Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1871-03-07
For the Spectator.
100000 Wanted.

Ihere Is q combination of two Scheming rail
road monopolies-the Baltimore & Ohio rail
road on the one hand, and the Pennsylvania
Central Railroad on the other hand The Bal
timore u Ohio railroad wants 5000, 900 to helr
build the Valley railroad, and the Pennsylvania
Central wants 500, 600 to help build the Shen.
andoah Valley railroad.
| We believe the Legislature did wrong in pla
cling IN Jeopardy, for the third time, the prop.
| erty OF the citizens of the noble old county oil
Augusta. The plain simple question submit.
ted by the Bill to the voters. is:
Shall We subscribe $300,000 as a gift tc
these antagonistic railroad com binations Tor the
! aggrandizement of those who are already
wealthy, In these times of general financial EN-
barrassment when the people are actually bur-
dened already with the demands made upon
| the pockets of all taxpayers p
| We propose to submit, fer your calm consid
Grafton, the county's just proportion Of the
| State debt, and ask you to ponder it we'll, and
be honest with yourselves, for as surel{ {as there
Is sun IN the heavens, the time iA coming
when we must meet this mountain of debt, al
ready hanging like dark cloud over our fu-
ture.
The value Of the taxable real estate and per-
sonal property In the State, assessed for taxes
in 1869. is, in round numbers, three hundred
and forty y-eight millions The State debt, due
January lst, 1871, including interest, forty
seven million dollars. Value of the taxable
property Of the county of Augusta, for taxes
in 1869. seventeen mIlions. So that, on this
basis, the county's just proportion of the State
debt is two million dollars; to pay the interest
alone the tax will be 4 cents on each hundred
dollars worth of property then add so cents
State tax, and II cents, county tax, making
grand total of $l32 not less, on the real ano
personal property OF the county. We ask, viii
this invite or repel immigration Notwith
standing, these COIL binatlons are scheming tt
| tasten upon the county an additional debt O.
$780, 000 and, if successful, Augusta is doom
ed to be vassal OF Railroad combinations. =
AS set forth in the Staunton Spectator Zone
of the greatest dangers now threatening tht
interest of the country [county is the tendency
on the part OF large corporations to combine
and form huge controlling monopolies which
being proverbially soulless-to advance thei
own interest, hesitate not to use the most cor
rupt means to accomplish that Object, and, IN S,
dong, ruthlessly disregard the interests of the
people" These truthful words of warning o
the Spectator, give cause for much solictude
and it ill becomes the taxi payers to be indiffer
ent to the great question now before them. 81
lence and inaction is the very policy which thes
great corporations would recommend, but thes
recommendations have become repulsive to tn
| honest tax payers of Augusta For their onl
object in coming among US with these illusions
which will never be realized, is to make all tn
money out of the county they can, and ge
through our county as cheap as they may, t.
the sugar, rice, and cotton-felds Of the South
for through freights.
To show the people that there is schemin
on the part of these huge monopolies' W
| will make six distinct quotations from the print
| a1 lottar of d r Rorsf proc,Iant of bo q
V. R. R Co., dated Luray, Va, July 29th
lS7O to J. d. Craig, Esq
! l but let me say to you the 5. V. X. X
cannot be injured or defeated by any such dis
reputable and iiberal course of the friends @
the Valley Railroad.
THE entire road from Shepherdstown. OF
the Potomac river to the Va. and Tenn. rail
road, at or near Salem, was contracted for b.
the Central Improvement Company of Penn
syvania, composed Of the best, most wealthy
and reliable railroad men in Pennsylvania
3. | frankly admit that this company
backed, and will run in the interest of tn
Pennsylvania Railroad Company
f. We have ample means to construct ou
low grade road.
s. All the S. V. r. r. expects and require
of Augusta county is the right Of way.
g. Your people may put entire confidence il
| the fairness and truthfulness Of all nv repre-
sentations | have no lnducement to deceiy
any one in relation to our road and prospects.
These quotations demand distinct answers
before we can vote for this subscription, for W
are forced to conclude there is misrepresenta
ton to deceive the people
The Chesapeake & Ohio Road is asking an,
will get charter to build an air line fron
Staunton to Washington and the North, tha
will be 80 miles shorter than the Valley Roat
or the S. V. r. r. This is the most impor
tant enterprise to the county of Augusta.
After studying the whole matter over we ar
sure you will come to the conclusion, it is bet
ter to rely on our own exertons than to sacri
flee our dignity and high-toned independence
by mortgaging our homes to these foreign cor
porations which, ITO advance their own inter
est, hesitate not to use the most corrupt mean
to accomplish that object. In essence taxa
ton tor the benefit of Railroad owners i
robbery of the taxed simply legazed; wron,
in principle and calculated in the end to entai
burdens on the people The issue of this i'm
portant question is to be decided on the lStl
day of March We would urge each tax-pay
er to come out and vote his distinct and posi-
tive opinions on that day. By all means SCI
to it that every voter against the SUBJ bscriptiol
is at the polls.