The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-07-06
Railroad Competition.

Hon. John W. Garrett, in his admira
BILE speech on the occasion of the recent
feast given in honor of the commercial mar
riage of Pittsburg and Baltimore, made a
very significant allusion to the effects of
competition on the rate of freights, as evil
denced by the completion Of the Pittsburg
and Connelsville Railroad. Addressing
the people assembled at Pittsburg, he
said, s'your manufacturers and merchants,
your producers and consumers, have alrea-
DIV realized reduction in the cost of
transportation between Pittsburg and Bal
timore of twenty eight per cent. Alrea-
dy your great petroleum interests, the
great trade to which your city is geograph-
ically entitled, has realized the vast re-
lief which results from decrease of charges
from one dollar and thirty-fve cents to
eighty cents per barrel-more than forty
per cent?
Now if competition in railroad transport
tation, in few months time, has worked
such advantageous results between Pitts
burg and Baltimore, may we not reasona-
bly, expect a similar reduction, on the COM
pletion of the Valley Railroad? We have
in past numbers Of the Vwyinia,e showed
that the annual saving to the county, by
reduced freights, would be about $l00,
900, supposing that the rates would be
brought down to those charged on the Man
asass Gap from Harrisonburg to Alexan-
dria, and on the Virginia and Tennessee
Road and its connecting lines, from Dub
lin Depot to Richmond.
1t is hardly necessary to reproduce the
arguments we have already advanced to
enforce this idea. They are patent to ev-
cry rejecting mind. We can hardly
think the people will permit this great en-
terprise to fail for want of few more
thousand dollars Of private subscription.
h, investment would be remunerative.-
| The stock of the Baltimore and Ohio COM
pany is now eagerly bought at $3.50 to
$l,56, and cannot be purchased in large
amounts. European capitalists are anx-
ious to purchase, but there is none Of it
for sale, except here and there, share or
two. Who can question that the value OF
the Valley Railroad stock will be in like
proportion when it is completed to its
Southern terminus, and forms it's South
ern and Southwestern connections. Ii
will be one Of the grandest thoroughfares
on the continent.
The spirit which thrilled through Mr..
CARROTS earnest address is that which is
moving the great world Of business and
developing the wonderful resources Of the
country. He invites competition at every
point where he has made foot-hold. He
said to the people of Pittsburg, alluding
to the Pennsylvania Central: eve have
no watered stock, no fast freight lines to
eat up the legitimate profits of the stock
holders. We fear no threat Of the opposi.
ton to build rival road from Baltimore
to Washington. We aoelcome a generous
rivalry in the work of developing the
South. We are willing to make arrange
ments with them to give you through tick
cts to Washington from here, on theil
road. We are going to give you through
opposition line to the west
We expect to see the Pennsylvania Gen
trail take up the glove thus defantly thrown
down to them, and to witness in the neal
future terrific collision between these
Railroad Titans, upon Virginia SOIL
They are both aiming to tap the great
trade and travel coming from the west ovel
the Chesapeake and Ohio Road, at this
point, and that of the Southwest coming
over the Virginia and Tennessee Road, lat o:
near Salem. We welcome these compe-
ting forces to our midst and hope they
will speedily have completed their chan
nels of communication, which are destined
to throw new life into our great Valley;
and cause her to blossom as the rose.