Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1870-06-28
For the Spectator
OH 0H'O = - y Ut
Voters of Augusta.

|
You will soon be called upon to vote $780,
600 to the stock of the Valley r. R. The i'm
| pOrtance OF this question cannot easily be ex-
aggerated. 1t is one of the most important ever
submitted to the Taxpayers of the county,, ex-
cept, perhaps. the question of $500, 900 to the
| Chesapeake Road, which you promptly voted
down. Our object in discussing this impor-
tant question In this article is that we may un-
derstand more fully and clearly the vague and
indefinite promises upon which we are asked
| to mortgage our homes to the amount of $780,
| 600. What practical question, then, can be
more momentaus to the county this hour than
| the one before us. We ask you, voter, to pom
| der il well, understand it well, and know its
extent before you cast so Important vote,
and after careful investigation, see if you can
afford to tax yourself with this enormous debt
Of $300,0O0 It is no holiday sport, but dol
lars and cents, 10 be dug oat OF the ground, or
your land sold to pay it, and the interest for
80 years (of $540, ,O0O), making an enormous
total Of $S40UO0 Let US glance moment at
the promises made by the interested parties to
catch the voters, and induce them to vote $780,
900 to the Chesapeake Road. = e-;-.fssaT
They appealed to the pride Of the county
they told US if we did not vote the subscrip-
ton the Road would not be built-aU depended
on Augusta We were told Of a market, at
city prices, at our very door-ace acre told that
the Baltimore d; Ohio r. r. aoould be COM
PEELED to build the VALLEY R. e. az se!fdefence.
The Chesapeake Road is now under contract,
and about G, 900 hands at work; has single
promise been fulfilled ?-have you regret that
you voted No? Now to the main question:
We are asked to vote $500, 600 to the stock of
the Valley r r.. We will state few among
the many delusive promises and advantages
upon which our votes are claimed for this I'M
portant question: - g brer. al
lst. One Hundred Dollars per acre for good
farms will be as common as $40 is now.
End Population and capital will flow in
streams into the county. -c4a +
3rd. Our mineral resources will at once at
tract attention. afea IS hra.rf
4th. We have use for a rival line which will
save us 80 cents on barrel of -four
/ 9th. The competition Of the Road will re-
lieve us from paying the interest any longer
than or 3 years. [8o gsiL~ eB
9th. Give us this Road, aud wealth and
prosperity will be our future history.
A second paradise Is not this enchanting
Iy grand? Can you permit yourself for mo-
ment to doubt these fond imaginings? Now
let us bring these fond aaticipations down to
the ordeal of stern facts. Would any one en-
dorse bond for $25 upon such promises, much
less vote the county bonds for 100000. And
we assert without fear of contradiction that
there is no Valley r. r. Company, and we
think this can be demonstrated, by letter
from the employed council of this so-called
Company, published in the Spectator, May
3lst. Who are the stockholders ?-is there
one private stockholder? Not one. Towns
and counties in the Valley, $1,000 900; Balti-
more City, 81 900 600; Baltimore T. 0. r R.
Company. $l.0OO,000 Baltimore City and
Baltimore & O K r. are one) Mr.. Garrett,
President of the Baltimore & Ohio Company,
in speech made in louisville as late as June
1st. at meeting Of Railroad men, said: The
| Baltimore & Ohio r r. Company is now en-
gagged in opening line through the Valley of
Virginia. OF this line 1O2 miles are already
in operation from Harpers Ferry to Harrison
burg l. it not manifest there, that this
Road will be under the exclusive control and
management of the Baltimore & Ohio Com
pany-a greedy monopoly, whose income is al
ready million of dollars per month. Be not
deceived and cheated. If you vote $500 600
it goes into the hands of the Baltimore & Ohio
Company, and not to the Valley R. R. Com
| pany. If we are mistaken and do not state
facts. is it not important then for US to know
into whose hands the bonds of the county will
60, and who will control them. Who is to be
made rich at the expense OF the Company
| Who is to be responsible for the promises
made? What security has the county that
thew will be complied with? Who is pressing,
| with such untiring energy, this question on the
county? Is it not done by the inordiuate am
bition Of one siagle man? We ask these ques-
tions for the simple purpose Of putting the vo-
ters on their guard. The PLAN question is =
Shall we vote the Bonds of the county for
| $500, 900. and place them ia the hands Of the
Bait. & O. e. r. COMPANY, without any secu-
rity that one dollar Of either principal or in
terest will ever be paid back. You will be in
the hands of foreign corporation which can
at any time vote themselves such salaries and
lsubsidies as they may choose, Holding of
the stock Of the road, will not this overshad-
owing power absorb the last farthlng and run
the roads in their exclusive interest, with utter
disregard to the interest of the county? Can
the county go to the stockholders meetings p
We think not. Who then will represent the
county ? Will it not be some Lo'oyer, who has
his own interest to advance and not the inter
est of the county. Are these questions to be
rkept hidden from the county? MOI let US
canvass them--Iet US talk about them when