Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1871-11-07
S8BN'H, VALLEY RAILROAD,

From the shephcrdatown RegIier Of Saturday.
The citizens Of Shepherdsiown have never
failed To Cyiucc the greatest interest in the
Shenandoah Valley Railroad, and at no timO
since the first inception Of that important
enterprise has that interest been manifested
10 cfFicaciOusly rs within the last two weeks,
When it became known thnt.tho Commits.
sioners appointed by the Court to assess land
damages along the line through our County
had failed to agree and were so widely apart
in their respective views as to forbid the pros.
pect Of an agreement, (rhe present law 70.
curing four al the five Commissioners to con.
cur in their awaris,) the grief Of our people
was ms great Us it was general, They had con.
fientially expected tho Commission to secure
the right Of way upon reasonable terms and
their failure tn do so, caused well grounded
fears, as well it might, that the Railroad
Company unable to obtain the privilege Of
building their road upon the line Of it4 pres.
ent location, wonld be compelled to seek anoth.
cr route through either I.oudoun or Berkeley,
and thus leave our own County "Out in the
cold" altogether.
In this unlocked for dilemma. when their
disappointment had settled into dependency,
which was iO,t sinking into despair, plan
was proposed by which the impending danger
could be avcItcd, and which was no sooner
suggested, than it was cordially approved Of
by our people and promptly carried into OK,
sCution.
As 4 sequel TO the foregoing there was
another town meeting hero on Saturday even.
ing last, to receive the report Of the Commit.
tee appointed on the preceding Saturday, to
arrange with the farmers about the right Of
way.
Joseph WclsbaSs, Esq, presided and tho
meeting comprised most Of the substantial
ci'izeus Of the iowa.
The report was submitted BY John II.
little, Chairman OF the Committee.
It stated that all the land owners along the
proposed line, from the Potomac to Mr.. Ag.
iionby's eight miles south Of Shepherds.
town, had been fully conferred with aud that,
at the prices they had agreed 70 take for the
right Of 'say through their respective farms,
the aggregate cost Of the eight miles (Which
is about hall way across the County would
be within fraction Of $4,000, or nearly
81 1000 per mile, on which reductions to the
amount Of some 81 500 or more nigh; be ex.
pec,Gd.
After the report had been discussed and
adopted, it was moved and seconded that, in,
asmuch as the amount demanded for right Of
way, half The distance across the County, was
$4,000 more than that which the Railroad
Company Ind offered to poy for it in County
Bouis, The ib;rtacc Momi be madc up ~
&,plo,linr0, which motion Was received
with acclamatious, uud carried without dis.
scntiug voice. 1t being then suggested, TINT
as nearly two weeks would ellrso before the
regular uoDilly meeting the Town Council,
it would he well i1r it IL hnyc aU extra session
without delay, the Mayor, who was present.,
promised to call onc for the ensuing Monday
night, and the Committee Of ten was requested
to wait upon the Council that evening in ref.
crcncc to the proposed Corporation sub::Iip-
tion.
During Tie evening speeches were made by
the Hon. a. Il Eotlcr, Hon Geo NJ. l}eltz-
hoover, aud Others,
Alta l,te hour the meeting adjourned over
until Tuesday evening, the 5lst uItimo, at I
O'Clock.
A, the appointed hour on T'uesday evening
the Comt. House bell asain summoned our
people together, and alter the Chairman Of
the Int meeting had by request, resumed the
duties of Presiding Officer, the energetic
COMMITTEE Of ten" through its temporary
Chairman j, L. WplIans, Esq, reported, rs
the result Of ii, conference with the Corporal.
authorities on Monday night. tho following
orders which the Council lad passed, with
commendahle unanimiiy:
Rrsalrrd, BY the Mayor, Recorder md
Common Council OF ShepherdstOwn, West
Virginia, that an appropriation Of Five Thou.
sand Dollar, or Ms much tlcrco! as may be
necessary, be made, and issued in bonds nj
leu years, bearing per cent. per annum,
payable annually, to be applied for the pay
mcnt Of damages to tho property owners,
through whose lands the Shenandoah Valley
Railroad passes, commencing ct tho Potomac
river at ShcpheriStowD, and running eight
miles sonth Of said river. And it is further
ordered, that tho said bonds shall not be is.
sued until required for said purpose, it being
understood that the said appropriation Of Five
Thousand Dollars, or so much thereof MS may
be needed, is to complete the amount Of dam
ages to the land owners being in addition ia
the pledge of said Railroad Company to give
at the rate of Fifteen Hundred Dollars pei
mile, in County bonds Tor the right Of way
through tho said Corny of Jefferson.
RctoirGd. That said bonds shall hear per
cent. interest, per annnm, provided that they
cannot be negotiated at G per cent. per an
nun.
A resolution was then offered by Mr.. Bot
cICr, thanking the Town Council for its en-
lighting liJcraliry in complying so promptly
with tic wishes Of the public spirited people
of Shcphcrdstown, which was of course unan'
imonsy adopted.
Mr. BcieIer being then called upon made
a congratulatory speech, at the conclusion OF
which Mr. Bclizhoovcr responded to nsinilnr
call, whcrcupon the meeting adjourned with
three hearty cheers OF "oli Shephcrdstown'
aud the Shenandoah Valley Railroad.
DrATu OF REy. smTMus TrsrlS.-
This venerable divine, wel,known to the in
habiianls of our city, died at his residence on