Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-07-29
5Firit Of aeffusolt.
charlestorn. Jefferson County, West Va.
TUESDAY MORNING, JULY %, 1918.
sHEN. VALLEY RAILROAD,
Report Of Col. Thomas A. Scott, the
late President.

late President.
The following report Of, Col Thomas A.
Scott, the late President of the Shenandoah
Valley Railroad, was submitted to a. meeting
OF the Board of Directors, at Front Royal a
short time ago:
PHILADELPHIA, May 81, 1873.
10 the Stockholders of the Shenandoah
Valley Railroad Company Your board, in
submitting their third annual report, beg to
state
That the events of the past year have only
served to satisfy them still more clearly of the
importance of your line. The completion of
the Chesapeake and Ohio Road from the Ohio
River to Richmond has provided one of the
necessary connections with the southwest and
with the seaboard, and it only remains for
| this company to construct its line as rapidly
as the stringent condition of the money market
will permit.
In regard to the connections at our north-
ern terminus it has not been advisable to take
action until the policy of the roads now build
ing in Maryland and Pennsylvania should be
moro definitely fixed With very moderate
expenditure we eau :. form connections from
Shepherdstown with the Western MARYLAND
Road to Baltimore, and the RAILWAYS living
| K,
Columbia, Philadelphia, and New York
Meanwhile an additional route may be formed
by short link via Powel's Bend. and thence
over the bridge already finished to Hagers>
town, and ,all.points accessible by the Cumber-
lsnd Valley Road and its connecting lines.
Numerous letters have been received BY
your directors urging upon them the impor-
tance Of so modifying the proposed route
south of Page county as to build the line
directly. into the city.of Stauuton. Liberal
donations and the right of way have been
promised and strong assurances given of the
active support of the people of, that section.
Your board would recommend that commits
tee be appointed to inquire into the matter,
to confer, with the proper authorities and per-
sons. and TO ascertain what aid can be secured,
and would also recommend that an examina-
tion he made wi view of ascertainine the
probable cost of the limo.
As already made known to you, the con>
tract with the Central Improvement Comnany
was so mod6ed, Ausust T 1872, as to limit
the work to be done by that company to the
construction of your road between the Potomac
River at Shepherdstown and point Of iunc-
tion with the Chesapeake and Ohio Road at
or near Stannton by October ], 1874, and
rcserving to this company one hundred thou
sand dollars Of the bonds issued by Jefferson
county. with which to provide the right of
way, grounds for shops and stations, and pay
other necessary expenses.
On the Esd of April last supplement
thereto was agreed upon on terms perfectly
satisfactory to your board, providing, among
other TIL inss, for change of second mortgage
bonds into income bonds. by this modifica
ton your company will be. relieved of the dam
ger cf having its road sold for failure to nav
interest on said bonds. 49,.
OF tho: Jefferson county bonds above re-
ferred to S4g, 500 have been received by the
company: and from Clarke county. her entire
subscription OF one hundred Thousand dollars.
The total estimate for land damages from
Shepherdstown to Luray is about SOS, 600, of
which about s2S, 200 are still unpaid 1t Is
important that the right of way between Luray
and Staunton be secured as soon as the line
shall be definitely located.
II, The severe winter has uuavoidably DELAYED
the progress Of the.work, but there is no diff
ficulty in the way of the contracting company
fully meeting the requirements of their agree
ment. The graduation and masonry between
Shepherdstown and Front Royal are almost
finished, and will be completed by the 18th
of June.
The Company has reason to be more than
satisfied with the excellent manner in. which
the. contractors have executed the work.
On the gap of II miles between Front
Royal and Luray work has been commenced,
and it is expected to be completed by the lst
of November next. On the division between
Luray and the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad
work will be commenced as soon as the en-
gineers complete the permanent location of tie
line.
Negotiations are now pending with the
Cumberland Valley and Pennsylvania Rail-
roads through which the first mortgage bonds
of your Company can no doubt be advan-
tageously placed upon the market. It is be.
lieved that the officers of both these companies
are favorably impressed with the value of gour
line, and with the importance of the traffic to
be developed by it. Through these sources
we hope to secure fair price for your Sc
curties, and with them the line can be COM
pleted to Staunton even earlier than the time
named in the contract.
The increasing demand for good iron ores
necesstates the prompt devolopement of such
sections of countrv as will supply the higher
grades. of ore. Your road will occupy
specially advantageous position in this respect.
With its facilities for securing anthracite coal
and all the various kinds of bituminous coal
and coke from it's connecting lines as return
freights for ores, carried out, there is no good
reason why the Valley of, Virginia may not at
an early day become great centre for the
manufacture of iron either the Schuylkill
or Lehigh Valleys of Pennsylvania.
Liberal and united action on the part OF
your people will secure the fullest results from
the enterprise, and develop rapidly all the
great resources Of the region traversed by the
road. By order Of the Board,
THOMAS A. ScoTT,
President S. V. R. r.
The following report was also submitted by
the late efficient and able Chief Engineer,
Mr. Barrett -
FRONT ROYAL, WARREN Co, Va,