Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-05-27
The Valley Railroad Let to Contract from
Stanton To Salem

Tor seven years the ITlenuS Vi the cOnSlruc
ton of the Valley Railroad from Harrisonburg
to Salem have been laboring, through many
| difficulties, and with much toll and trouble to
secure the object which was not accomplished
till last week, to wit: The letting of the road
to contract from its beginning at Harrisonburg,
in Rockingham county, to its terminus at Sa-
lem, in Roanoke county. From the beginning
of the project to this time, its history has been
that Of double toll and trouble and its ad-
vocates have suffered disappointment after dis
appointment till many despaired, and some
were converted from friends to opponents. Tt
| has met, heretofore, with SO many obstacles
that 1t is difficult to believe that no more will
be encountered.
The action of the Supervisors Of the county
Of Rockbridge and of the Council of the City of
Stanton, which was the subject of adverse
criticism on the part of the friends of the enter
prise, had the effect Of bringing matters to an
issue and definitely determined. lfsuch action
had not been taken, there is NO telling how
long the vexatious suspense might have con-
tlnued, Tor it is now manifest that the Balti-
more & Ohio R. R. Company, which had SUBJ
scribed 81, 100000 to the capital stock, was in
no hurry to have the road extended beyond this
city. The difficulty, we understand, was not.
as had been supposed, with the Commissioners
OF Finance of the city of Baltimore, but with
the Baltimore & Ohio r. r. Company. of
which Hon. John Garrett is President-the
father of M. Robert Garrett, President of the
Valley Railroad Company.
On Monday of last week, at the meeting in
Baltimore of the Directors of the Valley Rail
road Company, thirty per cent. of bonds of the
counties OF Rockbridge, Botetourt and Roam
oke, and OF the city of Stanton and town of
Lexington being presented by their representa-
tlves as ready for delivery, a resolution was
passed by the board authorizing the President
to let the road from Staunton to Salem to con-
tract to G. r. Mason, Edward McMahon, J.
U. Green, Thos. @. Menefee, Dennis Shanahan
and A. w. Hartman, at the Engineer estimate,
OF Sept. 10th, 1872, the contractors agreeing to
take 10 per cent. of contract price in county
and city bonds, at so per cent of their par
value-and it was also resolved to commence
the work at once and complete it to Salem in
three years.
On the next day, Tuesday, the contract was
made and on the same day, Prest Robt. Gar
rett submitted the resolutions to the Commits
sioners of Finance Of Baltimore city, and they,
being satisfied with the exhibit of the resources
Of the Valley r. R. Co., ordered the payment
OF the city quota, SO per cent. Of the subscrip-
ton of 100000
THE CONTRACT AND RESOURCES.
We find the following interesting exhibit of
the Company's condition 10 the Baltimore
Sun.
The contract for building the road is upon
the engineer estimate Of 2O6h September
1872, which amounted to S., 650, 600, reduced
now, however, by the substitution of wooden
for iron bridges, and reduction il the price of
iron from $50 to $82 per ton, which, it is sup
rosed will make the aggregate cost SIS, 1876 $50.
vi this total cost the grading and masonry are
estimated at So, 439, 400, and the superstruc-
ture, &C., at 81, 1851 400. The resources are as
follows
Cash Resources.
Subscription of the city of Baltimore. 81 600 COO
Subscription of the baltimore & Ohio
Railroad Company ...,..... ............. 600 0OO
First mortgage, three mill IONS per
cent. bonds, at 80 2, 100 600
rriVaIe suDscrlptions........ $4,000
Total,...."..",......."...~-..........$ 1876 900
County and To,on Bonds.
Subscription Of Rockbridge county,. 1926, o0o
Suoscription OF Botetourt county~... 200. 900
Supscfiption OF ROANOKE county ....... 100000
Subscription of the city of Staunton.. $50 600
Subscription of the city of Lexington, 10000