Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-11-23
THE NEW RAILROAD.
The Competing Routes.


which has for the past few months Interested
the minds of our people. Nearly all that can
!. be done for the present, has been done, by
Z the advocates of the Jefferson and Clarke
z route, and they have every reason to believe
that their efforts in its behalf will be crowned
with eventual success. And if we may judge
from the tone of the last number of the Times,
the advocates of the Winchester route begin
to think their case hopeless onc-hardly
calculating upon its adoption at the present
time. This. is a decided change from tho
buoyant tone heretofore INDUCED, in which
Charlcstown was derided for preEuming to
put in claim as point on this road, in its
extension southwark.
However, we are content to let these mat
tiers pass, without taunting our neighbors with
their past haughtiness; but we do think it
little strange, if not unfair, that the Times
should seek to place the responsibility OF
their failure upon the Harper's Ferry speech
of Mr. Faulkner, which it says was construed
to be inimical to the interests of the Luray
Valley. Under the circumstances, such
COQSLIuCllOn " do NClJ hAbui0J "HA ON'"AHSN
confirmation IN the endorsement of the Times,
and the meeting previously held at Winchcs-
tern which the advantages to that town,
; from the construction of tho road, were alone
considered. The Times says further -
GAS we have said before there i, nc reason
why Mr.. Mines and tho people of the Page
Valley should prefer one route to the other,
provided it extends, in either case, through
their Valley and if it is not too late re should
like to have an understanding nth them on
the subject. It would De hard upoa rs to be
deprived of this road, and the vast beEefts
that would result to our tom and county from
its construction, and the hardship would be
aggravated by the reelection that it was di-
verted from sheer neglect Of efforts on our
part to secure il"
Yes, there is good reason why Mr.. Mines
and the people of tbs Page Valley should pre-
fer the Jefferson route, and this reason il
found in the very inaction Of the advocates Of
the Frederick route, of which the Times co n
plains with so much bitterness. The psopls
Of the Luray Valley need rcad-to them, it
is a matter of vital Importance; without road,
their rich treasures of mineral wealth must re-
main undeveloped and their immense iron
works in time, cease operations. By allying
themselves with tho friends of the jefferson
route, they have before them a prospect of
obtaining the road, and that at no distant Gay
Activity and energy have characterized the
movements of those who feel the Importance
of the construction of this road through this
county. The Times confesses that the reverse
has been the case in Berkeley and Frederick.
Does the editor believe that the People of the
Luray Valley are so blind as not to have
noticed this marked difference in the course
and action of the advocates of the respective
routes If he entertains any such belief, he
undertakes the intelligence of the people of
that section. We expect the time is past,
when the people of Winchester san have an
understanding with those of the Luray Valley,
by which any advantage will accrue to Win
chester.NSh little too late when you had the
Portunityaef forming alliance with them,
You gpurnedi it by the action Of your Harper's
gerry meeting, and sent the people of the
s6ray Valley adrift, to seek connection with
tcnae other route than yours. That was in
s-day of your brilliant expectancy, when
ou labored under the halucination that the
Importance of Winchester would attract the
road, whether the route was favorable or not.
n The Times says, "it would be hard upon US
- be deprived of this road, and the vast bene-
fits that would result % Cur town and county
from its construction" Not a doubt of it
But would it not be quite as hard for the rich
and populous counties of Jefferson and Clarke
to be deprived of it, particularly when we
have taken so much moro interest in securing
1t, besides offering the advantages of superior
and more direct line.
If it be any consolation to the Times to
know how our route is progressing, we will
state that the Engineer corps in the employ
OF this county, yesterday commenced the sur
yey from this point to the Clarke lne-the
Board OF Supervisors having literally made
an additional appropriation of S2OO-making
SiOO in ALTO defray expenses of the same
The survey Of the route from townsville. Md,
to this point, with the maps designating the
grades, &c. are now in the hands the aufbori. |
ties of the Cumberland Valley Road