Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-03-26
HARPER'sFBRRY WATER POWER.

Hon. Henry g. Davis, has made move in
Congress in regard to this valuable property.
which, instead of proving source of im>
mense revenue to this section, has for more
than two years been in the nominal ownership
-ef-a so.called company, which, after failing
in-1ts attempt at frst>class speculation on the
b. q o. Il. r. Company, has made no effort
whatever to utilize this valuable property, but
literally turned it into q potatoe patch. Not
only In justice to the numerous citizens of
iHarper's Ferry-who. in the firm belief that
this so>called company would put these works
in to active operation in useful manufactures,
and thus greatly enhance the value of all prop.
7srty at that point, were thereby induced to
purchase residences of the government-bu.
as matter OF the greatest moment to the PEG,
pie of the whole county of Jefferson, and bat
simple justice to the government itself. Con.
gress should at once take measures to remove
the Armory property out of the. possession of
parties who have utterly failed in their con-
tract with the government, and let it be sold to
some reliable individual or company, who will
give the people of that place an opportunity
to earn bread to put in their children's mouths.
We trust Senator Davis will not let this SUBJ
Ject rest until Congress has taken some tanei
Die action IN the matter. AS the source of
the foregoing remarks, we clip from the SEN
Ate proceedings of Wednesday the following:
Mr. Davis, of West Virginia 1 have
petition from large number of citizens of
fHarpers Ferry, Jefferson county, West Vir>
GINA. praying for the passage of the bill Is.
No. 90 forzthe relief of the purchasers of
lots aud houses, and lots sold by virtue of an
act OF Congress entitled can act providing
Tor the sale of the lands. tenements, and water
privileges belonging to the United States at
and near Harper's Ferry. in the county of
jefferson. West Virginia" approved Decem>
her 10, 1868. l desire my colleague to be
In his seat when present this petition, as l
wish at the same time to call up the BILL I
have had the petition ready to present for
several mornings, but he has not been in his
seat at the time. therefore give notice that
shall ask for the consideration of the pets
SION and the bill tomorrow morning
The facts we understand them. are these:
The property of the United States at Har>
Per's Ferry included an immense wa.er-pover.
which before the was used for the manu-
facture of arms by the Government. Atan
early stage of the war, the Armory was en-
hreiy destroyed, nothing being left, but debris
and ruins After the war, the people enter
tanned the hope that the Government would
reorganize the arnory, or establish some other
public manufactures Finding this hone
frustrated, they petitioped Congress to sell
the property, in order that it might be i'm
proved, and the business of the town resusci-
tated. Accordingly on the - day of
- 1868, public sale was had
For the main property, including the Water
power, there were at least two bona fefe bid
ders. One was the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road Company, and the other Company of
supposed capitalists, known as the Harper's
Ferry Water-power and Manufacturing Com
pany The latter bought the property at the
price of about one hundred and sevonty>fye
thousand dollars, to be paid in ins,alments-
We have never seen the agreement but this
Is our understanding of it.
AS sooa the purchase was effected n
great parade and blowing was made throueb
the papers and otherwise, about establishing
manufactures, and making wonderful i'm
provementz. Time wore on-many moons
waxed and waned-aud nothing was dome
Tho old brick were not even removed. but re-
NAMED the same sad, skapeless monuments of
war and desolation. 1t became SLOWLY but
painfully manifest that the purchasers were
no capitalists at all, but mere Spectators,
penniless adventurers, and shylocks, who had
bought for no other purpose than to speculate
OF OF the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com
pany. 1t seems this latter company had built
their road over the property of the Govern
ment, under authority of the then Secretary
OF War. Having discovered this fact, the
so'called Harper's, Ferry Water-power and
Manufacturing Company bought for the pur>
pose OF ousting the Railroad, or levyine an
Immense bonus upon them for the right Of
way The consequence is law suit with the
railroad Company, which Is now pending
Meanwhiie the new purchasers have, of course.
failed to make good their payments to the
Government. They drove off by their hid
bona tfde capitalist Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company, and got possession them
selves They allow the property to lie per-
fectly idle, to the irreparable injury of the
town. the county, and the State They are
pushing scheme of black mail against the
Railroad, which is yet undetermined. If
they succeed, they will pocket their plumber,
and sell out. If they fail. they will throw
back the property on the hands of the gov
eminent, and be found to be absolutely ire
sponsibe. pecuniarly and otherwise We un-
derstand that they have not even been able to
raise funds to pay their counsel And vet,
under all these circumstances, they have the