Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1849-02-07
From the Richmond Republican.
TUNNELLIEG THE BLUE RIDGE.

We hope that the friends of internal improve
ments will give favorable consideration 10 this
measure. We propose 10 offer some considerations
in favor of it, and would hereby express thanks
to HUGH w. SHEFFEY, Esq who has represented
Augusta county, for some years, with great eff
cheney and credit, for the important facts which "a
bundantly establish the advantages and value of
this work.
In the first place, let look at The resources of
the region which it is proposed to benefit by the
projected tunnel, and which is now entirely desti-
tute OF a suitable avenue to market.
Auguste County by the census of 1910 had 9,910
horses, 81 ,479 neat cattle, 1860 sheep, 32,445
hogs; it produced 324, 1872 bushels Of wheat, 2i4,-
$50 bushels of oats, 92,227 rye, 1884,, 4OS of corn
3o.94S lbs OF wool, 1887 bushels of potatoes, L.,
953 tons OF hay, $40, 663 worth of butter 50 800
gallons of Whiskey, SS2S7,76 capital employed IN
merchandising and manufactures of various sorts.
Rockingham had 1908 horses, 20 1872 neat cattle,
1880 sheep, 3S,765 hogs; it produced 375,l97
bushels of wheat, 21s,4l2 Of oats 9OSS6 of rye,
470,5Sf Of corn, 81, 235 los. of WOOL capital en-
ployed in manufactures, &c, $225, O95.
Rock5ridSe had 5,133 horses, 13,452 neat cattle,
1882 sheep, 26,S2i hogs; it produced 263,76e
50t,6i6 of corn, ,305 lbs. OF WOOL value of man
ufactured articles $I93 .42O.
These three counties then pIoducedin the aggre-
gate 96S, 2s5 bushels of wheat 1890 of oats, l.
359,63S of corn and 252, $40 of rye-besides other
articles named above and others not specified
NOW a tunnel through the Blue Ridge will give
vent TO the whole produce Of Augusta, to one third
OF mat oil Rockingham and Rockbrdge, and to
large portion of the produce of Allegheny, Bath,
PeDdleton, Highland, Pocahontas, Greenbrier and
Randolph counties. IT is well known that the pro-
ductons Of the above named counties have increas4
ed at least - TO 20 per cent since 1910.
With such data is it unreasonable to suppose that
100000 barrels of flour, that trade equivalent TO
10000 tors Of all other produce, merchandise and
live stock, and 10000 passengers would annually
be transported through the tunnel? 1t is proposed
by the bill for the unnelling of the mountain, to
assess a toll of about 10 cents on each barrel of
flour, which will yield $40, 900 about 4S cents on
each ton OF produce and merchandise which will
yield $4,000, and about so cents each psssen~
ger, which will yield $4,000 in all $24 500. NOW
these estuates have reference only to the present
productions of the country TO be affected. Con-
struct the tunnel and let the road be extended to
Staunton. There it is met by the Staunton and
Parkersburg road extending into region which is
increasing rapidly in population, wealth and pro-
ductious The rail road will extend its stimulating
effects from 100 TO $50 miles along this road The
Valley Turnpike, the Warm Springs Road, the
Free Road, the Lexington Road, all terminate at
the same point. The great Northern. Southern,
Eastern and Western lines of travel cross at Staun-
ton-a these avenues Of trade and travel will feel
the giving influence Of the railroad and will all
pour tributary streams Of trade and travel thoogh
the tunnel,