Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1870-03-01
For ihe S,ectator.

+pt TIC OPCCtdtOj.
TIE call for Rail Road meeting, to be held
at Moscow on the 10Th of this month, is step
in the right direction, and hope that one mo-
tive, one principle will pervade the minds of all
who may be present, and that principle should
be for each and all to use his best endeavors to
get the road to pass through the West side of
the county by the most eligible route That
meeting was held and its proceedings pub
lished before this communication was received.
-ED If the people take hold of the sub
ject it will succeed. Heretofore the people
have stood aoof and have waited for Col Har-
man 4 Co, to navigate the unwieIdy craft
through all its difficulties. But it has been
found to be a stoW coach, and President Har-
man rather sorry driver. Now that the peo-
pie have taken the subject in hand and put
Hercules with some reasonable prospect OF sue
cess The powers that build Rail Roads can
not fail to hear the voice Of the people
| have taken great interest in this West side
project, (or North side, as several Of your cor
respondents term it. | prefer Vest side, as
more correct } and have read the communica-
tions of your correspondents, particularly those
of Clinton, who displays thorough knowledge
of the country and route, as well as the wants
and Interests of the people OF his section. AS
the Valley, South of Harrlsonburg, is nearly
double as wide as it is north of it, owing to the
abrupt termination of the Massanutten Noun
tain, Just East of said town, and as the Page
Valley Rail Road will pass from Port Republic
through the East side of this county on up the
Valley, the Valley Rail Road from Harrison
burg ought, by all means to pass through the
West side, by one of the routes suggested by
Clinton and not up the middle of the Val
lev along or near the pike. The people of the
West side need it, and those OF the middle do
not. while those of the East side do not want
it, and the West side shall have it, But friends
of the West, you must pull all together, and
the East will aid you.
Clinton has shown the undeveloped re-
sources and mineral wealth of the West side
Tor North sde as he calls III to be SO great,
that this Road should by all means pass
through that section. The middle route, and
the ony one ever yet surveyed offers no such
inducements Besides it has a good Road and
il looks suicidal 10 build Rail Road along by
the side of it, simply to break it down and rem
der it worthless, while the people in distant
part of the county are begging for it. The
East side will not be a coInpelltor, as | said
before, the Page Valley Road is our Road. and
we cbeertuIly concede the Valley Road to the
West side, and wish them God speed in their
efforts to get 1t.
Twelve months ago | urged Col Harman to
have the route ueuuileiy laiu out, SO mat Inc
people at the then approaching election could
vote intelgently. then, As do now, advo-
Gated the West side route. But Col. Hartman
would not do it, and the result was the county
subscription was lost. told him if he would
adont the West side route it would make the
ueopIe OF that side unit, and that enough on
the East side wunld vote Tor the subscription
to carry it. But he did not think as did.
But Clinton was very much mistaken in
estluating the relative mineral value of the
East as com pared with the West side. The
Western slope of the Blue Ridge mountain =
said Professor Rodgers, rs one inexhaustible
bed Of minerals, from the Potomac to the
Southwest line. Why, from the lower Valley,
as far as Front Ro, al. through Page and Rock
inpham there are many extensl. iron mines OF
a far superior quality to any in the region Of
the North side. ''so-called.' Then all along