The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-10-30
The Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Enter
prise.-- What great Virginia mind thinks
Of il.
Editors of the Vtr1Leu V,usnian.


Editors Of the Valley Viiryiniian,
GENTLEMEN
The people Of Augusta are called upon by
a resolution of their Court to vote, in few
weeks from this time, on a most important
questionable question whether the County
of Augusta will subscribe its bonds for three
hundred thousand dollars, to aid in extending
the Virginia Central Railroad Chen to be call
ed the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad) from
Covington in Allegheny county to the Ohio
River; IN other words, whether the immense
trade and travel of the great Mississippi Val
ley, shall henceforth and forever pass through
Virginia and Augusta county, to and from the
Atlantic Ocean; thus building up the State
from her present PROSTATE condition, and max
ing her the great carrier Of the Union.
No other question, involving SO much Of in
terest to the people of our County-to their
posterity-nay to the whole State-to the
Union and to the Commercial world, has ever
been propounded to us before. The immortal
Washington saw, and at his early day, when
the great West was comparatively wilder
ness, strenuously urged the opening of route
through Virginia to Ohio. Our greatest and
most patriotic men have concurrcd with him
in opinion, from that day to this, and strug-
gled to bring it about Practical Engineers
with one accord admit that the route through
Virginia, our route, is the nearest and cheap
est and best between the great Valley of the
Mississippi and the Atlantic Ocean. Under
such circumstances, it is wonderful that the
people of Virginia were not the first seize the
glittering prize. From what an unaccounta-
Bile apathy it is that they hold back and talk,
or persist in making spasmodic and Intellectual
efforts to attain it? For more than 20 years,
the Virginia Central Railroad has been crawl
ing slowly on towards its accomplishment, and
has, at last, reached the town Of Covington.
From thence to the Ohio, the State had un-
dertaken to build it, and has expended more
than So, 600, 900, which;i still good and avaia-
BILE to those who would prosecute the work to
completion, but which is that much thrown
away, if it be uot completed. In the
mean time, while we slept, New York, Penn
sylvania, and Maryland, wisely approaching
the great object, at immense cost of labor and
money, and under circumstances of great dis
couragement, overcoming obstacles that seem
ed almost insurmountable, have succeeded,
through mountains, ice and SHOWS, over heavy
grades, and sharp curves in penetrating that
great store house of Nations, and are now in
the full enjoyment Of the rich rewards OF their
laborious enterprise Have either of them
repented ofthe toll and treasure expended in
these magnificent works ? No. They point
to them with just pride, as constituting the
glory and strength and wealth Of their respec-
tive States. They see that while great com
mercial cities have sprung up or enlarged
themselves under the influence of these nigh
ty works. every inch of ground over which
they pass is fertile garden, teaming with rich
productions, with crowded population, produc-
tive labor, busy towns, and smiling commerce.
No doubt with them, as with US, many lit
tie croakcrs and great croake1s, croaked their
objections while the great works were in pro-
gress; many a Clinton, in the pride Of his
lofty flight was hawked at by housing owl
many little newspaper. then as now, was
dumb founded. by the dangerous magnitude
of the obstacles in the way, and the fear Of CIV
ing offence to wealthy and powerful subscri-
bers; yet the works went on-the States
through which they passed have become rich
and powerful-the great marts Of the Union.
The stockholders, as such, receive large divi-
dends, which must forever increase as the
wealth and population of the great West shall
increase. The housing owls have long since
retired into dark places, accompanied by the
whitening consciousness that all their prophe-
cies have been falsifed. They had predicted
that it was impossible for the work to be ac
complshed over such obstacles as stood in the
way. In every instance it was done. They
had predicted that if accomplished, it would
impoverish the country between its two ex-
tremes and destroy business. In every in
stance the country was enriched its towns
built up, its productions increased, its popu-
ation multiplied, its business rendered more
remunerative. They had predicted that the
cheap and overlooking products of the West
would come into competition with the pro-
ducts of our less generous soil and bring down
prices. The facts, when the works were ac-
complished, stared them in the face, that the
produce markets Of New York, Philadelphia
and Baltimore, where the Western products
were carried, were higher than ever before
that being brought into the market of the
world, the Western products rose to the value
of the world S market, without bringing down
those Of the East They had predicted that
way freight would be rejected and left to rot
at home. in favor of through freight from the
great West. They found that through the
wisdom Of management, and the capacity of
Railroads, ample provision was made for all,
and that the exceptions to this rule were so
rare and occasional as not to be Of moment.
If the roads of New York, Pennsylvania
and Maryland, constructed at such COST over
such distances. and with such high grades
aod sharp curves, and with all in such high
ATTITUDES are success, what may be expected
from the completion of ours
From the date of its completion, every pound
of produce and every traveller between the
East and West will prefer it to either of its
competitors, because Of the shortness of the
line, the ease ofits grades and curves, its great
er safety and the delightful climate through
which it passes. Its business therefore from
the time it is opened may be expected to be
to the full extent Of its capacity tocarry. The
cost Of its construction will but little exceed
one-half the cost of the Northern roads Its
capacity to carry over its low grades, will very
greatly exceed that Of the Northern roads -.
If then the Northern roads earn dividend of
ten per cent, this road must earn dividend
l., II II