Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1871-10-28
RAILROAD MEETING.

last, WHICH was OISdIIiIcu ~ S.'pi"S
Cart. J. p. A. ENTLER, to the Chair,
and the appointment Of Mr., JOHN ii.
little, Secretary.
After few preliminary remarks by
the Chairman, the Hon. a. r. Boteler
was invited to address the meeting
which he did at some length and with
his usual e,oquence. We regret that
we have not full report of Mr., Bote-
ler's speech. 1t was replete with valua-
bic information upon railroad matters,
which would be read with interest. We
are enabled, however, to reproduce, from
our notes, few of his facts and figures,
to which we invite the especial atten-
ton of our readers,
Speaking of the County subscription
of $3.50, 900 he showed that the annual
interest thereon, of $4,000, would add
only onsfEh Of one percent to our pre-
sent taxes and that, amongst the many
compensating advantages which our
County would derive from the Railroad,
in return for this temporary loan OF Its
credit, wouldbe the following:
/. Stock in the contemplated i'm
provement to the full amount OF the
County subscription, which stock Will
doubtless command its par value upon
the completion of the Road.
2. A reduction Of at least 10000 per
annum in the excessive treights, our
farmers are now made to pay on their
produce, as a tribute to the Baltimore
q Ohio Railroad-the extra treightsex-
acted by said Road in its descrlmli a
tons ;g;inst our people, in favor OF ITS
through traffic, being estimated at $780,
900 year.
3. An addition to the taxable proper
ty of the County of $500 100, ltS'iina-
ting the value of our Rold within the
County, at the assessed value OF the
main stem of the Baltimore Il ONO X.
X. for the same distance through JET
ferson,) which will be increased to
million of dollars by the establishment
Of the Company's Car Shops, thereby,of
course, reducing to much lower stan
dard the ratio of individual taxation.
4. The enhanced value of lands along
the line of the Road. If, said he, as
has been the case with all other Rail
roads, ours will increase the value ofthe
lands through which it runs, for live
miles on both sides of it, to from S. to
SO per acre, and taking 20 miles as the
length of the proposed line through
Jefferson, it will give 200 square miles
of $40 acres per mile, which at 80 on
" per mile, will make the increased
value of said lands along the road IN
our County sG40,OOO. And in further
illustration of this point he referred to
the fact that in 90 counties OF Virginia
through which the Virginia IL Tennessee
Roam runs, according to the report OF
the State Auditor, there had been an
increase, in six years, of 81 per cent. up
on the assessed value OF their lands.
Many other points were made by MIR.
Boteler-some of which only we can
mention-the additional choice Of mar
kets which the Road viii give to our
farmers-the establishment amongst us
of manufactures development OF
our mineral and other natural resources
-diffusing capital-diversifying indus
tries and affording to labor regular en-
ployment and remlnerating rewards,
&c, DC.
He assured the meeting that the only
reason why the work of construction
had not been begun here before this
was in consequence of the inability OF
the Company to obtain the right OF way
on reasonable terms, and that If this
was not had before the 14th of next
month, this part of the projected line
would be abandoned, as there were two
other eligible routes offered to the Com
panv, either of which would leave our
County out in the cold altogether He
closed by offering the following pream-
bic and resolutions {:
WHEREAS, We, the citizens of Shep-
herdstown and its vicinity, approaching
the great importance of the proposed
Valley Railroad, in afford
ing much needed facilities for trade and
travel to this community-in giving to
our farmers a choice of other markets
and cheaper transportation-in opening
to us a new inlet for capital as well as
another outlet for produce-in develop
ing the natural resources of our Coun-
ty and in promoting the general pros
perity of its people. And
WHEREAS, We are credibly informed
that the construction of said Railroad,
within this County, is now delayed and
in danger of being indefinitely post
poned, solely, in consequence of uneX-
pected difficulties in securing the right
of way, on reasonable terms, through
the County. And,
WHEREAS, We are officially assured
that the Shenandoah Valley Railroad
Company will agree to give fifteen hun
dred dollars per mile,in Jefferson Coun-
ty Bonds, for the right of way, through
our County. And,
WHEREAS, We are anxious to do ev
cry thing in our power to facilitate the
of said Railroad, which is
in such imminent danger of being IRE
vocably lost to us. Be it, therefore,
Resolved, That a committee of ten
be appointed by the Chair whose duty
it shall be, without delay, to call, in
person, upon the land owners along this
end of the line of the proposed Railroad
and ascertain from them the lowest terms
on which they will allow the Road to
be made through their respective pl em-
iSes.