Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-09-14
RAILROAD MEETING.

ing of citizens OF JEFFERSON, auu "'
ties. was held at Lee Hall, in CharlestoWn' on
Saturday, September 18th. 1863, to consider
the proposed extension of the Cumberland
Valley Railroad
AT g o'clock, the meeting was called to or
der by Col ROBERT w. BAYLOR, the Chair
man, BENZ. T. BEAIL acting as Secretary.
WIN. II. TRAvERs, Esq, on the part of the
committee appointed at a previous meeting,
stated that the committee had had an informal
consultation with the Chief Engineer OF the
Cumberland Valley Road, and from Informs
ton obtained from that ooficer, tho members
had felt authorized to order a reconnaissance
of the route through this county to the Clarke
line, which had been made by Messrs. John
and D. E. Henderson, and j. b. McElroy.-
These gentlemen were present, and as he un-
derstood, ready to make report OF their OPP
erations.
Capt. John Henderson, on behalf of the
engineers, stated that they had no written re-
port to submit, but that in compliance with
the REQ uest of the committee, a reconnaissance
of the country between Dam No. 4, on the
Potomac river and the Clarke county line had
been made The country along the route re-
viewed was found not only practicable for the
construction of a railroad, but would prove OF
very easy grade. Capt. II. also stated that
tbc2.,,sineers svsere o. opinion, from the ex-
animation of the proposed route, and an ex-
animation of the map from the Clarke line to
Front Royal, in Warren county, the objective
point of the route, that Charlestown and Ber-
ryvile we're in the direct line of the road.
This report of the engineering party was
accepted by the meeting, when
Hon. a. R. Boteler stated that the northern
end of the county was fully alive to the i'm
portance of the work under consideration, and
that the people were ready to cooperate
heartily in pushing it to a successful issue
Many persons in his section, of whom he had
heard, had expressed willingness to give the
right of way to the company to construct the
road through their property without charge to
the company, and such was the desire for the
extension of the road, that he believed the
damages would be very light.
A letter was read to the meeting from b.
F. Harrison, Esq, who expressed regret ct
his inability to be present, but stated that he
was ready and anxious to CO operate in the
movement, with time and money, if necessary,
to bring the question to successful termina-
ton.
Mai. John G. Walker, of Rockingham
county, next addressed the meeting in some
brief, practical remarks. He assured the
meeting that the eastern portion of the county,
from which he came, was ready heart and soul,
to CO operate with their friends in Jefferson
and other counties, in the furtherance of this
work
Hon. VIM. Mines, Jr., of Page county,
next entertained the meeting. He spoke with
great earnestness of the determination of the
people of the Luray Valley to have rail-
road Such a road was to them necessity,
as upon its completion depended the develop
ment of the inconceivable riches In mineral
resources now embedded in her mountains
and along her valleys. The extent of this
wealth no man could estimate, and it never
could or would be fully appreciated until there
was an outlet to market. Construct this road,
and with the whistle of the locomotive would
be heard the hum of the rolling mill, and
soon, what was now almost deserted valley,
would TEEN with live and energetic popu
lation, adding to the wealth of the State, and
manufacturing within her borders the iron
which was now sent to the North in its crude
state and returned to us in manufactured ar
ticles, imposing upon the people the tax OF
TRANSFORMATION to and fro. The speaker said
if he we're to state to this meeting that one
hundred furnaces could be employed, with
capacty of producing two hundred and fifty
tons of iron each rcr week. for the next five
hundred years. he would doubtless be laughed
at: and yet such was the fact, and so great
was the mineral wealth of the Page Valley.
In truth, her resources were incxhaustible.-
Mr. NJ continued TO speak with great fervor
of the importance of developing this wealth,
and stated that his people we're determined to
have n road, and were willing to respond to
any movements that might be made by the
lower counties to secure such result. But
he assured the meeting that work was re-
quired-active, energetic, practical work.
Our report furnishes but meagre idea of
the really excellent, practical speech OF Mr..
Mines, which was received with great favor
by the meeting At its conclusion,
VIM ii. Travers moved the appointment
of a committee, to consist of two gentlemen
from each county along the line of the pro-
posed route, upon whom shall devolvc the
duty of maturing such future action as may
be deemed necessary for the furtherance of
the work in hand, and of providing for the
survey of the contemplated route; and further,
that the commissioners named in the charter
of the Shenandoah Valley railroad, in the
counties of Clarke, Warren, Page, Rocking
ham and Augusta, be requested to act in con-
junction with the committee named, for the
purposes specified.
This motion was carried, and under its pro-
visions, the Chair appointed the following
gentlemen -
Jc6erson-H Hon. A. r. BoteIer and VIM.
II. Travers, Esq.
C2arkc-Dr Q. R. Funston and Capt. W.
n. Nelson.
Ta,ren-Dr Samuel Buck and Maj. R.
II. Turner.
Poge-Hon. VIM. Mines, Jr., and Feter
Is. Borst, Esq.
Rockinyham-NInj. John c. Walker and
DR.. S. p Ii. Miller.
Angusta-Dr. 3. F. Walker and Braxton
Davis, Esq.