The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1869-10-28
A yaluble improvement for the Town and
County.

10 about to be made for the location and con-
of new road from Staunton to Bar
Textbook. The present road is circuitous and
badly graded. Indeed the direct road may be
said to be impossible for loaded wagons or
ordinary carriages, and We wonder why the
people of that portion of the county have
submitted SO long and so patiently to the. in
eonyiuccs to which they have been subjected
for want of. a convenient outlet to market and
to their county town.
The distance from Staunton to Barterbrook
by the present road is eight miles, and large
part of it is over steep hills and through deep
ravines. By the new route which is propos-
ed, We are informed, the distance will be re
duccd to six miles, and the road through its
whole length will be Of easy grade. 81.
The new road will diverge eastward from
the Greenyille turnpike about two miles, or
little more from Stanton, and pass through
the lands of the late COL James Crawford,
Benjamin T. Bagby and others to Barter
brook. The new road to be constructed be-
tween the point Of divergence from the Green
vile turnpike to Barterbrook will not exceed
four miles, and a part Of this section is now
open as a country road and will need only
slight changes of location and some little i'm
proyement. 80 se -f@la1 ss ei:'i Y7.-i' .
20 We know Of no enterprise which has
been set on foot which promises such large
benefits at SO small cost s6 ~!
The Barterbrook region is one Of the most
beautiful, picturesque and productive portions
Of our county. But by reason of its isolation
for the want of good road it is less known
and appreciated by the public than any other
If any one wishes to understand the effects Of
good roads on the value Of lands, he need
only look at the rapid enhancement Of lands
along the Valley turnpike. We venture te
say that that turnpike has added from ten te
twenty dollars per acre, to the market value
Of all the lands within mile of it on either
side. And we hazard but little in express
ing the opinion that good road from Staun
ton to Barterbook will have similar effect
though possibly not in as great degree, OF
the lands bordering on it.. Iii
!. We therefore congra tulate, not only the
people Of Staunton and Barterbrook, but
the intermediate land owners, and the cit
liens who live South of Barterbrook OF
the prospect of having a short road Of
easy grade between the points above indi
Gated. vi 81
Stanton is rapidly becoming the oes1
market for the farmers of our county
Here they can sell their products for the
best prices, and here they can buy Their
supplies on the best terms. Every thing
therefore, which facilitates intercourse be
tween the town and country-which in eff
feet brings the buyers and sellers closer
together is for the benefit of both.
At present, if farmer from the neigh
borhood of Barterbrook wishes to bring
a load of -four or meal or grain to Staun
ton, he has to travel down the road tx
Thinking Spring, and then struggle ove1
the rocky hills in the neighborhood O.
Major Absalom Koiners, and thence, il
close proximity to the Railroad, crossing
the track three times, and in constant ap
prehension of being run over, or having
his horses frightened by the trains. This
last evil. too, is constantly increasing, and
in a year or two, when the Railroad is ex.
tended to the coal fields, will render the
present road altogether unsafe. When
that extension is made, instead of four
trains on the Railroad we shall probably
have fifty. When this is the case, the pres
ent road from the old Peck Mill to Tink.
ling Spring will have to be abandoned.
It is wise, therefore, for the people of
the Southern part of this county to be
making timely provision for this contin-
gency. The proposed route from Barter
brook to Staunton will supply an admira-
BILE substitute for the old route along the
railroad. Barterbrook is central point
from which several roads diverge South
eastward, Southwark, and in a Southwest
direction. The Staunton and Barterbrook
road will be common stem from which
all these roads will branch. The lumber
men from Sherando, and the farmers along
the South River for distance of ten
miles, will find this to be their most con-
venient road to town.
The many improvem ents in progress and
in contemplation, in our growing town,
create a great demand for lumber. Ow-
ing to the want of good roads this demand
cannot be supplied by our own people, and
large quantities of lumber are now brought
to Stanton on the cars, from as far east as
Gordonsville, and as far west as jackson s
River. In this way thousands Of dollars
are annually sent abroad to pay for lum-
Der which ought to be supplied by our own
citizens. Give them good road and they
will supply it, and keep the money in cir
culation at home. ,s-.'@
If this road to Barterbrook is construct
ed as it ought to be, and as We hope it will
be hundreds Of barrels of -four, and tons
of:hay aud other products of that favored
region will come to Staunton, which would