Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-02-04
GOVERNORS PROCLAMATION.


this State, which we fad advertised in the
Charleston journal and Wheeling Mfel1igen
Ger, the chosen radical organs of our worthy
Executive. That Governor j acob would have
been guilty of publishing to the world such
document as this. has proved surprise even
to his best friends in this section. Whilst it
Is a".double> barrelled' concern, as the Charles
ton Courier terms ii, and is intended to bring
down game in each of the two political par
ties of the State, it has N only shot far wide
Of the mark. but has recoiled with fearful
velocity. and brought down upon its author
the contempt and dersion of both Democrats
and Radicals It's to say the least. ..neither
fish. flesh or fowl, but puerile and unmanly
document, and altogether unworthy OF the au,
thorship OF the Governor of great State.
COMPLETION OF THE G. & O. R. R.
The Chesapeake and Ohio railroad has been
finished. This first train from Richmond
reached the banks of the Ohio on Wednesday
last. Thus there is another through line from
the Atlantic to the West. making the fhl
connecting line reaching from the seaboard
to the western system, or at least it's waters.
In 1886 (the year in which the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad had been finished to Har-
per's Ferry,) the Louisa railroad was incor-
porsted by the Virginia Legislature, intended
to pass by or near Louisa Court>house to a
point near the eastern base of the Southwest
Mountains, and thence to extend to a point in
the Valley of Virginia. Afterwards the
scheme was extended, dnd the name was
changed to the Virginia Central. It was car
rled by Charlottesville and Rockfsh Gap to
Stanton. in the Valley, the extended scheme
being to reach Covington. Allegheny county.
Va, there to tap the Covington aud Ohio
railroad, to be built on Stare account and with
different gauge, the object being to extend
the james River and Kanawha canal to Cow
lngton. and give that chance to compe,e
with the railroad for the rich trade that would
flow both ways. In all the legislation concern
ing this road clauses and provisions were in
serted intended to proven, it from injurins
the canal. The original capital stock of the
company was gradually increased hy acts of
the Legislature as the extension of the road
demanded until it has reached the sum of SIS
sue, 900. Its maximum authorized ranital is
$50 100000. The road WIS completed to
Louisa Court house in about 1910 to Gor>
louisville few years later, to Staunton in
1857. and to Covington in 1850 There.
when the war overlook it, it was awsi,ing the
completion of the Covington and Ohio rail
road, which was being rapidly pu she'd hy the
State. At the conclusion "f the war the Vir>
einia Central railroad was left a comn1et,
wreck. All of its bridges and most of its
depot buildings were destroyed, mnch of it's
track torn M. and that which remained in
such condition that it was unsafe t. run over
1t train of cars. its engines, cnsc',es and cars
worn ont. and its treasury utterly depleted
the prospect seemed indeed gloomy. The
su''erin.enlent avs that thev hal LESS than
500 in the treasury and only twenty miles
Of rnad available far producing revevcnue"
In Sertemher, 1868, the Legislature granted
a charter t" the Chesapeake and Ohio Cons
pany, the Covington and Ohio and Central
having been previously consolidated. and in
1869 proposition of IIuntin-tnn g. Co.. of
New York. was accepted. under which the
work has been extended to the Ohio. the
length of the line to the northwestern boun>
dairy of the Kentucky being APT miles Half
of this great railway has been cor, t-uc.ed in
ft,an
and about third Of tunnels on the road
The road strikes the Ohio at point further
west than any other, and it is proposed that
Its eastern terminus shall not remain nj Rici,-
the James river. uear Hamilton Roads. with
branch at I"rkt wn, on the York river. the
Company desiring to he able to transfer the
freight to the largest European and coastwise
sailing and steam vessels. The cost of the
work is stated at upwards OF $50, 1000 .nOO.-
We congratulate the old State of Virginia
upon the happy consummsti"n of this grand
enterprise. We may also congratulate our
selves. as by means of our approaching con-
nections with it at Stanton, by the Valley
and Shenandoah Valley Railroads, we our
selves will have due share of its benfits.
1- As "the doc, returns to its vomit and
the SOW to her wallowiny in the n,ire," so the
Nlartinsburg Era rehashes over again its ret
phrases and incorrect assertions in regard to
the Spirit of .J:ferson-at the same time in
genuously losing sight of the original points
of controversy between it and tho SPIRIT, and
utterly failing to substantiate a single asser-
ton of either its editorial or so>caled COM
muuications. Believing that we can devote
our space more proftatly to our readers, we
turn our attention to other matters and larger
game.
EF 1t being the intention of the Balti>