The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-01-18
Our Future.

row GAUGE Is prosecuted by the Royal Land
Company. Notwithstanding the severity
of the weather, an additional train has been
put on, devoted to the work Of construction
only. The track is laid to Unionville, eight
miles this side of Orange Court House, and
iron enough has arrived t. lay the track a.
most to tic laluer poln:. In addition to the
Construction train. the regular tram makes
Its trips daily
This is the road purchased by the Royal
Land Company from its original incorpoIa-
tors. and designed to penetrate the coal and |
iron fields of the Company in North Noun |
tain. at Briery Branch, Rockingham county. |
It's ultimate destination is the survey Of the |
Shenandoah Valley & Ohio Road to the |
Ohio River. But the immediate purpose is
10 reach the coal fields, where forty-herse
power engine has been recently located to
more successfully develop the wonderful de-
posits of anthracite coal. A branch, or lat
eral road, will be constructed from Briery
Branch to the Dora Mines, where openings
also have been made. With the opening
spring. work Will be vigorously prosecuted
on the road from Orange Court House to
uarrisonburr, and completed AS soon as
practicable.
In addition to these improvements look
ing to the development of the rich resources
CT this great Valley, we are assured that the
National Security Company. which has re-
Gently purchased the Elizabeth Iron Works,
will shortly commence operations there, en-
ploying about 200 operatives in getting out
iron ores, TO supply contract for ioo,ooo
tons in Philadelphia. The furnace at Eliz-
: :sbeth will also commence operations at once,
with improved machinery and reiitments.
We learn from Mr.. Il. n. Pool, that it is
the purpose OF this company 10 make Staun-
Ion IFS Headquarters. Rooms in the Grange
Building. have been, or are to he leased, for
offices. The eventual pGrpose is to estab-
fish furnaces here. as the most convenient
point for the manufacture OF iron. i'll consid-
Grafton of transportation, house accommoda-
lions Tor families. church and school facili-
ties.
We have heretofore advanced the theory
and sustained it by facts, that Staunton
must at no distant Gay, become point for
the manufacture OF iron, and that the lnltla-
ton of such an enterprise will be the COM
mencement of the groundwork Of industries
that necessarily must grow as the rich min
erals OF the mountains are developed. 1t
has been demonstrated that ton OF iron
ore can be manufactured in Virginia at a
cost of s. less than in Pittsburg. This fact
has been satisfactorily proven to a number
Of iron men, who are looking forward to the
revival of business to give more practical
investigation of the advantages mere pre-
made, the gentlemen who are now interest
ed in developing the iron beds at Elizabeth
Furnace, were ncredulous az to the repre-
sensations that were made OF the character
and extent OF the ores there found. Find
ing that the reality was far greater than
they had been lead to expect, they hesitated
but short time before closing negotiations
for the property. They are now preparing
to utilize their purchase, and the first effort
will be to slip, under contract, 100, 600 tons
of the ore to Philadelphia.
There Is nothing apocryphal about these
statements. They are self-evident. Here
we have the ore in abundance. Those &C
auainted with the Elizabeth banks, know
that they are inexllaustible and the ore OF the
best auality. We know that it can be trans
ported to Philadelphia or Pi.tsburg, as CHEAP
1T least as t can be gotten from the Lakes
where a great deal of the ores are mined fol
8 the Pittsburg furnaces. There is nothing
unreasonable in the shipment, therefore, OF
ores from Elizabeth to Pennsylvania. We
know, having tile raw materials of ore, coal
and lime, and the necessary labor, with all
the advantages that cheap living affords,
the manufactured article could be produced
cheaper here than in Pennsylvania. we
know that capital is cautious and discrlmlna-
ling. Ii seeks investments where the larg-
est returns may be secured. We know it is
living idle in tie iron districts OF the east
because it cannot be used there to profit
We know that it will not be idle long-that
it must soon move in some direction. Where
else can greater inducements be extended
to 1t, than right here in Virginia, and at
Staunton: We are at the centre OF compe'
tition in freights. We have the Valley and
the Chesapeake Roads crossing here at right
angles, reaching to the coal and iron fields
on the one side, and to the markets CT the
world on the other. Where Is there point
don't believe it exists.
We are we'll convinced in our own mind.
that with the adjustment OF our political dill.
ferences, capital is destined to flow from the
North to the South They have surplus,
and we have ehe attractions naturally to
draw it, and make it pay its owners. With
the cultivation Of a liberal social and politi-
cal sentiment, tolerance OF diverse views, re-
spect for honest convictions, and the strang.
ling of few political demagogues, our fu'
8 ture is promising, and instead Of the wealth
of the mountains being worse than profit
less, it will become,the great source Of pros
perity for our entire section. With manu-
features, come home markets for the far
mers, the contact Of capital with dead SUBJ
stances, giving them life and value. and
spreading thrift and prosperity everywhere.
=
The New York Post puts the whole ques-
ton of counting the electoral vote in nut
shell, thus ssThere ia not a word in the
Constitution, not line in federal or State
law, not precedent from the foundation OF
the Government until this hour, to sustain
the theory that the two houses OF Congress,
when the votes come to be counted, can re-
solve themselves into national returning
board for the purpose of inquiring into the
proceedings of State canyassers, rof setting
aside the ministerial or judicial acts OF State
officers acting in conformity with State
laws
No clearer statement ci the case could be
made. The Democrats who adhere to the
doctrine of State rights cannot certainly OBJ
ject to this presentation. They will not
contend that Congress has the power to a.
bridge the rights given to the States by the
Constitution. This would be flying in the
face Of all their professions and tenets OF po-
y;eta,l so;tt Tho pracidaut af tho Senate iS