Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1878-06-15
5bspbsrostomn Register.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, 1879
EXTENSION OF THE :. v. II. IL.
ACROSS THE POTOMAC


Sbepherdstown TO the Chesapeake IL
Ohio road near Staunton, it behooves
the friends Of our hardfought for enter
prise to turn their attention, earnestly
and without delay, to the important du-
ty of extending il across the river, here,
to its contemplated connection with the
Western Maryland road near Smiths
burg, without waiting for the Harris
burg and Potomac road to be finished
to its Southern terminus opposite to our
town.
For, while the proposed Martinsburs
branch will. when built, be temporary
outlet for the main line of the S. V. K.
r., and most profitable arrangement
for the Cumberland Valley company, 1t
will be an outlet in the wrong direction
for the people ON this side Of the Poto-
mac, inasmuch as it Will make the route
to their regular markets entirely too
roundabout to be relied on any longer
than can possibly be helped.
But, by extending the main stem OF
the S. V. Railroad to point near
Smithsburg, on The Western Maryland
line, twelve miles east of llagerstown,
at the western base of the Blue Ridge,
Tor South Mountain, as they call it over
tbere,l and twenty miles northeast OF
Shepherdstown, we will have direct
through line TO Baltimore by a route
which viii not be bit longer than that
of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, and
the additional advantage besides OF
connecting with more than one leading
line of direct communication, by the
shortest routes, to Philadelphia and
New York.
a glance at the map will be sufficient
TO satisfy any one that the proper outlet
for the s. V. II. II. to the seaboard
cities of the East will be by way Of the
Western Maryland and the other roads
ON the eastern side of the South Noun
tain completed and projected) which
will afford the most direct routes to-
wards Philadelphia.
So that the sooner the main stem OF
our road shall be pushed forward to Its
junction with the Western Maryland at
the point referred to, the better 1t will
be for all parties interested in the enter
prize-in which category we include
not only the S. V. Railroad Company,
its contractors, the people OF our county
aud those of the counties OF Virginia
south of ours through which the main
stem is located, but also the people OF a
large portion of Washington County,
MaryIand-especially those who reside
in that fair and fertile region between
this place and Smithsburg, through
which the proposed line of extension
will be run, and to whom We confident
w look for cordial co operation and ma
terial aid in effecting an object which is
quite as important to them as 1t is to
the people on this side Of the river.
We, therefore, suggest to our friends
in Sharpsblrg, Keedysville, Boonsboro,
Beaver Creek, Smi;hsLurg, and in their
intermediate neighbOrhoods to take this
subject INTO consideration, with view
to some concerted action among them
selves, after harvest, for the preliminary
purpose of organizing local committees
il reference to routes, right of way,
subscriptions, SC, which will greatly
facilitate the contamination Of the en-
teIprize.
The region Of country to be traversed
by the proposed extension is one of the
most beautiful, productive and populous
portions of Washington county; and
one, too, which is as favorable, topo-
graphically, for location of the line as
can be desired. Instead Of its present
ing any unusual engineering difficulties,
the most of the way will be a dead level;
so that the cost of construction will be
comparatively small, and that for right
Of way will also be moderate, as most
of the land owners there are both llber-
al and enlightened. They well know
that the road will enhance the value of
their real estate--that 1t will be an inlet
for capital as well as an'outlet for pro.
dnce-that il will lessen their taxes by
adding TO the basis of assessments, and
will increase the profits on their pro-
ducts by diminishing the cost OF trans
portation. They also know that, in the
present age of progress, we might as
well attempt TO live, like croaking
community of cold-blooded frogs, at the
bottom of bucketless well, struggling
continually in the dark to keep our
heads above water, as TO content our
selves in tile dismal dullness of an isola-
ted locality, cut off from railroad and
teleoraphic facilities, where all business
is in state of melancholy stagnalion,
sGc1,.l II