Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1870-05-31
VALLEY RAILROAD.

A letter of the 9th instant informs US that
the County of Roanoke, yesterday, voted by
majority of over 200 more than the three-ffths
required, to make the subscription of Two
Hundred Thousand Dollars $780, O00) to the
Valley Railroad Company. Salem Township,
out of nearly 600 votes cast, gave but one vote
against the subscription.
We cannot withhold the need Of well de-
served praise for this prompt and decided ac-
ton of the smallest county on the line OF the
Valley r. r., county the whole length Of
whose territory is traversed by great through
railway, in active operation connecting it close
ly, with all the great markets of the country
and securing to its people all the advantages Of
transportation they need, Ito use the language
of the opponents of the subscription In Au-
gusta,) hardly any part of the county being
more than ten miles from the Railroad; and
vet it voted, with great unanimity, the liberal
subscription of 100000 to the stock OF the
Valley r. r., thereby showing an enlightened
appreciation of the value, to an inland country
of rival lines Of traffic. A saving Of DO cents
barrel, in freight, on the 10000 barrels OF
flour that county annually sends to market, will
pay the interest on the subscription, and a
moderate saving on the numberless other pro-
ductions of that fertile little county will create
a sinking fund to pay the debt at maturity, SO
that really no burden will be laid upon the peo-
pie. but the liberal hand will make rich, to say
nothing of the valuable stock the county will
own.
We commend the example Of our sister
county to our own county. One by one the
obstacles in the way Of this important work
have yielded to untiring industry in its behalf,
and now the great and wealthy county Of Au-
gusta alone stands in the course and prevents
the beginning of the work.
Have We no use for rival line that will save
us 80 cents on each barrel of -four of the Co.
600 that we send to market and enable US to
pay our shae for the Valley E. r. and secure
the other advantages that we need, and that
will result from the competition Of two rail
roads
The real estate of Roanoke vas worth in
1860, So, co., 544-that of Augusta $780,
no. Roanoke has subscribed 100000, and
Augusta is asked to subscribe $300.00
The good people Of Augusta have the single
rule Of three, ard We leave the question Of
shoe much" hy that rule, with them. but We
should ike to have them apply the double
rule of three also, and learn how much they
can afford to subscribe in paying stock, to have
railroad run through the whole length of the
county; to have million and half Of dol
lars distributed in and near the county to
have market at home for some time for every
thing they have to sell, at city prices; to have
their freghts reduced from one-third to one
half; to have market for their surplus lands !;
to have their iron mines worked and the now
valueess ores converted into money; to have
manufactures spring up and furnish more va
ried industry that will keep their children at
home, &C., &c. These things have always re-
suited from the building of railroads in re-
gion with great and undeveloped resources,
such is ours and such results must follow here.