
ty OF Augusta for four years will be sufficient her
part for almost any improvement our farmer in a
very few years would get it all back in the way of
saving In transportation, would have improve
ment worth annually to him S25, and his wealth
Increased In the Increased value of his land from
three to five hundred dollars.
In these estimates we do not include dividends
or profits arising from the improvement. This,
however, would be something, as all Improvements
pay something, some more and some less, according
to circumstances.
have thus attempted, Messrs. Editors, TO pre-
sent this subject very briefly and in a very plain
way, touching only upon one of the producing class
es and one single article Of production. If you con
slider my remarks and calculations worth their space
In your paper, and give them place, ! will again
resume the subject and take up other branches Of it,
am perfectly satisfied that whenever we can
get our people perfectly alive to this alimportant
subject, we will move forward in it, 1t has been
with hope of arousing public attention, that have
attempted TO say anything, and from no ambitious
desire toappear in print. S.