Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1870-08-09
SHENANDOAH VALLEY R. R.

disheartened and enraged at its unparalleled
success, have been snarling and growing like
pack of hungry ours, and some have even
gone so far as to pervert actual facts. As it is
altogether useless for us to pen a reply to
every little squib emanating from these rest
less croakers, We will simply lay before our
readers letter from Geo. Fl. Bardwell, ESQ.,,
Director and Agent of the Shenandoah Val
ley Railroad Compass, and an extract from
letter of P. BFBorst, ESQ, its President,
which are sufficiently plain and practical as to
satisfy the mind of any sane man in this coun-
try, and bid all croaking cease forever.
And now, northern-routers, go on and build
your road, if you can, and we will not lay
straw in your path, nor ask you where you get
your money, if you but build a road. We
have no animosity whatever against your road,
but on the contrary, bid you God speed
The more the merrier. The following is the
letter of Geo. Fl. Bardwell, Esq. -
PHILADELPHIA, August 2, 1870.
James d. Patterson, Esq, Raynes6oro, Va:
DEAR SIR.-In my three months itinerant
sojourn in the Valley of Virginia, Superintend-
ing the Survey of the Shenandoah Valley
Railroad, as an individual, and representative
of the Company, 1 was met everywhere, with
out exception, with uniform kindness and at
tention. In appreciation of which, my Com.
pany has labored ceaselessly to merit such
confidence, by placing our road Immediately
under contract and open up that long neglect
ed though most beautiful and wealthy portion
Of Virginia.
In four months and eight days from the
commencement of Survey, our road, from the
Potomac to the Roanoke, is in the hands of
able and competent Contractors, at so much
per yard, for each classification, of Earth,
Rock and Masonry. Is it impossible then,
Gas our opponents ignorantly, or unfairly as
sert) to let work upon such terms? Verify,
they are as far behind the age in this, as their
good old State is behind other States in Rail-
road improvements for the development of
her hidden and material wealth.
Our route follows the water courses with
remarkably low grades and very cheap of con-
! struction. we have selected this rout with
this view ouly, believing that the people of
that great Valley would rise above local and
selfish considerations and cheerfully aid us in
our undertaking. We have no individual
interests to subserve, and no Plantations,
Farms, Towns, or Cities to run by the eoay Of,
| for the qualification of the selfish and powerful
few. With four years surveying, waiting,
| trusting and hoping, I wonder not that the
people are disheartened and disbelievers. BY
our prompt and energetic efforts, you shalt
believe in and trust the Shenandoah Valley
Railroad Company, and, perhaps, the more
intelligent and thoughtful of your people, will
| give the S. V. r. R. Co., the credit of having,
by their activity, placed Goals of fire on the
back of that slow land turtle, (the Baltimore
& Ohio r. RI that would for four (4l long
years more, have "held the word of promise
of your ears, but to break it to your hopes"
We are not standing in the way of the COM
| pletion of the Valley Railroad. They have
had four gears the start of US, and have only
now began to scratch dust in the eyes of the
people, by saying, are have no financial status;
no ability to perform, and no intention to do
| further, than, by a mere show, to defeat their
scheme. We can and will build our road,
with branches into uarrisonburg, Staunton
and Lexington, which will benefit those towns
| far more than if their elevated locations per-
| mitted feasible and cheap line to be run
! into and through them. The good people of
| those towns cannot regret more than we that
such obstacles intervene.
We are not standing in the way of the Val
I ley Road and never have asked "where their
money was to come from" to build with, and
other (n my opinion) impertinent questions,
calculated to shake the confidence of gem
erous people, in a supposed rival. The great
Pennsylvania Central Railroad Of Pa. have
sufficient surplus funds on hand now to build
this road clear through to the Gulf, and have
no necessity to go to London for 81 ,000, 900
Sterling loan with which to carry on their own
vast lines at home. There is enough for each
and all in external and hidden wealth in that
great Valley. Chord, PARALLEL angle and
right angle it through with roads let Vir-
| giuia build and have built, within her bor-
ders, all the roads she can, for fifty years to
| come, and she will still be far behind many of
| the younger sisterhood of States in facilities
for the development Of the vast wealth within
her borders, which capitalists will now not
seek the development of, for the very reason
of such lack of Railroad improvements.
Individual subscriptions are more easily
obtained and void of all personal or local feel
ing, satisfactory and preferable and had I
give to each and all of the projected roads
You will grow rich by giving, even to the half
of your possessions. Give City, Town and
County aid, and where one has asked and re-
ceived of your bounty; Withhold not from the
other.
Give to Valley Railroad; then help the
Shenandoah Valley Railroad to build their
road, extending (by her connections) from the
golden shores of the Pacific, bearing the
wealth of another hemisphere, draining the
rich Valley Of the Mississippi, the Gulf and
Atlantic States on the South and East all to
be brought by the great national hiyh'Cdy,
gathering up the wealth of the Valley of Vir-
ginia in her Train, and we will not compel
you to stop at any particular City, but you may
ride, and ship and transport with choice Of
markets to the Nations, Centres of Manufac-
lures, Commerce and Capital without break
of bulk or gauge, even to the northernmost