Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-12-02
Loca
The Route Of the Valley koau.

The Route Of the Valley koau.
AS the Valley Railroad is now being
built, The route it will traverse is matter
of interest. The work is now progre ssihg
near Lexington and it is probably that the
twenty -four miles this side of FAN drld
tmuoh of it partially built seven years ago.
will not be begun until Spring; but in full
tine for running through to Lexington
next summer.
1t is not yet definitely known at what
precise point the ROAD will le I'VE Staui ton,
as somr of the parties OF their heirs. who
had originally bargained away the right of
way. have shown a inclination t" annul
the old contracts. But The road " i'll prob
ably leave the present track at point op-
posite the Western Lunatic Asylum and
pass thu oueh a corner # the grounds of
that Institution. skirtlng the hill to the
right of the Lexington pike, and will run in
a soutwesterly direction out of the city.
then, incllning to the south, pass
through the valuable farm of Mrs. Gay
and through more good country to the
neighborhood of Folly Mills. four miles
from Stanton Here it strikes some fine
lands, the Donaghe and Eskridge farms,
and follows the general direction of the
Lexington pike, which it crosses at the
old D Abney Ire, farm. two miles this
side of Greenviilc, ahd passing Through the
fine farm recently purchased by VIM. n
Peytnn, it runs by GIeenvlle and IN the
right of the town. This is the third larg-
est town in ,Aus:ssta county, and is the
6entre of lie agricultural district.
The road then passes through good farm
ing lands, past old Providence Church.and
within three QUARTERS of mile of what is
supposed tn be some exceedingly valuable
ore lands. to within mile of Midway,
Keeping still on the right of the pike. This
point is IS miles from Stanton, and just
halfway to Lexington. Leaving Midway
the road runs through the plantation OF
Mr.. J. E. A. Gibbs. the inventor and pro-
prietor of the well-known sewing machine
which bears his nameand has made him
rich man, and by the old Mccormick
homestead. of Mccormick reaper notorie-
ty, having struck the Rockbridge line
shortly after leaving Midway
About three miles from the point where
the road passes Midway, on one OF the
spurs of the Blue Ridge, are the richest
iron ore fields iE the county. running
along the mountain. opposite co and bel w
GreenviIle, eight or ten miles. and afford
ing quality of iron that cannot be sur
passed anywhere. TIE ore was worked
years ago by the Vesuvius and Cotopax
Furnaces. and furnished it is said, su-
periOr quality of gun metal for the Con
federacv. These lands are now owned by
Messrs. Echols. Bell Il CatletJ, of Staun
ton. Mr.. Isaac Newton, of Greenviile, and
the Trutter Bros, stanton. Six mile
from Midway brings he line to FAN field
in Rock bridge. Thence the road runs
about one and half miles. to the
right of Timber Ridge Church. through
the lands Of col. John Gibson and others
and crosses t le pike again on the old Came
ron estate. two miles from Lexington, ln-
eli, ing to the nth aud in The dire ctio
of North river. The original plan was Il
cross the river about $50 yards above TIL
covered bridge. at an elevation nf VI FEET
and top The Virginia Nil tary lnstltus
hill But by the terms of the recen COT
tract with the Richmond & Allegheny rna
the line will diverge At or near the polhi
above II entioned some q miles from Norti
river. and, running down Willow Spin.
brarcl, .intersect the Rici mord Il Allegf :
nv on tie prtm's OF Col VIM Preston
John ton. on tie liver. Il half mile bei""
the covered bridge. AT this point tie e., 4"
ro DIS are to have sidiDgs and Il "Y" and
other facilities as terminal point Of botif
roads
From Chat roint the Richmond & ALE
ghauy Company has constructed It's track
up tbs liver past the covered turnpike
bridge, and is building a bridge across the
liver. The track will run from the river
up Woods eretk. at grade of 1O2 feet, o
the rear of the Military !nstl'u ute ard
Washington and Lee University. intersnct-
ing the original line in the t,wn OF LEX
angton, near which point the depot will br
huilt. Mr.. Harmau. the contractor, is now
working upon this portion of the line, and
excavar ing for the depot, which is to be
used Jointly by the two companies, and
which will tie commodi0us and handsome
building.
The track from Johnston's to the sta
Zion as il will be built by both roads Will
be used in common, and each road will pay
rental to tile other for that part Of its
track which it uses.