Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1879-09-06
SHEN. VAL. RAILROAD AND
THE PAGE COUNTY BONDS.

In our last issue we published a
speech by Hon. VIM. Mines, President
of the S. Y. r. r., which he delivered
in Page county, urging the payment of
the 5000, 900 to said road, which was
voted by the citizens of that county
some few years ago, and which some
few of the citizens now refuse to appro-
pirate. Since our last issue, We have
received letter from Mr.. Mines, in
which be says:
"There is no doubt but that the coun-
ty will have to pay her bonds, and we
even offer them better terms than their
own subscription expresses on our stock
book, which are that the bonds to be
paid as the work progresses through
the county. And now we propose the
issue of the bonds only on finished road,
so at the time the road is finished or
completed through the county, then all
the bonds to be issued (and not before
and the county has value received be-
side the stock for her 100000 in the
company"
Now it seems to US that there cannot
he anything more fair than the above
proposition by President Mines, which
is, no railroad no bonds
The Stanton Trginian and the llar-
risonburg Commonwealth, contain some
sensible remarks, as follows, upon the
subject -
SHENANDOAH VALLEY RAILROAD
We are sorry to see manifested in the
Page Courisr hostile spirit to the inter
ests of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad.
Some twelve years ago that county
subscribed, by authority of a vote of
the people, 100000 to the capital
stock of this railroad company. Some
$4,000 was expended in the county
in preparing the bed, when the panic
of 1878 came on, causing the suspen-
sion of the work on this Improvement,
as il did on almost all similar enter
prises in the United States. Within
the past year or two work has been re-
sumed on the construction, and track
laying is now approaching the comfy
line of Page. At this critical period,
opposition is being melted to the
county fulfilling her obligations and
issuing the bonds, to assist in complet-
ing The road through its limits. 1t
appears from speech recently made
by Hon. VIM. Mines, President of
the company, that he does not ask the
bonds, except to aid in purchasing the
iron for the track-that the purpose is
to complete the grading, 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
about ten or twelve years ago. There
could not be tairer or more reasonable
proposition, and we should be exceed.
ingly sorry 10 hear of the good people
of old Page going back upon their OBJ
legations, after the company has com
piled, substantially, with their part of
the agreement. 1t is not right that
counties and people should ask some
thing for nothing. That Page would
be greatly benefited by frst-class rail
road running through her entire limits,
bringing into notice and to market her
splendid farming valleys and rich min
eral mountains, there is not man in
Page county will question. The amount
subscribed would be mere nothing
TO the advantages which would be &C.
cured, the new values created, and the
dead wealth that would be brought
into active, paying Use. The increased
taxable resources of the county, by
reason of the railroad, would be more
than ample to meet the increased tax,
alton occasicned by the interest on the
subscription. 1t is too much the habit
of people who create debt for public
improvements to look only at the debt
and the small increase of taxation it i'm
poses. They do not seem to think of
the expenditure of other moneys in
midst besides their own, which has
been made to construct the improve
ment, adding that much to their real
wealth, nor of the advantages the rail
road gives them in market facilities, or
of the new population and capital it in
vites among them. Let them look at
both sides, and examine into the bene-
fits as well as the burdens, and they will
find that the former will greatly over
balan ce the latter, besides inspiring
new mental and physical activities and
infusing life and vigor into all interests.
Were it an original proposition we
should not presume TO make sugges-
ton to our Page county friends, but as
the subscription has been made, let
them stand to it like men, and not
smirch the reputation Of the county by
what will be regarded as a reputation
of their own pledge. They will not
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 OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES jir-
gimian.
PAGE AND HER SUBsCRrTIoN.-Hon.
William Mines, President of the Shen-
andoah Valley H. r. Co., addressed
the people of Page county at Luray,
on Monday, on the subject of the
county's subscription Of 100000 to
the Railroad, which was voted some
years ago, and which some of the PEG
pie are now endeavoring TO have with
drawn on the ground that the Railroad
Company failed to comply with the
cnndilinns of the donation. or in other