The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-07-06
Valley Railroad.

Hon. Nm. Mines and Col. u. l.. Boyce,
President and Vice President of the Shenan
doah Valley Railroad, and p. Z. Pendleton,
Esq. and Judge II. w. Sheffey, President and
Counsel for the Valley Railroad, had 4 consul
tation in Staunton on Saturday last, in refer
ence to the lease of the Valley Railroad. 1t
was agreed that the rolling stock ready to be
placed on tie track by Mr.. Mines us security
for the monthly lease, at 1000, was sufficient.
The question then came up as to the t'lrn-ta-
Bile and sideings at IIarrisonburg, Mr.. Mines
not being willing to close the lease without he
was furnished complete road i'll these re-
spects. 1t appears that in constructing the
Valley road. the thought never seemed to en-
ter the heads of the authorities that it was
separate and independent company, but it was
regarded as merely continuation of the Ma
nassas Gap road terminating ut I1arrisonburg,
and in the possession of the Baltimore and
Ohio Company. The Y erected at that point
belongs to the B. & o. Co., as also the sidings,
and consequently there is no way to turn an
engine, without the use of the Y belonging to
the Il. & O. Co. 1t is necessary to lave this
facility. otherwise the engine would have to
run backwards to Staunton. Application, we
understand, was made to the B. & o. Co.. for
the use of the Y, but refused. We further
learn that direct connection at Harrisonburg
has been refused. and passengers. baggage and
freight would have to be transferred Il distance
of 100 or $50 yards going from Staunton,
North, by this line. No impeachment of this
kind was anticipated by the Directors of the
Valley Road at their last meeting. and hence
no provision made Tor such contingency. 1t
will necessitate another meeting Of the Direct
ors of the Valley Road, to make the necessary
arrangements to build and sideings to
accommodate the road at the Tarrisonburg
terminus. The Company own land adapted to
this purpose about half mile South of the pres
ent Depot. and we presume will utilize it for
the purposes here named.
1t is stated that the B. & o. Company have
circumstances of the case have made necessary
for the running of the Valley Road by the
lessee. Whether such Il state of things was
anticipated as possible in the construction of
the Valley Road, we cannot say. But it has
all the appearance of well matured design to
place the Valley Road in the power of the b.
d o. Company, for the arrangement seems to
have simply contemplated the continuance of
the road terminating at IIarrisonburg, in tie
franchises Of another company and so adjust
ed chat for The Valley Company to assume
control of their own property, would cause the
embarrassments hat haze arisen The action
of the B. & O. Company, as we now under
stand it, is totally inconsistent with DISPOSE
ton to deal fairly with the Valley Roal and
the people OF the Valley. That Company has
had the privilege of leasing the Valley Road at
Il fair equivalant. They could, at any time
since the LIST of May, have had the improve
ment for the same sum that Mr.. Mines has
agreed to give, and could have been operating
the road to-day, had any proposition come
from them that did rot contemplate loss and
ultimate bankruptcy to the Valley Railroad
Company.
The present action of the b. d 0. autlluri-
ties is totally inconsistent with what just men
would tolerate. and it will be desperate state
OF things which will justify the representatives
OF the Valley interest in submitting to the impo-
sition which, it is very apparent, the B. & o.
Company contemplate.
At this writing, we have no information
that will warrant a conclusion as to when the
Valley Road Will be operated