The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-09-22
A Good Word for Lexington.

We have for years contended that the
Reason and facts OF the case would induce
) the construction of the Valley Railroad a
5least as far as Lexington, and believed thai
afrom some point near there road would b.
CONSTRUCTED to penetrate the rich pastora
: and mineral regions of the Southwest, il
1.-The interest of Baltimore as we'll as the
Hpeople of Virginia. At the recent monthly
: meeting of the directors OF the Baltimore
= md Ohio Railroad, Hon. John w. Garrett
1.-The President of that company, gave to thu
HBoard the reasons which operated in the
: sale of the Virginia Midland to Hon. Johr
. S. Barbour, as the representative of Ger
tain other railroad interests. In his re
marks he said {:
1.-THE city of Baltimore is admirably 10
Hcated not only for Western but for South
ern trade. Its situation makes it the mos
8convenient and economic centre for tht
Htrade of the Southern as well az Of the
XWestern States. Heretofore artificial com
&binations have obstructed the laws of trade
= and the interests of large sections by pre-
3venting the use of direct lines of railroad
Hbetween the South and Baltimore. Tht
&Orange and Alexandria road. now the Vir
8gnia Midland, formed a road leading from
&Lynchbnrg to Baltimore, Which would have
been of incalculable advantage to tn.
ESouth if its usefulness had not been largel,
destroyed by those, who through plans o.
legislation and combination gained the
control of the Virginia and Tennessee
Road, leading from Bristol to Lvnchburg
land then refused the natural and profitable
+ Interchange of traffic between the road
$from Lynchburg to Baltimore, and from
&Lynchburg through the Tennessee anG
&Virginia Road to the Southwest. A route
Ito accomplish similar objects will ultimate
8iy be opened, because the permanent inter.
tests of the Southwest require it, and south
western railroad organizations must have a
alirect outlet to Baltimore. Lexington will
&become the objective point, and these com,
$bnations will secure tirst-class line to
Washington and Baltimore through the ust
$ IF the Valley Road and the lines of the
Baltimore and Ohio Road, via Winchester
iarpers Ferry and the metropolitan Branch
$Road."
! This clearly sustains the view we have
Hoften presented through these columns
shat it was never designed that the Valley
railroad should be merely local improve
ment, but that it was part of compre.
Hnensive through system. and that in time
This fact would be fully demonstrated by
Hactual facts. While not prepared to sustain
! this conjecture by tangible facts, we are
satisfied that the comprehensive mind and
large experience of John w. Garrett would
&never be directed to an Improvement thai
: embraced no more in it than termina
Bpoint at Staunton for the Valley Railroad
10 cats& the refuse trade CT the Chesapeake
&lnd Ohio Railway. The vast unoccupie(
land undeveloped territory of the South
$west-so rich in mineral, agricultural, tim
&ber and pastoral resources-could not wei
ESCAPE the attention of such man as Mr..
EGarrett, and we believed in the course o
time. his plans would comprehend con
&nection Herewith. to draw to the Valley
8Railroad and Baltimore the trade tina
%awats development in the section re
Hferred to.
! We may take it for granted, from the in
&timation given in the extract above, tina
1.-THE Valley Road will be completed to l. ex
6lngton, and that when finished, oIhe
@schemes will be inaugurated, to make it
apart of great enterprise that will travers'
he State from the extreme Southwest, t.
Hthe Northern limits, by way OF the Valley
Improvement.