Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1870-04-12
Staunto11 Spettator.
Tuesday,, April IL, 1870.
Richmond and the Valley Rail Road.

Richmond and the Valley Rail Road.
In our last, we promised to say some thing in
reply to what we have considered the harsh
and unkiudly comments upon the people of the
Valley, in connection with the Valley Rail
Road, recently published in the Richmond
Wing and the State Journal. The articles,
which we complain of, have been written inthe
interest of the scheme of consolidation now be-
fore the Legislature. As we understood them
they were assaults upon the patriotism, the
LOYALTY 'to the old Mother and the integrity
of purpose of our people, in desiring to have
the VALLEY Rail Road extended from Harrison
burg, through Staunton and Lexington, to Sa-
lem. Our impression has been, that as God
made this Valley, bounded by mountains on
each side of it, Running from the Southwest TO
the Northeast, with streams of water flowing
between these mountains, with fertile helds,
and inexhaustible mineral wealth scattered up
and down it, the only practicable mode OF de-
yeoping its treasures, is, by constructing a
Rail Road through it lengthwise. Before this
Valley was settled, the Buffaloe track passed
through Its rich pastures-then followed the
old wagon road, terminating at Knoxville, len
nessee, along which the six horse wagon teams
transported the merchandise and produce OF
the country-then came the McAdamized and
plank roads extending from Shepherdstown to
Bristol, and now, Ia broken links, are found
fragments of Rail Roads over the same grand
trade line. Our people desire these links to be
united, so that instead of the sound OF the
wagon bells Of sixty years ago, we may hear
the sound of the engine whistle from one end
of this Valley TO the other. Our desires low
in the channels which God has made, and We
consider it no treason to the old Mother" as
the State Journal intimates it is, to strive to
secure that improvement which will DO Us most
good. Nor, 10 our opinion, will the eonstruc-
ton of the Valley Rail Road be otherwise than
blessing to Virginia and especially to the city
of Richmond. It is manifest that if the
wealth, productive resources and population OF
the Valley, he, as we expect they will be, great
ly increased by the making Of this Road. Vir-
ginia ia all her borders must be blessed by the
increase. AS our wealth increases so will our
capacity to pay our taxes; and so will the bur-
den of taxation fall more lightly On others
Increase of prosperity too is diffusive, and the
leayen of our blessings will spread over the
mountains and extend Eastward, and to no
point more surely than to Richmond.
Let US remind our Richmond friends, cher
old merchants viii recollect the fact, that when
we had nothing but Turnpikes from Staunton
to Winchester and to Scottsyie, with Rail
Road from Winchester to Baltimore, Rich
mond drew trade up the Valley and across the
mountain to Scottsvie. from New market, for
ty-two miles from Saaunton and fifty miles from
Winchester. That was the dividing point
Now, we ask, if Rail Roads be substituted for
Turnpkes and free interchange of cars be Sc
cured at Staunton. what shall prevent Rich
mond drawing to ITSELF the wheat Of this gra-
nary of Virginia, and large portion of its
productions? Now, that the Valley is tapped
up to Harrisonburg. the only chance of Rich
mond to secure its trade, ls, IN free and un-
obstructed transit, up and down the whole
Valley. Our people desire free trade with all
points, and repudiate the idea that these com
munications shall be INSTRUCTED for the benefit
of any other community We shall insist on
the free transit of produce from Harrisonburg
or Lexington 10 Richmond, as strenuously as
we shall demand free transit from Lewlsburg
Or Charleston to Winchester, Alexandria Or
Baltimore, If trade seeks the Valley route for
its vent And 50 III our connections with the
Virginia & Tennessee Road, we shall demand
the free interchange OF trade and travel from
one road 10 the other, at Salem, and ii consol-
idatian be against this, We oppose consOllda-
ton, ca ahis ground, if on no other. We look
to the day when the plaster. salt and other
productions Of the Southwest, shall be brought
directly TO cur warehouses in word our Rail
Road policy is this, simply, that the Rail Roads
of Virginia shall be the arteries of trade
through which free currents shall flow accord
ing to the gr, at laws Of supply and demand
We seek no war with Richmond; On the
contrary we desire her growth and prosperity
and our people prefer, other things being equal,
to trade with Richmond. But the day has
gone by wilea the growth OF cities can be stinl-
ulated by artificial processes of forced develope-
ment, and the cities which claim for themselves
the right to tax others for their benefit, to make
large regions tributary TO them, against the
natural laws Of trade and The best interests of
others, will make more enemies than friends
10y the Claim.
We accept with pleasure the disclaimer OF
our old friend the Wig in a recent issue Of
any unfriendIy feeling towards our people,
What we desire is first the Valley Rail Road
and second, let us have peace in Virginia.
The Richmond Municipal War Case was be-
fore Chief Justice Chase last week, and it was
agreed upon by the counsel for both parties, OF
the suggestion Of the Chief Justice, that the
decision of the case be postponed until the first
as e -. q! = Z. G L. 2 -s..l g.