Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-06-18
THE LYNCHBURG VIRGINIAN
BLACK FORD, TOWNLEY & co.
PROPETETORs.
LYNCHBURG, JUNE IsIsI9,
RAIL ROADS ANDLAND.

HAIL MA DS AND LAND.
few weeks ago, when there was doubt on
the minds Of some whether the people Of AuGus
Ia would sanction the subscription by the county
of $50, 600 TO the stock of the Rail Road connec-
ting the Tunnel section with Staunton-thus civ-
ing a continuous Railway communication u
Tide water at kchmond-Mann r. Page Esq,
a highly intelligent gentleman of Clarke county,
addressed letter to a friend, which was publish
ed IN the Staunton Spectator. 1t bears striking
. testimony to the agency of rail roads in enhan-
eng the value Of lands, by reducing the cost Of
getting its produce to market and lowering the
price Of articles indispensable to agricultural ope-
ratlonS. Mr. Page lives near the Summit Point,
a depot Of the Winchester and IIarper's Ferry
Rail Road, distant from Baltimore is miles.
This depot, he says, is regarded by the people Of
the vicinity as the upper end Of Market Street Of
that city-it being possible TO deliver goods there
at nearly as cheap a rate, and nearly as soon, as
they can be drayed to some parts OF Baltimore.
He says that their lands have risen in value at
least ten or fifteen dollars an acre. since the con-
struction ofh Road. This NAV readily be cred
tied, when the reader attends to the following
facts, set forth by Mr.. Page:
"Our flour is now carried to Baltimore fir 40 cents per
barrel: formerly costing from 81 % to 81 So the expense
Of transportation being Influenced by the price of the art-
Gle IN Baltimore. 1t IS not 50 Salt is sold
A. to 30 cts. per bushe formerly costing from 81
l23 plaster is sold s. Sc so per ton formerly
costing from Sl2 to Sl5 Oar Hogs and Sheep are sent
T., market the very low charge and very
great saving IN the weight Of the animal We get our
fish brought to US in portion to the above rates and
anything we want brought up be had in very
short notice.
Now, when we reflect that the cost Of freight
on heavy agricultural products, over common
roads, increases in something more than the ratio
OF the distance; whilst, on rail roads the in
crease IS not in proportion to the distance, we
may readily infer what will be the effect of our
great work upon the agricultural interests of the
South Western counties through which it is to
pass. When we reflect upon the agricultural ca
pabilites Of those countless the extent and varie-
ty Of their productions and the abundance of their
minerals, in connection with the want of outlet
under which they labor, we may safely conclude
that railway facilities would enhance the value
Of land there, in a much greater ratio than it has
done in Jefferson and Clarke. In the latter coun-
ties they enjoyed considerable facilities, before
the road was built. They were within a day 5
drive of the canal and had good turnpike to
Baltimore on the one hand and Alexandra on
the other. We need not portray the deplorable
isolation of the South West al the present mo-
ment. The advance in price of lands in the low
er counties of the Valley, has been from Is to
% per cent. We do not exaggerate when we
estimate the enhancement of the value of land in
the Southwest, within twenty miles on either
side fthe road, at from 40 to 90 per cent and in
many cases 100 per cent. A farmer in Jefer-
son, who sends annually to market 200 barrels of
Flour, transports it for about 10 doars-or
the interest on S2,S33-leSs than he could do if
there were no rail road 10 Baltimore He
could, therefore, have afforded to subscrbe-not
10 the stock, but as a gift-the sum Of 50 ,S33 10
and in the construction Of the road and been none
the poorer Before the road was built, it might
have been difficult to persuade him ofthis fact
but where is the farmer of this class, in the coun-
ties named, who would not pay this sum, and far
more, rather than now be deprived of the advan-
tageS Of the road 1t would be difficult, doubt
less, now TO persuade holders of vainIv p.oduc-
tive lands, in Wythe and Washington, that they
had better give one fourth their present market
value 70 the Virginia and Tennessee Rail Road,
rather than the work should not be completed.
Yet it is perfectly demonstrate, and all expert
ence confirms the deductions of theory, that. in
doing 50, they would be making no sacrifice
whatever, but a profitable investment. Ten
years hence they will be the first to acknowledge
that the road has nearly doubled the value Of
| their property.