The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-01-05
IMPORTANT ENTERPRISE FOR RIcH-
NnyD


MOND.
We publish to-day an interesting and
valuable letter from a gentleman residing
in Bridgewater, Rockingham county, on
the subject of the Shenandoah Valley and
Ohio Railroad company, giving detailed
account OF the work now in progress, and
of the gentleman having the important
work in charge. This work should have
the aid, comfort, sympathy, good will and
support of Eastern Virginia, and especially
of the people of Richmond, who should
see that no stone is unturned IA good prac-
teal metaphor) to secure the eastern ter
minus of this road here-right here in the
leading commercial and manufacturing
city of the state. This road, coming
from the Ohio river at point one hun
bred and twenty-five miles nearer our city
thar Huntington, crosses the Shenandoah
Valley precisely on line where trade be-
tween Baltimore and Richmond naturally
divides, and the Importance of o direct
line of railroad from that point to our city
must be manifest to every mind. The
road pierces the very richest agricultural
and mineral portions of our own state, as
we'll as that of West Virginia, and must
pour stream Of untold wealth into our
lap, if We will but open it for its reception.
The wishes of the people all along the
line of the road, every inch of
the way from the Ohio river,
are that Richmond shall open
its lap and be the recipient of the vast
wealth and trade that this road will, by
the natural laws of commercial gravity,
bring to us. But we must be up and do
ing to secure it. The men engaged in this
vast project are shaking the bush for Rich
mond. Itdevolves upon us to catch the bird.
But our eyes must be open, as well as our
purses, and we must meet this outsuetched
arm of wealth by narrow gauge to the
Valley, or the golden-plumed bird will slip
through our fingers, and perch at a more
enterprising and wide-awake point.
Let the people of Richmond bestir them
selves in view of this enterprise, and see to
it that the grayitating forces of trade are
not diverted from their natural centre:
DRIDGEwATER, VIRGINIA, /
December 81, 1873. {
To The Editor Of The State Journal:
Knowing that THE JOURNAL, which
you edit, is live paper, and believing tina,
anything and everything which is calcula.
ted to advance the real interests of The
state will be heartily seconded by you,
desire to lay before your readers (many O
whom are to be found outside of oul
state as well as in iD a succinct statemen,
Of the recent organization of the Shenan-
doah Valley and Ohio railroad company
ieeling very certain that it is, in reality
one Of the most desirable lines OF new
railroads now projected in our country, and
promising vast results OF the greatest i'm.
portance for the material wealth and pros
perity of Virginia and West Virginia. Al
a recent meeting, held in Franklin, Pendle
ton county, West Virginia, General s. G
French, of Mississippi, was elected presi
dent, and R. N. Pool, of Virginia, vice
president treasurer, E. Border, of Phila
delphia; secretary, R. c. Thomas, Phila
delphia; general superintendent, Captain
II. NJ. Clay, Philadelphia directors, b. b
Thomas, Il. Border, Charles Lennig, join
Donaldson, Howard B. French, r. G.
Thomas, (all of Philadelphia, and General
s. G. French, Fl. M. Clay and R. N. Pool
Work on the road is progressing satisfacto.
rily. The distance from Franklin, in Pendle.
ton county, West Virginia, to Port Republic
at the head Of the Shenandoah river, in
Rockingham county, Virginia, the place
where the new road is to inteIsect the She
nandoah Valley railroad, is forty-seyen
miles. Two corps Of engineers are now
i'll the field, actively engaged in locating
the route between these two points, and
expect to complete the survey in a very
short time. Colonel K. b. Osborne. the
chief engineer, has received instructions to
advertise in several of the Valley newspa-
pers for bids for grading the road, and so
soon as the route is located the work will
be let out to contractors. 1t is said that
the route will be, notwithstanding the
mountainous country which it penetrates.
one of easy grades, and one that can be
comparatively easily and cheaply built.
SO hopeful and enthusiastic are the peo.
pie along the line of this new and promis-
ing road, that many OF them, tired of their
isolated and pent-up situations, have freely
donated large and valuable tracts of mine.
raj lands, as well as agricultural and tim
Der lands. One gentleman gives the COM
pany 80 900 acres of mineral lands. much
OF 1t very finely timbered, and we'll fitted
Tor grazing and agricultural purposes,
Whicn is worth, at a very low estimate,
$zO0,000! The counties through which
the road is to pass, have made liberal SUBJ
scrlPtions, and the people along the route
generally freely give the right of way, be.
sldes giving subscriptions or donating
lands. The company has thus, already,
got control of large bodies Of mineral and
timber lands along the route of its road,
and, when once freely developed, will be q
perennial,solrce of never-endipg wealth and
prosperity for both Virginia and West Vir-
ginia. 80
Where valuable mineral lands Law direct
ly OF very nearly on the line of the road.
and were not donated, the companv verv
wisely purchased them at the merely
nominal prices ruling in each locality, and
thus placed itself in position to either
sell or work these mines when the road
snail have been completed.
10 those who are conyersant with the
astounding facts in regard to the rand and
unprecedented rise in the coal and iron
lands OF other portions OF this same ALLIE
ghany region, it is useless to odd that the
far-seeing man Of capital and of bns;ness