The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-12-14
THE WAY TO GIVE REposE TO
TIE STATE, AND ADD TO ITS
WEALTH AND PROSPERITY.
WEsroS, Dec. s, 1874

Hoa. j, NJ. BENNETT, State Senator.
sin Good roads, passing through a
country, IRE as nGeeecssary to tue in.
. telligeheO and refnemen. Of tho people,
as good schools. They are in fact the
doors Of immigration aud the lights Of
knowledge. Te developR and improve
anoS country, these twin sisters Of
civilization should 90 hand in hand.
The State Of West Virginia has a largo
undsyelOped territory, rich in soils,
minerals and timber, lying between
the Baltimore & Ohio and the ChcsR.
pealie L Ohio Railroads. Tho pOps.
lation is sparse, aad the people unable
to deYelopo it. The construction Of a
railroad, connecting these two great
lines Of travel and commerce by pri.
yate enterprise, acrOu the State, has
proved unsuccessful; and hence the
agitation for the removal Of the CAPT.
tllio some more accessible place.
Tho whole distance from Clarksbufg
20 Gaulsy Bridge, by way Of the
Olarksburg, Weston & Gauley Bridge
Turnpike, is one hundred and thirty.
four miles. A glance at the map Of
tho State shows that i. passes through
tho eentrO of the State, from North 10
South, and that It's two terminii arc
the Baltimore & Ohio and tho Chesa.
peako & Ohio Railroads. Tho grade
Of this turnpike is good, tho bed for
receiving tho stone made, and tue
bridges across the water.courses and
rivers all built aud in good condition.
One hundred thousand dollars would
masaiamiEe it, and put 1t in good or.
der for both winter and summer travel.
Afler tho first day Of July next, tie
mails uill DO carried over this road,
from olaihsburg 10 Gauley Bridge, and
thence to Charleston, aily.-tbereby
afording daily mail facilities to aud
from the State Capital. BY macada.
mixing this road, a daily line Of coach.
es will be put upon Ii, aud persons
going TO Charleston from the line Of
Tho Baltimore 4 Ohio Railroad, and
from counties north of it, would be
accommodated by this new limo Of
travel and the mails borne over II, con-
ycying the mail matter 10 and from the
seat Of government. to q majority of
people Of Tho State, in shorter time
than on any other route now establish.
eG. In point Of fact, the mails could
leave Charleston at @ o'clock iu the
morning, and arrive at 0larksburg
the next morning at ., where they
would connect with tho mails carried
by tho Baltimore & Ohio Railroad -
This enterprise carried out, 1t is conf.
IDENTIFY believed, would give reposc to
tue State, and restore friendly rela.
tons among all the people. Bat this
is not all it will do. Population aud
capital would find their way along the
line Of this pew channel Of cummunica.
sion. The rich, productive bluegrass
lands, and fields Of coal and timber
new offered at such low prices, would
be purchased by Industrious immi.
grants, who would clear out farms, en-.
nance values, aud create new subjects
oftaxation. Other roads would be
made to intorSCCl this, and in less than
ten years, the State would be doubly
paid for the monies thus expended, IN
increased revenues. Fire or sepen per
cent, letied upon he tazdble property,
and sst apart as road fund, 10 b.
appropriated BY Tie Legislature to nlsr.
iiorioas FORKS " Internal improvement,
Il seems TO me. e0nidTing The large
and needy unSepclopttl sections Of our
nsi0 iState, tsoald 10 tcise aud just, and
meet he approval cfa large class, III
na a mtJority Of tie Taxpayers. In
making this declaration, ! am not IN.
mindful Of tue fact that respectable
number Of persons living in tho older
settlements, where Old Virginia made
them good roads out Of the common
treasury, and who have since been nc
commodated with railroads-built by
foreign capital-runniug by their doOrs,
are opposed to helping their less iortu.
MALE ueighbors, and reply by saying,
"lst them build their own roads
This shortsigbtod policy. in my judg-
insnt, is neither wise nor just. Mod.
ern civilization aud the march Of i'm.
prOvemeat, alike condemn 1t. But
for the wisdom and libetality Of the
National Legislature, Il would noEI
take six months to go from Saint Louis
over the plains to Sau Francisco. And |
whether or not internal Improvements
by the general government DO within
the granted powers Of tho Federal
Constitution, in this instance, Us
measure Of public necessity, the quss.
ticn has passed beyond the forum Of
debate. AL enlightened citizens
agree that connecting tho Atlantic an
Pacific by railroad . Tho greatest work
Of Amuriuln enterprise; and no good
citizen today would 30 willing to see
K peeltc,ed OF desIfsyed As P.n.l