Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-09-17
TIE VALLEY RAILROAD.

s5FAuNToN, Va, September 8. The
convention which was called to meet
here o-tlay in the interest Of the ex-
tension Of the Valley railroad to the
Tennessee line drew together repre-
sentatives from all counties in interest
Under the array of adverse influences
at the last session Of the Virginia Leg
islature the company failed to get the
necessary charter, and hence people of
the counties in the rich southwest,
through which the road will pass, with
others in the lower valley, put on foot
the movement for the meeting to-day
In view of the fact that this is the
seeding season with farmers, the att
tendance of delegates was not as full
as it would otherwise have been; yet
there are strong, able and earnest men
from the different counties in attend
ance.
THE MEETING,
The convention assembled in the
Masonic Hall at noon, aud ar organiza-
ton. was effected by the election of
Judge q. ]. Allen, of Botet ourt, presi
dent, and W. S. Clarke, of Frederick;
DR.. J. B. strayer,, of Shenandoah; Col
onel NJ. G. Hartman, of Staunton; J.
Waite Bell, OF Augusta, John w. Bar
clay, of Rockbridge; Major A. T.
Mccartney, of Craig; John Kelly, Of
Alleghany: J. Z. E. Banks, Of Bath !;
L. II. Newbury, of Bland, and }. F.
Mcllhany, of Russell, as vice-presidents,
and Messrs. J. M. Morrison, of Rock
bridge; H. H. Riddleberger, of Shen-
andoah, and the members Of the press
present as secretaries.
REMARKS OF JUDGE ALLEN.
In taking the chair Judge Allen re-
marked that the members had as.
sembled here from the lower valley and
the southwest to consult on matters af'
feeting their deepest interest, and not
to combine against the interest of any
portion of the State The valley stretch
ing from the Potomac to the Tennessee
line was rich heritage, of which any
| people would be proud, and the deyel-
| opinent of it's immense resources was a
! work, in the benefits of which the
whole State, east and west OF the noun
tains, would share. The southwestern
portion of the State, rich, undeveloped
wilderness, would yield wealth enough
when penetrated by this great national
route to make the cities of the eastern
part Of the State rich. A few days
since the speaker had travelled down
| the valley over this magnificence road
now completed between Staunton an6
Harrisonburg, and found it constructed
in manner st to form a portion of the
great continental road, the great high
way from the North to The South,
which he believed this route would
eventually be, and the early construct
ion of which we would now SO materi
ally aid by united and harmonious ac-
ton. The remarks of the chairman
were received with hearty applause.
| INTRODUCTORY PERSONALITIES.
The usual committees on bushes:
and credentials were appointed, and
among the names on them were Elk
! Secretary A. H. II. Stuart and c. r
| Mason, the famous railroad contractor
During the arrangement Of business
a personal discussion took place be-
tween Judge II. W. Sheffey, of Stauu>
ton, and II. Il. Riddlebergef, of Shen-
andoah, the former insinuating that the
latter was in the interest Of Malone,
| and Riddleberger alluding to Shefey,
as the paid legal agent Of Garrett, but
mutual explanations restored harmony
Col. nj. G. Hartman, of Stanton, the
first president Of the Valley railroad,
made a speech in favor of the organiza:
ton of an independent company, with a
Virginian at its head, and felt that il
such a company was formed it could
get charter from The Legislature to
run over the route now asked by the
Valley railroad At 2 o'clock the con
vention adjourned till a o'clock P H.
REPORT On BUSINESS.
On 1eassembling in the afternoon,
Judge Shelley, from the committee on
business, reported at some length, set
ting forth the grounds of the Valley
road which is asked of the Legislature
at its next session. The report Is as
follows:
The committee on business and reso-
lutions recommended the adoption of
the following resolutions First. That
it is the equal and inherent right of the
people of all parts of the State to de
| velop their resources, improve their
condition and relieve themselves of the
burden oftaxatioo by the construction
OF works of internal Improvement, and
the true policy of the State is to afford
facilities to such works by charters to
those Of its citizens who are enabled to
construct them without aid from the
public treasury.
Second. That the people of the Val
icy and the Southwest recognized with
cordial approval the policy inaugurated
by the General Assembly Of Virginia in
1866 and 1867 of enlarged libefality to
the great interests of the Commons
wealth in granting the existing charter
Of the Valley Railroad Company and
others of like kind; of statesmanlike
relaxation of the ancient and disastrous
principle of Virginian legislation on
this subject, which ignored the laws of
nature and Of trade, which sought to
compel commerce into unnatura! chan
.nels, to force trade to go to its ultimate
destination by the toll houses by par
ticular cities, to build up these cities by
keeping closed the doors to more &C.
cessible and better markets, and so in
affect taxing the great agricultural,
mining and stock-groHing interests of
the Valley and the Southwest to sustain
a policy under which for quarter of a
century those cities have languished
with stunted growth, and the wealth,
development and population of the re-