Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1869-09-28
Valley Railfnad

VIII NC iedu Win interest anu pressure ny the
friends ofsthe construction of the Valley Rail
road: = 80 - ~ a.
In the discussions which have arisen IN the
canvass for the recent primary elections aliu-
sion has been made, on several occasions, to
the action of the City Council in regard to GER
tain appropriations proposed to be made tor
different works of internal improvement. A
mong them the appropriation of 100000
for the Virginia Valley Road was several times
referred to, and always with such marks Of ap-
probation as to convince us still more strongly
that, as we always believed, the appropriation
was one which would receive the unqualified
endorsement of the citizens of.Baltimore When
ever the matter should come regularly before
them. ne So = -. T.. .,~f.s.@'g ~
We have more than once taken occasion to
refer to the great value of this road to the city
of Baltimore 1t is road which passes
through a rich and fertile section, in which
there is a growing population. 1t is road
which drains a large agricultural section and
which connects with another road which will
soon strike into most valuable mineral and coal
regions. 1t is road which forms the great
connecting link of the nearest and most direct
route to the South and Southwest. ~ SAL ee
But the great importance of the road is that
it not only brings us produce and rnanufac-
lures, but that it brings us, what we more par
ticularly need now, purchasers for our own pro-
ducts and for the goods and wares which are
brought here for Southern market from the
KY r.. u
rope. Along the line of the road from Win
chester to Harrisonburg, now almost compile
Eted, and from thence to Stanton, where the
Covington and Ohio Road is tapped and at
the farther end, near Salem, the route passes
through rich sections, the population of which
must necessarily provide themselves from this
market after the compilation of the road. This
will not only be the nearest metropolitan town
to them, but it will be one through which they
must pass to go to New York or any other
large city on the seaboard 1t will be large
market, to which they can come most quickly
and at the lowest rate, and from which they
can get their goods most promptly, and at the
cheapest rates of freight. 1t is the road of all
others which will bring to Baltimore what Bal
timore now most needs-purchasers and capital.
The Western connections of the Baltimore and
Ohio Road and the Northern Central Road
bring US produce to sell. The Philadelphia
road brings US what We have bought. Both,
in measure, help to drain US of our capital.
Let US build up road which will bring it back
and let us do all We can to open those South
ern connections, which are SO important to Bal
| timore, and without which Baltimore never can
become metropolis We are not going to
control the purchasers of the West. They can
reach New York too easily The attractions
for pleasure which that city offers are too great
for US to expect them to give Baltimore the
preference. We can control Southern buyers
| by making it to their advantage to come here
| Let US do So And let US not forget that the
first step to be taken is to open up the neees-
sary communications.
And with regard to the people Of the Val
ley, let us not forget the experience of the past
| They are our friends now. They are anxious
for this connection They are willing to pay
| literally for it. Let US risk nothing by delay.
There is q strong party in Virginia interested
in private schemes, and in the development of
the Southside Road and its branches, which is
bitterly antagonistic to everything that carries
trade to Baltimore At present that party is
| too poor to control the Valley Road. But, by
the aid Of capital, they might yet get such an
influence as would enable them to take steps to
delay the construction of the read, or to do
something else prejudicial to the interests of
the people Of the Valley and Of this city. Or,
the people Of the Valley, disheartened by de-
| lay, and not finding their efforts seconded,
| might throw themselves into the arms of Penn
syvanians, who oovet the rich wealth of the
South and are only too anxious to procure
branch connection for the Pennsylvania Central
with the southwestern portion of Virginia In
years gone by, we not only had the authority
of Virginia to run the Baltimore and Ohio
Road to the Ohio, but the assurance of pecn-
| MARY aid. The opportunity was not taken ad-
vantage of, and was lost. Then we still had
the privilege Of running a road through the
State That was not availed of within the re-
quired time, and it afterwards required years of
tedious legislation to get to the river at point
We did not think desirable, and under restric-
tions which were Objectionable. So hard les
son should certainly teach us something Let
US profit by it now, and let US not fail to lend
in every way q helping hand to those who are
our best friends and also to a road which will,
soon after its completion, assuredy be found to
be the most important and most paying one
which leads to this city. a- -a
In reference to the Stowe Byron scandal,
| the London Times says that, in the face Of the
evidence now given, positive, negative, and cir
cumstantial, there can be but two alternatives
in the ease-either Mrs. B. Stowe must have
entirely misunderstood Lady Byron. and been
thus led into error or misstatement, or VIC must
| conclude that, under the pressure of lifelong
and secret sorrow. Lady Byrons mind had be-
come clouded with an hallucinatioa in respect
of the particular point in question.
The l4cndon Times compliments the Spanish
for making bold display of their pluck and
patriotism, and says that Mr. Sickles alarmed
| at their resentment. On the other hand, it is
stated in Washington despatch that the
American Minister, in accordance with instruc-
tons, has merely offered the United States
Government as a mediator between Spain and
Cuba and that the Spanish Government has
declined the prefer without taking any offence
at all.