Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1871-01-10
sTAUNTON VA, TUESDAY, JANUARY TO- 1871
Valley Railroad.

| soAAVy AGdA4lUdu
The construction of the Valley Road whic
will also doubtless, soon be commenced, will b
out the precursor OF great system of South
more important for the South than any othe
connection they can have, and be more valua
Die to Baltimore than all its Western lines
whose existence must be one of competition anC
struggle. The Baltimore and Ohio Road, fully
| impressed with the great value of this road
has taken the matter earnestly in hand, ano
with the liberal subscriptions voted by the city
OF Baltimore and the counties and towns of the
Virginia valley, added to its own subscription
there is little doubt the money necessary to
commence active operations will soon be raised
Indeed, we learn that 100000, the sum now
asked from Augusta county, is all that is need
ed, and when We consider that this trifng loan
WILL at once insure the expenditure of more
than million of dollars in that county alone,
will lead Immediately to the commencement of
active operations, and will procure the compile
ton OF great thoroughfare, which is not only
to bring Augusta county, but large and fer
tile portion of Virginia, into direct communi-
cation with market which is great centre of
foreign and domestic trade, we can hardly sup
pose that the people of the county will refuse
to sanction the loan As the road will be
leased as it is completed in sections, Augusta
county is thus saved from all risk of taxation,
and as the Baltimore and Ohio Road is exactly
on the same footing as other lenders, and must
hnancler the road, the county will not even
have the trouble Of negotiating the bonds. H.
deed, we trust too much to the good sense of
the people OF Augusta county to suppose that,
after the example set by sister counties and
small towns, she is going to withhold the trife
now asked of her. We hope, on the contrary,
to see the large force now at work on the Pitts
burg Road soon transferred to the Valley, and
the new road being rapidly pushed forward to-
wards its destination. If this be done, if the
construction Of this road be secured, the decade
upon which we are about to enter must, ,sbefore
its termination, prove one of greater prosperity
to this city than any which have ever preceded
it, and with the prosperity of Baltimore, we
shall doubtless see returning prosperity in all
those sections OF the South which are provided,
by Baltimore enterprise, and mainly by Balti-
more capital, with outlets for their produce,
and thoroughfares for traffic and avel.-Bah.
Gazette.
How One MAN ESCAPED FROM THE SPoTs-
wooD-He Gets Out IN very Short Shirt and
a Plug Hat.-A gentleman vino was guest OF
the Spotswood Hotel at the time of the late
fire writes the following nervous account of his
adventures on that dreadful night to friend in
Washington:
You have heard of the fire here. The
Spotswood burned on Saturday night, or rather
Christmas morning. | was awakened at 8
O'Clock by. the flames breaking my windows
open and flashing into my room. | sprapg to
my door, opened it, and the flames flashed In
my face. | was obliged to slam it shut again
to keep my breath. Then | gave up and bid
goodbye to earth. Then thinking 1 would die
any way, [ thought | would try to get out. I
had some money in my trunk took hold OF
the strap On the end, opened the door, and
dashed through the flames. l ran through the
fire for about four rods, holding my BREATH
Then [ came to the stairs, which were burning
| leaped down and struck safely on the floor
Then ran along the hall through heat and
smoke, and when | came to the entrance |
found it so full of fire could not go down. l
then ran along another long hall to the ladies'
entrance, and reached it only to find it in
flames. That was my last chance l had
dropped my trunk, and had nothing to retard
me SO | leaped through the flames again,
landed safely On the floor below, and ran into
the street, dressed In very short shirt and my
ptug hat. | had put my hat On to save my
hair from burning, but did not have time to
put on my pants. Some other fellow who was
dressed caught up my trunk when [ dropped
it, and brought it through safely. | am all
sound except my feet, which were cut badly.
and bruised. | have 5000, one shirt, two pairs
of drawers, one summer vest, and my plug"
to begin business with. lost my watch and
everything books, papers, and all 1t takes
the nerve out Of one In very short time. l
cannot think of it without trembling [ am
thankful I am alive. My hair, whiskers, and
eyebrows were burned"
ANOTHER FLYING MACHINE NEARLY Com
PLETED" BY A SAN Francisco MAN From
the San Francisco Bulletin, Dec. II. "A few
months since j. B. Morrow, a citizen of this
place and practical engineer, commenced work
Gu the model Of flying machine, which ne has
since carried nearly to completion. To-day it
was set in motion at shop on the corner of
Fremont and Market streets, and the results
were entirely satisfactory. As yet the lifting
and sustaining power is not wholly supplied,
but that has been a demonstration for centuries
past. The model which we saw is designed to
exhibit the propelling and guiding forces. The
balloon has attached beneath it light but
strong framework for the support of the ma
chinery and passengers. At the top of this
framework, and just under the balloon, is an
arm and shaft, and at either end Of the shaft
are propellers, or fans, which are reversible,
and easily adjusted to any required position by
means Of puileys. By these the engineer may
turn the vessel reverse its course, or give it an
upward or downward inclination; the supply of
gas remaining always the same in the balloon.
The propeller shaft is worked by double up
right engine, set within the framework, and
driven by boiler of peculiar construction,
combining the forces Of steam and air, so that
ten gallons of water will, it is calculated, drive
a ten-horse power engine five hours On a
level with the boiler is the frame on which the
saloon for passengers is TO be constructed.
The engine of tie model works smoothly,
and revolves the fans with great velocity. The
inventor intends to have balloon manufactured
in few days. When it is completed he will
give the machine fair trial. Several scientific
men have examined it, and expressed their con-
viction that Mr.. Morrow has made important
discoveries in the science Of aerial navigation.
A MAN DIES OF HYDRopHoB1A FORTY
YEARS AFTER HAVING BEEN BITTEN BY A
MAD DOG. THE Pulaski IN. ~ Democrat
relates the particulars of the singular death OF
one Major King, Of the town OF Boylston, from
hydrophobia. 1t appears that about forty
years ago Mr.. King was severely bitten by a
mad dog, which had no apparent effect on him
until within the past four weeks, when he first
appeared to act strangely. For few days he
appeared melancholy, and on Monday, the 18th
instant after telling his son he WAS going te
do something" threw off his hat and coat, rar
to pond near by and, jumping in, endeavored
to drown himself. His son followed him ano
succeeded in getting him out, and induced hin
to return to the house.
When within short distance he tore him
self away, returned again and threw himself
into the pond. By this time some OF the
neighbors who had witnessed the strange pro
i IL h.