The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-08-06
Staunton in Midsummer.

pose OF midsummer. The streets miss familiar
faces that are being cooled III mountain recess
es or by the breezes Of old ocean. The school
girls who used to lend grace to the side walks
and gay hustle to the stores, are at their dist
ant homes. An occasional auction or the arri-
val Of fresh fruits and vegetables at the hckstars
stalls, give nearly the whole air of activity that
fingers in Staunton while summer bloods calm
ly over us. Let lis not forget however that the
erection of dwelling houses goes on, telling OF
the steady increase of population. but with SO
little noise as hardly to disturb the general
aspect of serenity and quietude. Ii we had a
circulating library. it would help those who re-
main in town to bridge over the tedium 0itae,
and if we had manufacturing establishments.
on a scale commensurate with natural ad-
vantagas we should have mora stir al sracsi-
flying life, even in midsummer. This is not al
uniting topic for a season in which peol.e
may be presumed to be reflective. Do capital
lists in Staanton adequately realize how greatly
all values are enhanced by being placed i'll 60 :
tact with ju liciously managed mlnufactures?
The rise in the value OF real estate i'll town
which successfully introduces manufactures, is
u IdCG VI So dill C!4dl ttOLs1l d.
to encourage the most conservative selfish
ness to leave its hannts and embark in enter
prise that promises large private as we'll as
public gains. The Valley Vugjniam, has call-
ed attention in this r'glrl to the cities of
Cleveland, Pittsburg, Newark, Philllal2hia,
and st. Louis. There are many 1ourlshn5 lit
tie towns in the country that are made To-
al h,y riNt.n.a
sowls make no pretense bit they exceed
Staunton in wealth, business and activity
| We have pressed this matter over and over a.
gaia at tie risk Of being tedious but we mean
to keep on urging it until the monayed classes
wake up toa proper public spirit. One la. "a
manufacturing establishnle It il Staanton, sue
cessfully conducted, would fix the future Of
this city. That fact assured, people would in
vest with tenfold more conf lence. New and
energetic. people would come in. Fresh money
would flow here. Additional manufactures
would be projected. orsalli4ed and put under
way. Every man, woman and. child here,
| would feel the impetus that had been given the
place. The merchants, the farmers, the pro-
| fe ssional men, would feel it.
People sometimes form very delusive notioar
about the benefits they are to derive from rail
Dads running through their midst but they
are never deceived as to the sure and aolid good
resulting from industrial, mechanical and man
ufacurihg activity, supplementing the labors Of
the farmer, banker and merchant. A seapoly
town may build on merchandise, An inland
town must have manufactures Oh be contented
with village enterprises on scale more Or less
extended but never Of any challenging note.-
| Let lis say here too, that the favorable opil-
ions formed of Staanton abroad, ave Chiefly
based Oil the idea that it is to be q m lnllfacfu
ring center. That idea has prevailed in Viz
GINA, and also in many Northern Safes
Dispal the idea an 1 there would be little hope
of attracting here, any substantial addition to
our population. There are places as agreeable
as Staunton to which people can retire who
nave no more work tc 10. What we want is more
energetic hoae "a. sinew ca. II for work AID
/ the money, and gei:isls to direct them. Iae
Music Of the spindle an the lutii glare OF he
furnace would not render any the less at,~ast-
i've the piano-forte inter; relations OF on col
lasas OF the glory OF our landscapes. We s.lou q
still have Music at ouc coliegse commandments
and the sun would still set in splel,dor over
our mountains The id q that mlnuflet oics
would render Stanton less desl. able as apace
Of residence is not we'll founded. The toro-
graphical character OF the city peculiarly its
it to carry Oh Industrial enterprise, with tae
least private discomfort. I,et us then not to e.
lalorate this subject in single article conclude
by remarking that unless the capital OF this city
/ awakens to the necessity Of manufacturing en-
terprse here, the day may come when this
drowsy quiet which We see and feel at midsunl-
mer, may enveloo II. like a garment Of death,
the whole circlng year.
GA hint to the wise, etc.