Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-07-05
g1- THE MARrINsBURG STATESMAN

! AND SHENANDOAH VALLEY RAILROAD.
Our impulsive friend of the Martins
burg Statesmen having at last walked up
to a proper realization of the fact that
the Shenandoah Valley Railroad is an
important improvement, upon sub
stantial basis and under the management
of men who have the ability as well as
the will to put it through upon the line
of its original location, has apparently
concluded, with characteristic modesty,
and in the most self-sacrifcing manner
Imaginable to take the entire enterprise
under the protection of his expansive
wings-to patronise its projectors-to
supervise its construclion-to arrange
It's connections and to change its route
For this significant, but somewhat
sudden and of course entirely d!slnter-
csted display of friendship for our road,
its friends generally, and in this place
especially, ought to feel profoundly
grateful. But as it is too frequently the
fate of genius not to be appreciated,
even by those whom it seeks to serve,
our Martinsburg contemporary must not
be disappointed, if, like numberless neg
lected predecessors, who nave misappll-
ed their powers and gotten only their
labor for their pains, he too shall fail to
receive such an acknowledgement for
his railroad services as may be common
surate, in some degree, with his own
estimate of their Importance.
So, to save our friends feelings and
to prevent his rushing recklessly upon
the fate reserved for those who attempt
impossibilities, We take occasion TO re-
mind him of what beiel the head-strong
little stump tailed bull who once upon 4
time undertook to stop the Roadway of
a locomotive by butting it off the track,
and we trust that he will thereby be
warned in time not to put himself in
the way of being worstcd, i'll a similar
game of pitch and toss, with the through
trains of the Shenandoah Valley Rail
road, by way of Shepherdstown.
For he ought to remember that this
whole matter of the route of our road,
which he and few of its bitterest foes
in this county and Berkeley, are even at
this late day, vainly endeavorlng 10
have modified, in the interests of their
own localities, was fully discussed and
finally decided more than three years
AGO, in favor of ''the ioper or Luray val
ley line" and ill accordance with the
express provision Of the charter, (Which
was inserted not sat the instance of
Judge Chapline,'') as the Statesman
supposes, but at the instance of one of
the present Directors of the board.
Upon the admirable route thus adop-
ted the company based its contracts,
and having completed the graduation
and masonry for nearly sixty miles, is
now finishing the costly rock cut at this
town, through the river cliff, so as to
make it available as an abutment for
the bridge, and thereby save 100000 in
its construction, according to an ofiicia!
report of Maj. Barrett, the Chief Engi-
neer of the company, who by the way
also estimates the entire cost of the
bridge at S164, 900, instead of the "half
million" which the Statesman would
have its readers believe will be the
amount.
From this town to Hagerstown the
route has been surveyed and located,
distance of about sixteen miles.
Tie Engineers report it to he quite as
eligible as that through this county. 1t
was due North and through one of the
most fertile and tiourishing portions of
Washington county. For nearly half
the distance, the country through which
this location has been made is rs level
as prairie. Much of the right of way
on this line has already been secured on
terms which are satisfactory to the com
pany, and negotiations are going on to
reduce the rates of the remainder.
Now, when these points are consider
ed, is it at all likely thatthe S. '. Il. r.
company will so stultify itself as ever
to consider such Il ridiculous PROPOSE
ton as that which has been SO gravely
put forth by the Statesman and so
greedily swallowed by some few other
papers on both sides of the Potomac.
The proposition to make the main stem
of our road run from Charlestown to
Martinsburg! What brilliant con-
ception to be sure To take trunk
line like of the S. V. V. r. r., fifteen
or twenty miles out of its way, through
the pine hills, to abandon the most
beautiful and direct route in the whole
Valley-to sacrifice ten miles of gradu-
alton and to sink its coSt-to risk the
forfeiture of its charter and to violate
its plighted faith to those who, from