Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-09-28

register. Register early, and register often,
and vote the same way. Van Underdonk is
engineer.
tf'or the Spirit of Jeferson.l
MIR. EDITOR Il notice in the columns of
your valuable paper, that the Board ofSuper-
visors of this county, have made an appropri-
alton of two hundred dollars, to assist in de-
fraying the expenses of the survey of the
extension of the Cumberland Valley Railroad
across the county-commencing on the Poto-
mac river, at or near Shepherdstown, and
thence to the Clarke line, through the centre
of the county.
am very glad to see it, and believe it to
be move in the right direction towards de-
veloping the great interests of our valuable
county. AS locker on, but at the same time
very deeply interested, l heard one of the
prominent speakers at the railroad meeting
held in Charlestown, on the 18th instant, ask
these questions What could our county do
What assistance could she give or render, in
the construction of the road? And where is
the capital to come from to build it? think
these questions can be easily and readily an
swered,
We are paying now to the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad, thirty thousand dollars annually.
above what we should pay, in excessive
help ourselves. This sum, the interest of five
hundred thousand dollars, is sufficient in the
judgment of practical engineers, to build the
road across our county. Suppose the county
subscribe five hundred thousand dollars to-
wards building said road, are her people any
worse off than they are under existing cir
cumstances On the contrary, would the
county not be the owner of five hundred thou
sand dollars in valuable railroad stock? Would
not our freights be reduced fifty per cent by
the competition produced, and thereby save
the thirty thousand dollars annually paid by
the county?
am willing to admit that the Baltimore &
Ohio Railroad has added greatly to the pros
perity of the county, and greatly enhanced
the value of its real estate. 1 suppose that
this increase has not been less than from two
to three millions of dollars. Now, is it not
probable, aye, almost certain, that the pro-
posed road would add five dollars per acre. at
the lowest calculation, to the value of the land
for five miles on each side of the road, across
the entire county. Assuming this-which
we regard as a moderate estimate-and the
distance across being twenty miles, would give
two hundred square miles, of six hundred and
forty acres per mile, which, at five dollars per
acre, womb amount to an enhancement of six
hundred anu forty thousand dollars. Now,
would not this sum build the road, and would
we be any the worse off as a county?
/ honestly believe that the contemplated
road would add as much TO the value of the
real estate of the county, as tho Baltimore &
Ohio Railroad has done; besides opening up
communications with the extreme south west
ern portion of the Valley, from which we
could obtain our supplies of salt and plaster in
stead of bringing these necessary articles from
Liverpool and France, from whence the larger
portion Of them are now brought-thus en-
abling us to obtain them at much cheaper
rates. 1t is also within our power to assist
materially in the construction of this road, by
declining to demand or receive excessive dam
ages for the lands through which the road
may pass; for, as general principle, it must
add to, instead of detract from, the value of
such lands. Very recently, 1 read an ac>
count of an English Lord, who returned eigl>
ty thousand pounds to a railroad company for
damages awarded his father, on account of a
railroad running through his estate. The
present owner, believing and knowing, that
his fathers estate was improved, instead of be-
ing damaged, his conscience would not permit
him to keep the money. and he returned it.
If the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Com
pany imagines that the people of Jefferson
county are going to submit quietly to the ex-
cessive freights which we are now paying
them, and to be annually feeced like lamb,
to the tune of thirty thousand dollars, they
will most inevitably realize their mistake be-
fore great while. The citizens of the coun-
ty have the ability to build the road them
selUes, and believing that they understand
their interests, [ feel very hopeful that in
eighteen months time, we will hear the shrill
whistle of the locomotive, bidding us the time
OF day as she crosses and recrosses our fertile
county. am glad, also, to know that sew
eral companies have organized for the con-
struction of turnpikes across our county.
hope our honorable Board of Supervisors will
take the same broad and liberal views towards
the pixies, that they have of the railroad
and that they will subscribe on the part of
the county sufficient means to insure their
completion.
Then, Mr.. Editor, surrounded as she is
with the most valuable water>power in the
world, grid>ironed with good turnpikes, and
three railroads crossing her-two running
east and west, and one running north and
south, the county will take a rank and posi-
ton worthy of her name.
A great deal more might be said upon this
subject, and will be said, until our citizens
accomplish what they should have done long
since-fully develop the resources of the
county and protect her interests.
JEFFERSON.
GEORGE w. CHrLD's Esq, proprietor of