Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-10-12
OF THE
CUMBERLAND VALLEY RAILROAD
WILL PASS.

CUMBERLAND VALLEY RAILROAD
WILL PASS.
Mr.. EDITOR =
We saw upon the counter of one of our
merchants, subscription paper to raise funds
to assist in a survey of route from Mary
land, through Jefferson county. to the Clarke
county line, for this road, and we were in
formed that arrangements have been made
with surveyor who will in few days be
placed in the field. This Ioohs like ,corh.
We are also informed that these papers have
been distributed through the county that all
may have an opportunity to aid this enter
prise, and We hope there will be prompt
and liberal answer from the people of Jeffer>
son to this call. A very few dollars from each
will be all that is needed at this time. and will
| give an earnest to the matter which will go
| far towards insuring its construction. Those
who cannot give dollars can give cents, but
all should give something. To the farmers
and others, of Jefferson, Clarke, Warren and
other counties, we call upon you to rise up
and meet this important subject. "Could our
tongues send forth the clarion notes of Gabriel
we would set one foot upon Massanuttin noun
tain and the other upon Potomac's coral strand,
and-and-we'd not howl, but call upon tho
people to wake up to this interest Speak
now, or you may hereafter hold your peace.
This railroad is now almost within your grasp;
lie still six months more and your fertile plains
will .toreUer be without it. IF you do not get
this road, We tell you no other will ever reach
you. If it passes around you, the only route
to your section will be occupied, and you and
your children's children may expect to trudee
out miserable existence through mud and
miro, with high prices for all you buy, and
low prices for all you have to SELL besides de-
preciated land. This is not sensation, they
are facts, and you only need to look around
| you to prove them. Just say t0e ,OW haze
the road, act accordingly, and you can get it.
Wait for other people to make it for you, and
"you die without the sight" And yet how
easy it will be for you to get it. Strike out
and strike in the right direction, and ere
another October's sun shall greet you the
hills of old Jefferson will reverberate with the
sound of the iron stranger, and with few
returns of that month the wealth of the VAL
ley will be flowing through our counties.
Your money is not all that is now needed !;
your presence at public meetings, encourage
your timid neighbors, try to point out to those
who are not willing to find out for themselves
| the advantages of a speedy aud substantial
cooperation in this matter, and see that the
welfare of your neighborhood is not stifed
by the avarice of few persons. Railroads
are not made every year through your coun-
try, and people are apt to forget their ad
vantages; yet every farmer who intelligently
observes these matters, will readily admit that
| a railroad enhances the value of the land in
its vicinity at least ten dollars per acre. Now
take the county of Jefferson alone, and say
the road would pass through twenty miles of
it, and that the land for five miles on each
side would be thus benefited, it would make
12S,C00 acres, which at $40 per acre would
be Sl,290,000. Yet the facts are that it
would not require half of this sum to make
that length of road But now see to haul
40 bushels of grain so miles on a wagon
would cost at least So, for team. driver and
expenses. a railroad, allowing cents per
ton per mile, would charge $3.50 for the
same. Allow an average of 20 bushels per
acre ; with a railroad the crop would be worth
S4.75 more per acre than without it. Now in
passing through a county 20 miles, the land
on each side of the road for miles would be
thus benefited; this would make 200 square
miles or $4,000 acres, which at S475 per
acre would amount to S6OS,0 Now, at
$40, 900 per mile, this sum would build more
than 30 miles of road, which would benefit
800 square miles, or 10000 acres, which
would reduce the cost per acre to So. l63;
deduct from this the proportion due from the
enhanced value Of property of villages and
mills the aggregate value of which is, say.
S1,000,000. the increased value, at least 5
per cent, would make $4,000 or about 40
cents per acre, which would make the amount
per acre S2763. Now, farmers, think of it,
for S276s on each acre, you can increase Gas
many will admit the value of your farms $40
per acre. But this article is not intended to
point out how much you shall give or when
you shall give it, but is simply intended to
show what would do the work if it becomes
necessary.
Now, there are the ore interests of the Val
ley which have so far been ignored in sum-
ming up, and which are said to be equal in
value to the land. If we cut the cost down
one-half for this interest it would leave but
S1.3S per acre on the land, and we have not
the slightest hesitaucy in saying that this sum
per acre on the 200 square miles, taken in
stocks either by the people or by the county,
or by both, will insure. Gf the same plan is
followed throughout the Yalley,) the con-
struction of the road, and it is more than pro-
bable that one half that amount will suffice
"Do something, do it soon, with all thy
might"
DEATH OF THOMAS L. MooRE-This
gentleman died on the 9th ut. at the Pro-
testant Infrmary, Baltimore in the S0th year
of his age.
He was native of shepherdstown, Jeffer-