The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-03-02
READ...PONDER.

must be assumed that this determination will
: be fnaD whether or not the Valley Rail
Road will be built The expectation that
the road will be built, independently IF the
action Of the people of Augusta county. will
influence many who are perfectly sensible of
the vast Importance of the road, and are en-
tirely willing to endure the tax, If convinced
that the road is possible, upon no other terms,
to vote against the subscription. Those per-
sons who really feel that the road is of vital
Importance to the pro pert of the country,
and believe that its manifold advantages will
amply compensate for its cost, should pause
before hazarding the final defeat of this I'M
portant scheme, and examine carefully the
grounds upon which their expectation is bas
ed Is there an eri.tence an individual, or a
corporation outside Of the Valley of Virginia
having sufficient interest IL this road-and
at the same time the means to build 1t, ex-
cept the city of Baltimore, and the Baltimore
and Ohio Rail Road !? Has any individual
or corporation, outside of the Valley, except
those mentioned, ever expressed or nantes
ted any even the slightest, wish or desire,
that this great work should be commenced,
OF completed ? Can any one who expects
the road to be built at any rate, as so many
pretend to do, point to single individual or
CORPORATION. outside of the Valley AND of Bal
timore and the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
Road Company, who can be Induced by any
representations, or persuasions to contribute
a single dollar? Does not every one know,
that human scrutiny aud energy have been
exhausted, in searching every possible source
of supply and that there still remains de-
fciency of 100000, which is absolutely
necessary, before ground can be broken
Will Baltimore contribute the additional
100000? She cannot # she sconfa. The
law of tie State Ct Maryland, under which
her subscription was voted expressly forbids
it. Her municipal officers have no
power. to perfect the subscription or levy the
tax, Until; as III dtilGCSoei'' eoo~i'1oo, Wv
sum of 81 100000 has been validly sub
s,ribed by counties, towns or persons along
the line Of the read. And the subscrI ption
Of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road CON-
pany is upon the same condition. Then, it
is plain, that until the last dollar of the
81 100000 has been raised, not one cent
has been subscribed or promised by any body.
Now, where can this deficiency Of $4,000 !
be had? IF any human being could tell, if
any source under the canopy of Heaven
could be found, the people of Augusta would
be spared this third appeal Can the Towns
of Staunton and Lexington add to the enor-
nous burdens which they have agreed to as
sumo? Can Rock bridge increase her $780,
900? Have not the other subscribing coun-
ties exhausted their capacity? Has not eve
ry human effort been made to raise the sum
by private subscription, and those efforts re-
suited 10 a miserable failure! Is not this
third appeal to the county after two emphatic
refusals, conczusiue and transferable that
there is no help OR resource any where, except
in the subscription Of Augusta county. Can
it be supposed, that the friends CT this scheme,
would again knock at The door whence they
have been twice spurned. except in utter des
pair and hopelessness of finding help any
where else? Then the people Of Augusta must
tonder the fact that by voting down the sub
scription this time, they are finally, and ire
vocably, sealing the doom Of the Valley Rail-
road.
Every county along the line of the road, is
speaking to Augusta, urging the vast impor-
lance Of the road, demonstrating its incalcu-
liable advantages, its almost vital necessity to
them, proving the sincerity of their con-
rictions by giving the last dollar that can be
spared, solemnly reiterating their utter
despair of accomplishing the scheme with
out her assistance, and is imploripg her
to contribute a mere mite of her vast album
dance to the construction of this road, of
which she will reap the first advantage, be-
cause the road must be first built through
her territory, and the greatest advantage,
because she alone will enjoy the COMPETE
ton causediby the contact with the Chesa-
peake and Ohio Railroad. And is this a
favor, sacrifice that is desired of Angus
ia
"Why, this is not boon;
IT'S as I should cntreat you wear your
gloves,
Or feed on nourishing dishes, or keep you
warm;
Or sue to you to do peculiar profit
To your own person.
Will the county Of Augusta, after fairly
considering their appeal, consent to see her
sister counties suffer and lapeuish for want of
an outlet to market-those counties which
have always stood SO manfuly and faithfully
by her IN every emergency ia her history ;
which have paid thousands upon thousands of
the taxes expended by the State in the con-
struction of the Blue Ridge tunnel and the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad that invalua
bic outlet for the people Of Augusta-but ut