The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-05-18

as II were, the waves OF the ocean, looked Tor
ward to the consummation of this Shenandoah
Valley railroad enterprise as one of the grea
achievements distinguishing the latter part 0
this remarkable century. Truly, when WI
hear and read of its contemplated connections
how beautifully prophetic was The imagery O
his mind in his able and enthusiastic letter tC
Mr. Borst as President of the road, at The
breaking of the first ground upon it at From
Royal in 1870, when he regarded it as a great
North and South trunk line to New Orleans
and its connections and branches, '0penanq on
either side like a faD." = Mr. Borst, we well
know, always cherished that letter as one OF
the highest tributes ever paid to his genius
and brains--in being the author and originator
ofso great a work. He Cannot be robbed Of
| this honor. becausei Others have had the com
peting OF his work begun, owing to acclaim
circumstances useless to refer to now when
all are SO gratfied at its contamination, and
no one more so than he was himself 1t win
stand tor ages-in yprobabity-as a monu.
ment to his energy and genius, and though his
lifeless body will lie within two hundred yards
| OF the depot at Luray, where the rumblings of
It's toiiing and busy wheels, and the wild and
shrill screams Of its steam whistles will break
day and night over the green mound which
presses so gently on the bosom of his manly
| form-now mouldering away-"d dust to dust, "
| yet Will they never awaken again the still,
cold ear OF death or lekindle the fires of the
genius that created it. He, too, originated the
Washington, Cincinnati & st. Louis" Narrow
Gauge scheme of Railroad, and although after
| years of toll, trouble, vexation and loss of mo-
ney over it. the great financial crisis of 1878,
striking it in its cradle, it is not yet completed
even in It's first DIVISION but il was noble
conception of his bold and daring nature and
wonderful energy, which believed all things
practicable when based on intrinsic merits
That great railway will yet traverse his con
templated route OF b0undless resources we have
no doubt His highest ambition was to in
scribe his name on great railroad success,
and he doubtless wore out his naturally strong
constitution in seeking to accomplish his COW
eted ends and purposes. Such were the aspi-
ratlons OF his ambition-they ran in that line
and absorbed him. The man dies but his
memory lives"
lie meyer sought after political honors.
though he was well informed politician and
interested in all the great questions
agitating both the policy of his own
State and the Nation. He however
possessed the talents, energy, tact and PEI se-
yerance to have made an endearing reputation
IN representative service had his inclination
ran in that channel. We believe the only rep
resentative trust he ever held, was as mem
Der OF the State Convention of 1960'61, which
measure he gave his earnest support, by voice
and vote, espOusing the cause of the Confeder-
acy With ali OF the enthusiasm of native born
Southerner He was not frequent speaker III
that body of illustrious Virginians, where such
representative men as ex-President Tyler and
the eminent Senator and Diplomatist, William
y. Hives, closed their illustriOus lives. One of
his speeches there upon Southern resources
and development through railway construction
nj al oil cd fsNrb
we We're told by the late Judge Pendleton, of
Winchester, the highest encomiuns of the CON
ventlon and the warm personal congratua- |
tons of ex-Pfesident Tyler
In character he was strong, self-reliant bold, |
brave and generous, fierce and tempestous in |
debate, quick as the spark from the flint to
flash indignant disapproVal of what he coz
ceved to be wrong, too swift to resent fancied |
wrong, and often dsagreeably aggressive and |
which in private he has often lamented to u.s. |
But he was brave man and always exhibited |
that highest type OF courage, to retract error
and to make the Gal1e1ade the moment ue discover
ed hehad done a wrong or injustice to any one |
In his social relations, and in his own home,
he was always the polite, courteous, dIgnifed |
and attable gentleman. In his domestic rea- /
tons he combined all the simplicity and ten
derness of child, with the strength of thor
ough manliness. In the home and fireside cir |
Gle, where he knew he was most loved, he |
would seek repose and give wings to all his
harrasslng cares and let Them fly away. Upon
the holy precincts of that suddenly stricken |
home, where his bereayed christian wife, the
Youngest daughter Of our veAerablei citizen, /
Mann Almond, Esq, now eightly7six years OF |
age, and his weeping children mourn their |
lost and loved one, we do not propose to tread:
they know where the source and the only |
source of consolation is, and that ''there is a /
Physician there" There is no power here to
tell life's purple current to roll again. The |
vital spark is gone out aud will never be reil- I
lumined till the great day of final retribution
''when Earth's cities have no sound or tread,
And ships are drifting with their dead,
To shores where all are dumb"
A ministering genius has gone out from the
family, a master spirit from the community,
giant from the State and Prince from among
men. 30
Burdens that would have appalled, the stout
ed heart, struggles that would haye snapped |
asunder the heartstrings of ordinary men,
were to him but as toys and playthings. To |
him an obstacle surmounted was but step
onward iii the path to victory over higher and
greater. There was no hating, no faltering, |
no resting. The active mind, the busy hands,
the aspiring heart asked neither truce no par.
ley. His talents were striking from being
capacity was equally striking from its wonder
tu power in the application of those talents at
will. He was ahead OF his age; his mind
reached out and grasped great subiec,s in all
their plenitude. What to Others were visions
of q fairy future, to him were tangible realities.
He approached them with the will and de-
termination to solve; others were content to
dream, and whilst the latter were in the pro-
portion OF tens OF thousands to one, yet the
nf ha ann twi,,,
suits OF that genius will be q never failing
fountain of blessings to the State he loved so
well. 1t was not given him to witness the
realization OF all his splendid conjectures"
for the old Commonwealth.
And all that beauty, all that Wealth 9 or gave,
Await alike the inevitable hour
1he paths Of glory lead but to the grace"
Mr.. Borst was buried from his late home,
81 Ayentine," and followed to Green Hill Gene
terry by a large concourse of people, the Rev.
clergy, regardless OF denominati0nal distinc-
ton, the judge Of Page County Court and
members OF the bar acting as honorary pail
bearers. The stores and all other places of bu-
siness were closed during the funeral ceremo-
MES, and respect of every kind manifested tn
honor Of the remarkable man who had been.so
suddenly taken away. Let all lay this solemn
admonition OF the uncertainty of life to the
careful consideration or their minds and hearts,
Solemn funeral services were performed at the
grave by Elder BQoton, Of the Baptist church,
and Rev Mr.. W Weller, OF the Methodist church
Mr.. Borst was well and favorably know to
the public men of his own State and many of
the leading men of the country who viii hear
of his death with regret and sorrow. We
come now 10 say farewell to our departed
friend of whom we have sought to speak
plainly and truthlully, as he was known to u.s.
His sun has set; no hand can turn backward
the shadows on the dial of irrevocable time,
and now all that is mortal of our deceased and
Giend reposes in Green Hill GENE
terry T, III East Luray, under the shadows of the
grand and lofty "Blue Mountains" where the
sun in his daily rounds casts his luminous rays,
and the stars at night their mellow tints upon
the bosom OF his quiet and peaceful rest,
Duncan is in his grave
After iife's htful fever, he sleeps we'll
J.E.s.
Luray, Va, May 6, 1882.
The Bourbons of Norfolk have nominated
Mr.. Guy, worthy mechanic, as their cardi-
date TOR mayor. 1t is such a novel thing for
toly Al hot