Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1869-12-28
Our peigbbors Of the VaHev Niroiiaian and

Our neighbors of the VALLEY N;rginian and
the Virginia Aduaace are disputing as to which
is entitled to the paternity of the scheme for
the Railroad from Culpeper Court House to
Staunton. 'sThe scheme will, like the little
boy in the story, be surprised to find it has
fore fathers at least Over year ago bill
was introduced into Congress and scheme"
much discussed, to build series Of national
railroads from the national capitol at
Washington by air lines,'' Northward, West
ward and Southwark, and thus obyiate the ne
cessity for removing the capitol (the argument
of the Tirginian). This bill provided for an
air line from Culpeper G. Ell. to Staunton as
one of these national" roads. Some obscure
member of Congress then may be entitled to
the credit Of discovering this scheme, and yet
as the boy said of Columbus discovering Amer
ica, he didn't deserve SO much credit after all,
as America was so big, he couldn't have well
missed it.
The substantial credit will be to him who
finds some scheme" which will make the rail
road A crow can find an ''air line anywhere,
but not the money to build railroad there
If the same ability which advocates the
''scheme'' will demonstrate the advantage OF
county and individual subscriptions to carry it
out something may result. The scheme for a
''Valley Railroad has always been plausibly
presented, but the difficulty has been to get ad-
vocates of county and individual subscriptions
to build the road, and hence none has ever been
built.
IF the counties of Culpeper, Madison, Green,
Rockingham and Augusta cannot or will not
give the money to make this road, who will 2
The Chesapeake and Ohio want first to get to
the Chesapeake bay-the Orangefand Alexan-
dria and Manassas Railroad Company want first
to get to North Carolina and up the Valley to
Salem. The Nxgiaian has heretofore been a
strong advocate for Augusta county to subscribe
to build the Valley Railroad I've presume it is
yet IF that scheme, which is feasible one,
and only lacks, in all probability the Augusta
subscription, we will then earnestly unite with
the Nrginian in urging the subscription Of
money to make the Staunton and Culpeper G.
Fl. air line road, unquestionably most desira-
bic one.
TIE DEAD OF '69-While the year now
drawing to close has not been as remarkable
for its llustrious dead as 1859. still it's funeral
roll is a long and distinguished one. In the
Old World, among those who have died are
Leopold, Duke Of Brahant, heir apparent Of
the Belgium crown; Field Marshal Sir Hugh
Cough, one of England's brayest soldiers; NJ.
Laborde, the Oriental explorer; the Rev. Alex
ander Dyce and Peter Cunningham, both pro-
minent in literature; Baron Broughton, better
known as John Cam Hobhouse, the friend of
Byron George Peabody Baron Stanley, Of
Alderley; William Jordan, the dramatic critic
Prince Menschikof, the Russian diplomatist !;
Lady Duff Gordon and the Hon. Emily Eden,
both well known in literature; Marshal Mel,
one of Napoleen's most trusty military advisers;
st. Beuve, the critic and the Bishop Of Sails
bury and Exeter. In our own country the
mortality among public men has. been very
great. Ex-President Pierce Senators. or ex-
Senators, Fessenden, Bell, Walker, Pratt, and
Fitzpatrick, Secretary RaWlins, Amos Kendall;
General Wool Admiral Stuart