Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1871-05-09

take the proper measures to bring this matter
TO the attention of the Directors of the road
at its next meeting, and We cannot doubt that
II would receive the proper consideration.
We may offer some other suggestion hereaf-
ter to our Richmond friends, but this must
suffice for the present.
Valley Railroad.
The Lexington Gazette publishes the obit-
uary Of the Valley Railroad Rockbridge is
now seeking a railway on some other route,
either a'narrow guage" to Goshen; or most
probably, railway to connect with the pro-
posed line of the Chesapeake & Ohio Road
from Clifton Forge via Lynchburg. Either of
these schemes can be accomplished without
any aid from Augusta or elsewhere with the
Rockbrldge subscriptions alone, and thus few
miles will put the county in full connection
with what is to be the main stem of the great
Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad.
Botetourt is. likewise proposing to use her
VALLEY Railroad subscription to build line
to the Atlantic and Mississippi Railroad at
Bonsack's, and eventually to connect with the
Clifton Forge route of the Chesapeake & Ohio
Railroad es asr
The Baltimore & Ohio Company being al
ready in connection with the Valley trade by
the Manassas route, and by the Orange route,
proposes to transfer her offer of million to
another of her schemes. Baltimore city, too, is
now consoling itself with the idea that it can
make better use of its offered million, than by
~ e. l.
ges and for vegetables, butter and milk, and
meat.
Generous little Roanoke, having from the
first comparatively little interest in the matter
herself, will, Of course, keep her 100000 at
home, and Withdraw her liberal hearted sub
scrption.
Thus, one by one, depart in sorrow, If not
disgust, the generous neighbors who brought
their offerings of millions to the doors of old
Augusta, to ask Of her only the remaining pit
iful sum of 100000 IN stock, to build through
her borders this grand work. Thus vanishes
for generation, if not forever, the long cher
ished hope Of having the great thoroughfare
of nation laundering through the midst Of Au-
gusta. Thus ends the dream Of seeing In the
centre of our county the great crossing Of two
grand continental lines Of railway from the
Northeast to the Southwest, from the Pacific
to the Atlantic Thus we will soon see pass to
another county even the main stem Of our only
line of railway, as we sink aside to the tender
mercies of its branch, and the monopoly of its
uncompeted charges. Thus perishes the proud
AM of O
the gallant LEADER in all enterprises of public
spirit. All lost by her Owe illiberaity in per-
sistently refusing to cooperate with her neigh
bors TO the small extent Of pledgiug her vast
resources for the payment Of $4,000 interest
for few years, and in the meantime having
81 100000 brought from abroad, spent and
put in circulation inside the county where
money is now so scarce
West Augusta"
There is a persistent error in the public mind
regarding the term West Augusta It orig
mated in the rhetorical language of Gov. Nc
Dowe In his Princeton Grafton in quoting
as the words of Washington-"give me but
the means Of planting (my banner) in the
mountains of West Augusta, &C. We find
no authority for the term used as being Vest
Augusta" on the contrary, lrving's Life oil
| Washington quotes as the words used on the
occasion-''we must then retire to augusta
county, &C.
| All the circumstances show that Washington
referred to augusta county, and not to the
then we'll known District Of Vest augusta
| lying mostly within the present limits of Penn
sylvania.
Irving (Vol 9, p. 42l) relates the incident
| thus
I'm this dark day of peril to the cause, and
to himself, Washington remained firm and I'M
daunted. In casting about for some strong
hold where he might make desperate stand
for the liberties Of his country, his thoughts
reverted to the mountain regions of his early
campaigns. Gen. Mercer was at hand, who
had shared his perlls among these mountains,
and his presence may have contributed to bring
them to bis mind. What think YOU said
Washington, If we should retreat to the back
parts of Pennsylvania, would the Pennsyva-
mans support us?'
eff the lower counties give up the back
counties /" Vest Augusta'?) viii dc the same,
was the discoulaging reply.
1--WE must then retire to Augusta county in
Virginia, said Washington. Numbers will
repair to us for safety, and we will try pred
atory war If overpowered We must cross the
Alleghanies.
Gen. Mercer was with Washington in the
Indian wars Of 1866; and when he was COM
manding the Virginia Regiment" In this
Regiment were several companies from Augus-
ia county, and in selecting its field officers
Washington himself commissioned as its Ma
ior,-Andrew Lewis of Augusta county
"Washington's Writings Vol. 2, p. SO.
Many Of the hardy men from augusta coun-
W fought under Washington at the Great
Meadows and at Grants Hill, and fought till
most Of them fell by his side when British
Regulars fed panc-stricken On the bloody day
of Braddock' S defeat.
In September and October, 1856, Washington
made in person tour of inspection from Win
chester up the Valley and through the noun
tains Of Augusta county," at least as far as
| now Montgomery county, and, both going
and returning, spent -four or five days at
Augusta Court-H Washington s
Writings, Vol. 2, p. 100, l94.)
In the dark days Of peril in the Indian
wars, Washington was accustomed to turn to
Augusta co. for trusty officers and unfinohing
men, and he had inspected in person the sure
stroDgholds of her mountains. 1t was but nat