Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1872-02-23
Friday Morning, Feb. 23, 1872.

TlUtay MOEnlnSs Il eOs Sd, 1872
just now the great interest of our people
centres on the construction of the Valley
Railroad. The contracts have rot been
awarded for constructing the road to this
point, and our people, as well, as those south
Of us, are disposed to be little irritable
thereat
The why's and the wherefores Of the de-
lay we are not advised of, but as we are 50
often asked about it, we copy the following
from the Baltimore Gazette, in reply to an
article in the Lexington Gazette, as the la
test from Baltimore on the subject
"That Lexington should be very disbeart-
ened is not to be wondered at. When the
Valley Road was first projected, it was to
be great through road. All that was
needed to obtain any connections that were
necessary, was to put our hands to the
wheel and 60 to work in earnest. The Val
lev Road could have and would have con-
trolled the great through mail route, from
New York to New Orleans. But VIC were
too slow. General Malone, with indefati-
gable activity, never rested until he obtain
ed control Of the Virginia and Tennessee
Line, and Mr.. Tom Scott, and his allies, &C.
tually got possession of every piece of road
in the South that could in any possible way
be Of service to either Of our Baltimore
Southern lines. The Valley Road has
dwindled down to local road, merely
through the neglect, by its promoters, Of
great opportunities which were for a long
time within their grasp. This is go eminent
ly the fact, that there is very good reason
to believe that if the city subscription of
$1,OOO,OO0 were applied for to-day, it
would not be obtained, for the reason that
the great object, which could have been &C.
complished few years ago at a compare
tiveld trifing outlay, can now only be effect
ed by an expenditure of millions.
It has been very evident, for some time
past, from the results Of surveys, that the
route through Virginia cannot pass through
Lexington. The cost of construction is too
expensive, and the grades are too heavy
A lateral branch, six miles long, with lighr
superstructure, will be all that Lexington
can obtain. 1t may be that Rockbridge
county may not think half a loaf better than
no bread, and may determine to withdraw
its subscription. Whether or not it can-do
this legally, its subscription having been
made for consideration-that of securing
the subscription of the city of Baltimore-is
a question which the Courts would be call
cd upon to decide. If Rockbridge county
wishes to test the question, that will certain
ly be sure method Of stopping the building
of the road for three or four years. Baiti-
more would, of course, withhold its subscrip-
ton, and the Valley Road would be pushed
on to Staunton, at the expense of the Balti-
more and Ohio Road, for the simple reason
that the construction Of this link is indispen-
SADLY necessary, to throw large and pay
ing business over the road from Strasburg to
Harpers Ferry.
We are sorry that we have so little con-
ISOLATION to give to our Rockbridge friends.
It is certainly not pleasant to put up with
things, but we must sometimes su bmlt to
the force of circumstances. There is, after
all, fair probability Of the road being built.
Yhe sless'e'asg and Connellsville Road is
completed, the Cincinnati Road WHY be
opened in few weeks, and the Metropolitan
Road will be finished within three months.
The new Chicago Road promises to cost Sc
enormously, and the assistance promised
along the line was so very exaggerated, thai
nothing will be done there for some time
and SO it really seems as if the Baltimore
and Ohio Road would at last have to turr
its attention to its Virginia connections, fol
. want Of something better to do.
Now by what authority the Gazette
speaks. Or whether by any, we cannot say
but are 10th to believe that the authori
ties of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad have
given to it the data for the cauterization Of
that Company for remisness, want Of FORE
sight or delay in Selling the golden oppor
tunity SO long offered them to secure perma
nent Southern through connections, and Ill.
timately allowing the golden apples literally
to fall into the lap Of the Pennsylvania Cen
trail, to the great detriment of Baltimore
the interests of which that Company has SC
long and SO carefully guarded, and to the inter
ests Of which it had so greatly added by it
through Western connections.
That opportunities for Southern connec
tions through Richmond and through Ten
nessee we're not secured when they couo
and should have been is too true. and thai
the loss Of Tennessee through connections
might for the time render the construc tior
of the Valley Railroad to Salem not SO de-
sirable as if they had been secured is reason
able, but why should that prevent the con
struetion of the Valley Railrord Throughout
its present proposed length We have new
or regarded Salem as the ultimate stopping
point of this read, and now, with Scott anc
Malone combined with their through CON
nections from Philadelphia by Richmond
and Norfolk to Memphis, so much the great
or necessity for Baltimore and the Baltimore
& Ohio Railroad to construct the yalley
Railroad to Salem and then push it on South
West towards New Orleans, to which poin
Il will form a link in the shortest line from
New York. Instead, therefore, of the com
binstion of Scott, Malone & Co. being
cause for retarding the construction of thu
Valley Road, it seems to US, if Baltimore
and the Baltimore & Ohio Road are aliv
to their interests, it should be the creates
possible impetus to them to push forward
the work and bring all their talent ant
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