Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1872-03-26
Staunto1r Sgettatur,
Tbsesd0Y. M0rch 26. 1872.

Jas. E. a. Gibbs vs. Valley Railroad Co..
Mr.. Gibbs, one Of the Directors of Rock
bridge county, in the Directory of the Valley
Railroad Company, publishes, in the last Lex
ington Gazette, a long communication addressed
''to the people of Rockbridge," from which it
appears that be has lost all hope Of the adop-
tion of the central route through that county,
and but little, if any confidence, in the good
faith Of the Company The tenor of his COM
munication may be judged of by its first para
graph, which reads as follows:
A short time ago addressed communi-
cation to you, counselling patience until official
developments should be made affecting our in
terests These developments have now been
made, and they are more startling and show
less regard for our rights and interests than
believed it possible to come from the source
they do, They are no less than deliberate
expressed purpose to build the Valley Rail-
road on the South River line, along the base
of the Blue Ridge, without making any Nc
Adamlzed roads through the county or even a
branch to Lexington until the road is compile
ted to Salem, and then only if the require
ments OF the charter compel it. And upon
this programme they propose to hold the county
to its entire subscription and compel its pay
ment aHsee
The same issue Of the Gazette contains even
a longer communication by the same author,
addressed ito the Mayor and Council, Finance
Committee and people of the City Of Balti-
more, and to the President and Directors OF
the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company" re-
viewing the history of the Valley Railroad
IL Of EhrId 90
county and its subscriptions thereto, which
concludes as follows: 5e
1.-THE issue is now before u.s. You must
settle this matter by your decision. We can
not yield this point. 1t is vital to our inter-
ests. 1t is the whole prize for which we have
been laboring for years. Our people will not
submit to it. We are told that if We do not
Weld, the road will be abandoned. So be it,
As Medea, the wife Of Jason, slew hersown
children through excess of love rather than
have them torn from her breast, SO will we with
our own hands destroy the last hope Of this
darling scheme of ours rather than have ii
taken from our midst. Mistake us not. Our
resolve is made. Under this new order OF
things we have ceased to look upon it as the
one thing needful for our prosperity; but rather
begin to fear it as the engine OF destruction
destined to crush out the last vital spark OF our
depressed energies.
Before deciding this matter, we ask you to
seriously consider whether, upon question OF
ruling grade Of 80 feet as against so for the
distance Of Is miles, the heavy grade having
the advantage of nearly miles less distance,
you will sever the friendly commercial relations
which have existed between the Valley and Bal
timore for more than a century. and drive US to
seek another outlet and another market?
''You may feel that this address should have
been COACHED in milder terms, but | have borne
the brunt of this contest long enough to know
the time for compliments is past; it must be
settled by plain words and looking stubborn
facts in the face"