The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-08-28
Railroads.

expressed the opinion that in the near fin
ture attention would again be directed tt
the completion of the Valley Railroad to it.
Southern terminal point at Salem. The ae-
tivi5y now being manifested ali over thu
country in railroad enterprises, cannot fai
to have its effect in this and other Southern
States, and as the Va Hey road Possesses in
trinsic merits which cannot be long overlook
ed, we may reasonably expect demonstra.
lions towards its completion. Recently ,bt
Baltimore &c Railroad Company negotiated
loan 0! SO 900, 600 on its Parkersburs
branch, and as it was the impracticability O.
successful lily placing mortgage bonds OF Tx
Valley it.R. on the market at the time which
tai lie seeking Investment we trust that it will
not be difficult matter to negotiate a loar
of 81 DOC. 900 for the prosecution OF the worl
On this Valley enterpr Use. Thu local FREIGHT;
which would be ere ated, apart from the con
neetons at Salem wi h the Southern system
OF railroads, would Justify the completion o.
the Valley road. The unncumbered cond
ton of the pro- erty would make the invest
ment secure, especially as a $2,0O0,O 900 loan,
added to the county sub scriptions not vel
availei of, woul I'm ish the work, eiTino q
complete road Of over 100 miles throu eli the
richest portion OF the South, and forming an
important link in the entire Southern rail
way connections, as the security. No com.
pany is in better cond ition to go upon the
markets with its bonds, and we trust the
management will take ca rly steps to open
negotiations with view to the completion oil
the road.
SHENANDOAH VALLEY RA1LRoAD.-We
are sorry to see manifested in the Page
Courier a hostile spirit to the interests of the
Shenandoah Vale y Railroad. Some twelve
years ago that county subsc ribed, by author
ity OF vote of the people, 100000 to the
capital stock of this railroad company. Some
49, 900 was expended in the county in pre-.
pairing the bed, when the panic of 1873 came
on, causing the suspension of VI Ork on this
improvement, MS it did on almost all similar
past year or two work has been resumed on
the construction, and track laying is now
approaching the county line of Page. AT
this critical period, opposition is being in
cited to the county fulfilling her obligations
and issuing the bonds, to assist in compile
ting the road through its limits. Itappears
from speech recently made by Hon. VIM.
Mines, President of the company, that he
does not ask the bonds, except to aid in pur-
chasing the iron for the ira cE-that the pur-
pose is to complete the gra ding. procure the
ties, and have everything ready for the rails,
and then the county will be asked to come to
the aid Of the company by issuing the amount
in bonds subscribed ab cut ten or twelve
years ago. There could not be fairer or
more reasonable proposition, and we should
be exceedingly sorry to hear of the good
people of old Page going back upon their OBJ
legations. after the company has complied,
substantially, with their part of the agree
ment. 1t is not right that counties and peo-
pie should as k something for nothing. That
class railroad running through her entire
limits, bringing into notice and to market
her splendid farming valleys and rich miner
al mountains, there is not q man in Page
county will question. The amount subscrib-
ed would be mere nothing to the advanta-
ges which would be secured, the new values
created, and the dead wealth that would be
brought into active, paying use. The in
creased taxable resources. of the county, by
reason Of the railroad, would be more than
ample to meet the increased taxation occa-
stoned by the interest on the subscription.
1t is too much the h8bit of people who create
debt for public improvements to look Only
at the debt and the small increase oftaxation
it imposes. They do not seem to think of the
expenditure of other moneys in their midst
besides their own, which has been made to
to their real wealth, nor of the advantages
the railroad gives them in market facilities,
or Of the new population and capital it in
vites among them. Let them look at both
as the burdens, and they will find that the
former will greatly overbalance the latter,
besides inspiring new mental ard physical
and infusing life and vigor into all
interests. Were 1t an original proposition
we should not presume to make suggestion
to our Page county friends, but RS the SUBJ
scriptlon has been made, let them stand to it
like men. and not sinirch the reputation of
the county by what will be regarded as re-
pudiation of her own pledge. They will lose
nothing by it in any sense. 1t will work out
benefits in every way, and pay them ten
times their outlay in the present generation.
BUCHANAN AND CT IFToN FoRGE.-It
was mentioned in the VIRGINIAN few
weeks ago that Messes, G. R. Mason and C.
E. Hoge, in company with Maj. j. W. john
ston, President of the James River Canal Co,
had gone over the line of the proposed rail-
road between Clifton Forge and Buchanan,
with view to considering the practicablity
If resumiBg work on that enterprise. Since
then, we have been informed, that contract |
las been entered into between the parties
mentioned for the construction of the road,
he details of which are to be submitted to
he Board Of Directors of the company for
approval. There is no doubt of this being !
secured, and we learn that it will |
De followed by active operations on the work
II construction next month. The pluck and |
.nergy shown by Maj. Johnston in the affairs
VI the company of which he is President, can
lot be too highly commended. 1t is the
pirt that should animate all public interests
n Virginia. Instead of setting down, and wait
ng for enterprise and capitalize come from
distance, cur own people should show their
ontidcnce in the merits of their schemes OF
by putting their energies and
limited means into them, and thus inspire
onfidence in others. This little road is an
Enterprise of great importance,ss its compile
ion will not only open up a magnificent
mineral belt, but give life and activity to
he canal itself, and draw attention to the
plendid James River country which can not
e surpassed for agricultural and manufac-
urinp purposes