The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1880-01-31
HOW ABOUT THAT RAIL
ROAD?

|
Virginia cannot long wear thct prout
name without railroad. We ono
had the Maroon Gauge dragged her
almost, but it went back on US. All
it wanted to be fully persuaded t.
come to and abide with us, was thu
Cash. Now our townsman, Georg'
c. Sturgiss, is on the war path for an
other railroad, and is now away look
ing one up, and if we were prophe
we would predict that he will b.
along one of these days on his way
home, either dragging the big enc
of railroad after him, or else to re-
port that he has seen the Elephant
and that all it wants to get it here is
the honeywell, either one will be
a great consolation to our people, and
| will cause many of us to "thuse"
wonderfully.
Well now, in solid earnest, we say,
! we would like to see q railroad here,
nd we believe we ,otH see one here
before many years--it is but ques-
ton of time and money-that is all =
our country is rIpening fast for such
q road, and when the fruit is fully
ripe it will be plucked-there is no
help for it, unless we are foolish
enough to pluck that fruit before it
is ripe, when we may loose all. Let
us bide our day-it takes money and
muscle to build railroad for such
distance as will ensure the road to
pay when built. This money we
have not got, and cannot afford the
hazard of going in debt for it. But
so soon as the fruit is fully ripe; that
is to say: the country fully develop
ed, capitalists, who make it bust
ness to build railroads, for their own
benefit, as well as our accommoda-
tion, will seize the opportunity with
eavidity-a railroad through this
country will then no more go beg
ging than will fat office or a good
bargain--and that day is close at
hand, when the valley of the beauti-
rful Monongahela viii be made hap
py by the whistle of the LOGON olive,
and its accompanying train. Well,
it may be said, if we can't build a
railroad without money, and have
not got it, and cannot afford to incur
the risk of borrowing it, is there
nothing that we can 10 to speed the
coming Of a railroad2 We answer
yes! there is much for us to do-let
us develop our lands by Improving
them, and increasing their products
to show capitalists that we have some
thing to freight the road with. Let
our mountain mineral resources be
developed and laid bare, to tempt
Capitalists as the golden apple tempt
ed Mother Eve. Let US do that, and
abide our day, and soon all will be
right; and let us, when the time
comes, and now, make up our minds
and see that our minds are made
kno,cn on the subject, to freely giUe
the right Of ,oay for such railroad
through our farms, and so let the
company desiring to spend their
money in building such road, see and
feel that We are friends to it, and
thus, we will do much to speed the
coming of the road. Capitalists
don't want gas, but they do want our
Friendship; it encourages them, and
helps to freight or load their cars
and thus puts money in their Golfers.
Capitalists and railroad builders are
not beggars, but cool, sagacious men,
who spend their money in building
and running railroads, primarily for
their own profit, knowing that we
will be accommodated thereby, and
expecting that we shall pay for the
use of their road. This is right and
natural Then let us in the future.
change our tactics in relation to
speeding railroads, and instead Of
gas, let us work; and instead Of
working when we can do no good
to ourselves or the road, let us work
achen and as we ought to work, and
before five more years shall pass by,
we will rejoice in our change of base,
and wish we had adopted it sooner,
or else we are no prophet. Try it,
friends! try it,!