Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-02-25
Jefferson County Industrial Society.

evening of last week, the question-"Shonld
our county take stock in an extension of the
Washington & Ohio Railroad from Hamilton.
Loudoun couuty, via Charlestown y' was
deliberately discussed by Capt. W. N. Me-
Douald and A. E. Kennedy, ia the aft native,
and by Hon. w. III. Traves in the negative.
We give synopsis:
Capt w. N. Mcdonald said:
Were we t,invest s5U0, 600 in the W. so.
r T., at leas. eight per cent. on tina. amount
would be- saved to the county yearly in the
way of advantages which this, as competing
line, would give us. Western people can
send grain to market cheaper than we can. aud
it is owing to their many railroads. This road
would open to us another market. aud would
stimulate cultivation. Many products. for
which we have now scarcely any sale at all
woald become staples and our agricultural
wealth would be proportonately increased -
Milk is frequently shipped, in New York, a
distance OF eighty miles to market. In JEFF
ferson county there are about 1900 cows. worth
at present only about twenty dollars per head
IF we could get good and cow niept market
for dairy products. the value of these cows
would he doubled. Washington is, next to
New York, the best market in America for
milk. butter, eggs and poultry. and this road
would give us direct and independent commu>
n;ca.ion with that city. Vermont. with half
the area of West Virginia, raises six times as
much hay as we do, aud their potato crop is in
Ike contrast House rent there is less than
in West Virginia by one half. they sell corn
higher than we do and pay less for meal, the
primo: pal reason for which is thei- com petinp
railway lines and Convenient markets Were
20 a. 4
of our produce would be enhanced 25 per cent
and what we have to buy We could get for 25
per cent less.
The road would not depend upon coal for
support it would be rathera local than trunk
line. Ore would be boated down the Shepau.
doah river from the upper valley in large
quantities and find transportation on this road
Washington is fast becoming one of the greats
est objective points of trade in The country,
all travellers from Chicago wonld come by this
route. being the nearest and most direct.
We do not understand the value of immi>
grants. 1t is estimated. in the West. that the
value Of an actual producer to a community,
is eight hundred dollars. IF we will increase
our market facilities. and possess ourselves of
the many advantages eccrt;ng upon compe-
ting lines of railway. emierants will sestle
among us and help to develop our vast agri-
cultural resources.
| Mr. Trnvers said:
That this question was one of great interest
to the people of this county. involving. as it
does, the question of taxation. Already have
we subscribed the sum Of $3.50 600 to omen
rival line to the b. T. o r r and it should
be proved thar the object had not been &C,
complished before zee take the same step in
another quarter. TIE general policy of in
mol inv
question at all as had been alleged and even
on this point there is much serious doubt
among thinking men. viz: whether this action
of counties is not an invasion upon the Leg
iSstnre.
Bnt the main point at issue ia: Should the
peonc of this county subscribe to this rar-
ticu'ar work! | cannot see that !. would be
wise to subscribe to it $500 000 $50 COG. or
| any sum-there is no particular necessity for
it, the Directors of the road have never ex.
pressed any idea Of building this extension.
and shall we vote money t" a thing which has
not and is not likely to have anv exisGence j?
a mere substitution of say 500. 900 would
be no indu.emcnt TO bring the road to this
point; it is t, be supposed that if they desire
to build the cxtcnsi"n, thev have the capital
to do it with Baltimore is, las been. and
ever must be the market of the luwer valley
We are alreadv within seventeen miles "a near
to Baltimore bv way Of Hagers,nwn as over
the r. & o. II Il There can be no nearer
route from Chicago to Washington than the
present, which is almo>t u straight line
Were this road hnilt the i & q r. r.. with
i's great overwhelming influence would, most
likely. swallow it up.
The Pennsylvania roads do not take apy
part of this valley into their connection with
Wash uorr II
ton. Uia Haserstown, Charestown and over
the W. & o r r.. would be $50 miles, the
distance by the present route uia Baltimore ia
l24 miles. so we're this connection completed
it would he of no material use. The road
would be Obliged to depend, in a great meas,
ure, on Coal for support, and it would de-
pend entirely on the b & o. Il R., for coal.
Its objective point is not Washington but
Alexandria. which city is amply supplied with
coal by the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and
supplied cheaper than could possibly he done
by this railroad. Il must necessarily be
local road, and as such. so soon as it began
leaving the l5 & o. r. r., it would impose
on those over whom it obtained control, thus
being productive of the very evil of which we
complain loudly. Our great need, at
present, is better system of county roads,
As to emigrants. when solicited to come here.
their first question would be: VIVA. is your
local capital and are you in debt? Heavy
taxation is the surest means of opposing emf
grafton.
Mr.. Kennedy said {:
That this was one of the few really practi.
cal questions that had been before the Society.
If the Society is of any use at all it is to throw
light on such subject as this, and if the Su>
ciety exerted any influence on the vote of
this County it ought to be exercised wit care;
did not vote for the subscription to the Shen
andoah Valley road-could not see that that
road would give a competing market. We
can sell in Georgetown every grain of wheat
that this whole valley will or can produce
the question is: how can we get it there