Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1870-05-09
Harper's Ferry Water-Power and
Manufacturing Company.

pared by Capt. +. I. ADAMS, Secretary OF the
above named company, from which We repub-
l;sh tie following paragraphs;
RAILROAD FACILITIES.
The Baltimore and Ohio, and the Winchester
snd Potomac railroads, owned and worked oy
tbe same company, form a junction at the I er-
rs. The Baltimore and Ohio railroad now al
forda railroad communication with All the great
markets Of the west and northwest Tor such
articles as may be manufactured at the Ferry
. The company is also extending ITS road from
the Ohio river 70 Chicago, ~ order to connect
with he Union Pacific road. When this is
L,,e ,be increase OF trade and passenger traffic
on the road must DE very great, for 1t Is the
most natural and direct route asin wiuteritwill
be the pleasantest for personsin the south having
business with the Pacific Again, the Baltimore
and Ohio c0mpanyare actively at work extend
ing the Winchester aud Potomac road up the
Shenandoah Valley, IN the direction Of Lynch
burg. It's now open to Strasburg. On reach
inc Lvnchbu-g II viii connect with the middle
southern roads running through North and
South Carolina, Middle Georgia, East Tennes-
see. Upper Alabama. and on to New Orleans,
aud forming what will hereafter becalled the
Great Middle Southern Route from Baltimore
% New Orleans" The building Of this road
into a country so ab0unding in mineral and
agricultural wealth was piece of foresight
worthy Of all commentator. This great tho
+ r0ughiare once open, the cotton, tobacco, and
other products Of the country through which
/ IL passes. among wheat, and corn, and sugar
are equally prominent vii. be attracted over 1t,
and fud their way % the north aud northwest
I by tie safest and most direct route. The bene-
/ st that the extension Of these roads will be 10
the business Of Harper's Ferry in a few years
can very easily be seen The great aim and
object Of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com
/ pany is to concentrate all the trade Of the
country through which It's branches pass, and
direct il into and for the benefit of Baltimore.
. TO that end it lends all its great wealth and
bends all its energies.
II, indeed, the people Of Washington would
ouly give one half the time and attention to
the means Of securing the commercial adyau-
tages held o2t 20 them in the trade Of the up
country that they DO to deyising plans to get
money out Of the Government, their city would
not now be as far behind Baltimore in wealth
/ aud population. Baltimore tourishes because
she extends her energies beyond her own limits,
and seeks 10 commercial enterprises those sub
s,antial advantages nothing else can give to q
city About Washington speak CONNER
cjallv-tlere seems TO be an air of decay, pro-
duccd by the J,ightiug influence Of q govern
mcut more than half the people IN it look up
for support. 10 is true they DO at times en-
tcrtaiu themselves by doing large amount Of
tall talk about some project no one exactly
knows what il is to benefit, and which general
lv turns out % be a scheme Of no practical
value whatever. 1t generally turns out, in
short that few sharp gentlemen, well known
iD Washington, are connected with these
schemes, and stand holding out the hat TO Con
gress for the million or two that will be neces-
sary TO put them in working shape. If these
gentlemen would only look the night direction,
put forward their energies, independent OF the
Government, and open up short and direct
/ communication with the great producing dis
tricts Of Virginia and West Virginia, and Sc
cure the commercial advantages to be found in
their coal. iron grain, &c, &c, how much
better it would I've f,r Washington. Baltimore
now secures and enjoys q monopoly Of these
advantages.
A project is on foot for extending branch
road from Harpers Ferry to Lecsburg, in Lou
doun County. aud there connecting with the
. Louduuu and Hampshire road running to Alex
alIra This road runs through rich asri-
/ cultural country. and will lie Of great adydn-
. ta-c 60 NjUcheste- and many other towns IN
the valley when completed. The Pennsylya-
MA Central is now extending its line southwark,
and will cross the Potomac few miles above
Uarpcrs Ferry. at Wiliamsport, and hence be
within easy reach 10 is the intention of this
company 20 extend their great enterprise up
the Shenandoah Valley aud form n connection
with the Middle southern roads, and thus
form great through line from New York to
New Orleans Il will then compete with the
Baltimore aud Ohio Company for tie Southern
trade and travel. y movement is already on
foot o. establish q connection between this val
ley road. or Central Pennsylvania and the
town Of Harper's Ferry, which viii give it a
a cheaper aud more direct line 10 New York.
wATEE-rovEn AND ITS ADVANTAGES.
have already said enough to show the value
Of the locality Of Harper's Ferry for manuac-
turing enterprises. It's railroad facilities, It's
uelruess % markets. the rapidly increasing
demand Tor manufacturers in the South, the
abundant supply Of raw material to be found
ia It's vicinity, and its genial climate, all con-
tribute % make 10 one Of the most desirable
points in the country for manufacturing enter
puscs The Uarpers Ferry Water-Power
and Manufacturing Company purchased this
vast property Of the Government on the 30th
Jav Of November, 1869, and are now proceed
ing 70 pu. the dams, locks and canals IN per-
feet order They have a head Of twenty feet,
with four thousand horsepower on the POto-
mac alone And this may be increased o. SIX
thousand The advantages ofthiS water-power
are that in the dryest time there is a sufficient
supply, that YOU are never troubled with back
water. and only once las it been known 10
overflow So as 10 give any trouble, and then
very slight In short, it is under perfect con-
troll, aud comparatively free from ice at all sea-
sons ofthe wear. Tie boats Of the Chesapeake
and Ohio canal, too, can cross the river above
our main dam. come through our head lock,
and alongside our works, and land and take In
freight ID Is Tho intention Of the company,
va0scp property extends for two miles along the
Potomac river, to divide It mp into sites aud
lease them for manufacturing and other Pur-
poses. together with the power necessary to
drive such works as may he erected on them
They have au ample supply of turbine and
other wheels. some of them almost new. and
which can lie put In order 5t very small OK
pcu-e TIE foundations Of the buildings dc
stroycd during the war are Of the most solid
description being laid IN cement. and extend
ing o. the rock bel of the river. nearly twenty
Y q. frrrI tirl