Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1849-10-31
MUNICATIoNs,
Junction Valley Turnpike.
FOX the srnurAroa

40 p
will be secured, il is the time To- cnns;i.r ~
tween the claims Of rival routes. A aeci,as> -.
soon be made, and it is well that she friend. e 81
alternative routes should suggest Tespecsiyeiy tl,s
supposed advantages Of either.
The point as 10 the comparative cost Of the xevs.
raj ness to be duly considered. Other lAinn, BEING
near equal duty to the Sate-the largest subscri-
oe'Lwou'a require The Company to adopt the cheap
est location. The general topography Of the cn.,r:
try in question, would seem to Indicate the Snn,E:
ern roue--via Fairfield and Greenyille nc ,frarJ
Ing better grades, &c., than the Nortbern ,;s
Brownsburg and Middlebrook But this point has
been already much discussed, and can perhans he,
decided only by technical SURVEYS.
But besides the relative cost of rival routes tb.v,
may be other facts which should have much WEIGH
upon the decision. The Southern location. wills
II claims, at least equal cheapness claims faytb.,
represent greater incidental inducements.
The general coarse 10 Rockfish Gap, the outIe.
10 market, Tor the country nquestion, is Eastward.
Inc direction to Staunlon running North Eastward.
woed cross the present market roads al acute an
giles; the effect would be tina, all the country North
OF the route would be left with the usual roads Lad
ing IN good direction into the improved road but
the country South, must take backward direction
or call upon the county TO make new roads for tr;y
approach to the improvement. Obviously. then,
,he oou'hernmost route OF the two proposed, would
best accommodate itself to the present ro.d.
and impose lessexpense upon the country.
But The incident 10 the Southern location most n,
De insisted upon, is the opportunity afforded at lit
lie cost, OF the convenience Of branch road frdr
Greenville to Waynesborough. The advantages TO
me country OF such branch, must be easily ann.
rent. The direct route TO Waynesboro' Is lie nat.
erai and usual way 10 market for nearly all tho
country South and West of the place, to iexingtdh
and Brownsburg, inclusive. This would tbsto
fore, best accommodate the farmers. who drive IN
market IN most OF the country which it is proposed
to benefit by the Improvement
Inns branch would also form connectinp link AZ
Waynesporo, with the improved road to Scottsyille
his Is an important consideration for Thus tbe
farmers of the country would have continuous i'm
proved read by the most direct route to ScoitsvIe
thence oy the Canal to Richmond. They would then
nave the important advantage of two and a choice
OF ways TO markets; this would effectually prevent
any imposition which might be inflicted, if any sin
gle Inc could have the monopoly of transportation.
Without this branch, when the farmer had arrived
at Stanton, with his wagon loaded for the McAJ-
amlSed road, he would be in the power of the Rail-
road he must pay any charge they can demand nv
maui his heavy load back home-or over mud road
TO Waynesboro'. On the other hand-w,h this
branch-he arrives at WayneSboro' in almost tho
same time in which he could get to Staunon; he
then has the option of paying the Railroad charpes,
with saving of IL miles carrage-orf it be pref
cradle. oil driving on an improved road to Scottsyie
Indeed, 1t is by many believed that the route 10
Scotisvllle, thence by Canal to Richmond. will AZ.
lord much cheaper and better way TO market for
The farmers produce. AT any rate the experiment
can 'hen be reduced TO fact; and the competition be-
the cheapest possible access to market
1t may be well 10 add something on the nrsc,i-
caolllty OF making this improved road from Green
vile TO Waynesboro'. All who are familiar with
the topography of the country between these points
VIII at once recognise no less than three distinct
lines, differing little in length, and all practicable.
FUSt-What Engineers would call the esna,nrap,
route-along the valley of the South riyer--its
whole course from Greenville TO Waynesboro' and
almost graded By nature. .Second-The route of
what is called the ''ridge road' to Waynesboro,.
suspended on the dividing ridge of the waters of tbe
South river and Christians Creek--s entirely eli
glble. Ihird-The route of ,he Christians Creek
road to Waynesboro passing from the valley If the
South river at Greenve to the valley of Chris,
tian's creek, where these streams are so close to-
gether, as to leave almost no rise to be overcome.
then pursuing the latter valley to distance of or
. miles from Greenville, could again cross 10 the
south river, along the old road at point where the
summit ie'ei between the streams is SO low, as to
make scarcely any perceptible elevation.
The cost of grading on either Of these routes
would be minimum. Very little bridging would
be required, and that could be constructed with 4
single arch-the cheapest and most durable cbarac
ter OF bridge: The material for making the i'm
proveInent abounds on the line; whether il be pro-
posed to McAdamIse or plank the road. If the for
mer mode be adopted, the stone NAV be readily nh.
tanned; If the latter the timber is at hand and all
most ineXhausble; the forests of the Blue RIDGE
stretching along the whole route and the wafer
power OF the South river employed in working saw
mills to nearly every mile
Again, as TO raising money 10 make this road -
IL Is Wen known that this is more travelled than
any other market road in the county Ii is the road
Tor wagons, from as far as Brownsburp and above
hilddIeorook; but In wet or WINERY weather, it is
almost lmpaSSabe. It, therefore, needs improving.
and very many beyond its line are interested in Tia
improvement But it also passes by some of the best
farms, and the wealihiest farmers of the County.
and must long be their only route to market as thew
cannot be expected 10 take s'back track" by StaunS
ton The sawmill owners also along this route
might well subScribe-if plank road be decided
upon, they could pay their subscriptions i'm timber
at go)d price, and would moreover create dis.
tant demand and convenient market for their Ium
Der, as me road must be renewed every few years.
Then Waynesboro'; the terminus, is deeply inter
ested to become the depot for the large amount of
trade which would be attracted there by this road
aiiordng clear gain 10 the town. perhaps soon suf,
ficent OF itself to make the improvement.
L his scheme, indeed, seems to offer such pener-'
al Inducements 10 the whole county, that should
the present prospect for the charter Of the Junction
valley turnpike be forfeited, then an application
VIII De made Tor charter TO construct an improved
road from buchanan 10 Waynesboro' Such road
would, at least as well, accommodate Lexington,
airfleld, Brownsburg and even Middebrook, as the
proposed one tn Staunton and the amount subscrb-
en- now IN those places, might be expected for this
scheme 1t is farther quite certain that Waynesboro'
would subscribe more literally than Stanton has
yet done, Tor the privilege Of being the terminus.
lndeed' ota0ntOn has exhibited, for its character,
remarkable indifference TO securing the present of
Tered charter. 1t has contented itself with the sport