The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-10-14
Shenandoah Valley Railroad.

1t is a source of much qualification to the
people of Augusta to learn drought the Bal
timore Sun, that the authorities of this road
have determined to make it a great trunk line
from Philadelphia to New Orleans The en-
ergy which this company has heretofore dis
played, gives strong assurance that they will
accomplish what they now propose-in part
by the construction of new roads, and in part
by connecting with existing lines.
1t is to be hoped that the enterprise of the
Philadelphians will stimulate the Baltimore
people to re-commence, at an early day. work
Staunton to Salem. But if they should still
remain inactive, our people will find some con-
ISOLATION for their disappointment in the con-
struction Of the Shenandoah Valley road
through our county.
The completion of line of railway from
Philadelphia, pressing southwark, through the
best portions of Pennsylvania and Virginia,
will be of incalculable value to the people of
the Valley. 1t will not only open new ave-
nue. to new market for all our productions
but it will tend to create much closer relations
between the people Of Pennsylvania, Mary
land, and Virginia. The increase in the tacil-
tiles OF inter-communicaticn will lead to in
creased intercourse between the States, and
when the people Of Pennsylvania can be in
duced to come to Virginia, they will find lands
in market here, which can be bought at from
$50 to $50 per acre, which are quite as good
as those of Pennsylvania, that readily com
mand three times as much. They will also
find deposits of ores of various kinds which
are superior in quantity and quality to any
which exist in Pennsylvania. immigration
will soon follow. New furnaces, FORCES and
foundries will be established A better sys-
tenn OF agriculture will be introduced. Farm
products will be increased and diversified, and
as natural consequence, the value Of lands
will be enhanced.
Stanton and Waynasboro viii offer many
inducements to manufacturers. Iron, coal,
timber, and almost every kind of raw material,
are abundant The number Of sheep can be
almost indefinitely increased, thereby atfordiDg
supplies of wool for wooden factories, and
heart of the cotton belt, shall have been com
pleted, there can be no reason why cotton fac
tories should not be established in Augusta
Every days experience tends to show that
wecannot compete successfully with the bound
lese fertile prairie lands of the west in the pro-
duction of wheat, which formerly was our
great staple We must therefore change our
system Of farming. We must diversity our
productions and give more attention to hay,
pastorage and the dairy. Above all, we must
turn our hands to manufactures. We now
buy everything abroad. All our earnings go
to enrich other people. We buy what we
should make at home. Is it not strange that
while we live in country Astounding in iron
and timber Of the best quality, we are daily
sending to Wisconsin and Indiana for wagons
and to other distant points for all our agricul-
tural implements? We must change all this if
we expect to prosper To accomplish this
change we need, among us, an Infusion of new
population with new ideas. The extension of
railroads will introduce this much desired ele-
ment.
We are now on the eve of an era of uneyam-
pied prosperity. We have sound currency
which protects us from the sudden fluctuations
of values, which used to be caused by the ex-
pansion or contraction of currency by
banks Business is reviylng everywhere We
feel the pulsations of new life all round us.
Our thronged streets and the cheerful coun-
tenances of our people betoken new condi-
ton of things. All that is necessary is to re-
establish confidence by manifesting de-
termined purpose to fulfil our obligations to
pay our honest debts, and to act in the future
on the scriptural maxim cove no man any
thing"
By an accident at Pttsburg, last Saturday,
ON the PENNSYLVANIA railroad, q persons