Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-11-19
Local Departments.
River and Greek Tords.

River and Creek T0rtls.
CLUTCHES AND ROAD SIDES-AN ECONOMICAL
AND SAFE REMEDY FOR SECURITY AGAINST
DANGER-MAJ. ]. MARSHALL MCCUE BEFORE
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN A LENGTHY
ADDRESS ON THE ABOVE SUBJECTS ABOUND
ING IN REFERENCES OF CoTEMPoRANEoUs
HISTORY, DURING THIRTY-sEvEN YEARS OF
ACTIVE LIFE.
The announcement that Maj. J. Marshall
McCue would address the County Board OF
Supervisors Thursday last, at the Courthouse,
on subjects OF much interest, called together
quite a number of citizens of the county and
city. His Honor, Judge Mclaughlin, sus-
pended the session of Court for the time and
was present whilst the venerable speaker &C.
cupied the floor.
The full Board was in attendance with Presi-
dent Callson in the chair. who introduced the
proceedings.
Maj. McCue commenced by referring to the
time when he took the stage at Staunton, with
is colleagues from Augusta and maay other
n ,mbers of the Legislature from western
counties, for service in the session commend
ing December, 1913. 1t was that period in the
hissory of the State which inaugurated the
s. lem of internal improvements, and here he
FESSenJ6u d roll Ol The members Oh pOlu HOUSES
and proceeded rapidly to make entertaining
sud instructive references to many of them.
Judge Sheffey was his colleague in the House
os.Delegates, and the late William Kinney in
lie Senate. OF the entire Senate, all had
pissed lover the river except one. The dis
ttaguished Charles James Faulkner died re
equity, leaving william Marshall Amber. OF
Louisa county, the only survivor of that
1eapcI, of the eois la at that TINA THE
sR stch he made of leading members of both
Houses, and the positions they occupied on
Questions in which Augusta county had the
most concern as well as the progress which had
baen made in railroad construction in the
State, was not the least interesting portion OF
lis lengthy address. Calling in rapid order
The names of his colleagues, and Eaidley,
Price, R. e. Scott, Burwell, Moncure, Tunstall
erhy, Booth, Perrow, Dorman, Paxton, and
scores of others, revived recollections of stir
ring scenes at the Capital and all over the
Gtgs in those times which have passed into
hi Dry. In this connection, he adverted to
Toe memory of Asa Whitney, who was an able
aud enthusiastic railroad advocate, and fig
ure before the Legislatures and public OF sew.
eral States including Virginia. He witnessed
ITO breaking of ground when the germ of the
f'nega peake and Ohio railroad had its origin
the 1enerable G. r. Mason casting the first
zpsde-full of earth at Hanover Junction
following on and during the sessions of his
hrat service in the Legislature, the Central
raiirosd was chartered, and the Rockfish Gar
tunnel provided for. and he had lived to wit
ness ahls great line-the Chesapeake and Ohio
pushed Through to its western connections
snd anticipated with and mingled among the
happy thousands when the last spike of the
Central Pacific line was driven few years
sipce at San Francisco.
Other and important events in the history
Ot mis- tim es were introduced-the commence.
Snent and the completion of the Washington
Eaonun ent at Richmond. The laying of the
conner stone was witnessed by President Tay-
Tor, and the unwilling of the equestrian statue
cf she Father of his Country its pedetal be-
fUtg an occasion of great interest. called thou
suds of people to the scene. and among them
size iilusrious ut.-General of the Army
c y. wihieId Scott. He quoted from the
spsyrs TOR s2any paragraphs referring to the
services Of mis- colleagues in the Legislature. in
association vita himself, expressing unbound
ed approval, and applauding their activity.
zeai, @nd constaucy in adhering to the policy
which fixed the course The great central route
TO Inc Ohio and the far West should take 10
crossing the State OF Virginia. He had been a
public servant Of me people of his native
cSlnty in various stations, the county
hsech as well as in the legislative halls, and
Gee NED II 40 ordinary honor to have been as
SOC tied with James Bell, James Crawford,
W .g} A. Be-, and others, who adorned the sea-
OF astice of this great old county. The
TequisitioDs upon his time had been almost
continuous from his entrance on public sta
tloa down to the closing scenes at Appomat
tox. whea the future was all shroudei in
loom.
With fhe ending of the struggle, he depicted
gle cad condition of the country, particularly
refarring 10 the deplorable condition of the
c1uhfy roads, the crossings at the various
atse arns, the causeways, etc.
ACE spting service in his neighborhood as
81 l3ad-ovefseer. and taxing his ingenuity for
some peedy remedy to overcome the dangers
n o:As and gulcnes, he demonstrated the
fccu,;niy and practicability of g method which
he pr3oeeded to illustrate by model. This
plan IS successfully applied there, and is still
55aEtIng firm and safe over dangerous pass
ghloh fact is, of itself, sufficient vindication
OF Us s.tsapness and durability. The distine-
Nfs titie of his improvement, for which be
,3btalneda patent in 1873. is the Submerged
Ford" MIR. John G. Slower, Comfy Surveyor
nieai4on from Maj. c. R. Mason, which gives II
ta1asl,fed approval. In addition, he read
frtan 1n ether document, recently rendered
ti.3 Is, Mr. Gerard B Stuart and other citizens
ir south river valley. exposing their APP
,,sa,. a, his plan, and testifying to the safety
.s r,rabtI,'ty OF one now in use at crossing
u s South ri 'er.
Etader the order II Court, when Judge Hen
6-s, was on the bench committee, of which
sft slower and Mai, Mas, N were members, had
"a fully examined and rem orted on the cost
oi ne construction of brid. % at neeoeo
point. ascertaining the same to b 5000. He
aelaat atrated that the ''Submerged 'ord'
aGaptea by the Board of Supervisors, co via De
b'l ID the same place for $3.50, and prove III
s.ye. and durability, the equal of the old anu
ordinary method of meeting such difficulties
~ lis connection, he referred to recent cor
Itspt ldence and interviews with Judge Kirby
Or tson County Court, which indicated that
e Use Board of Supervisors of Augusta county
dee, ed the Improvement valuable one, Its
intFo11ction into Nelson county would follow.
He raerred to his association with the first
nGsrd of Trustees of the Augusta Female Sem
in. IS sc Staunton, the support he gave it, and
the proPortlons in which it now stands forth
IN - i's elegance. He gave the history, and
ais atrect association with the origin and sue
essiu workings of the Messy Creek Academy,
~ Wh III Maj. jed Hotchkiss was the principal
instr ctor. He cited the circumstance that at
fhat 5chool was taught the eminent Physician
once a poor Augusta boy, DR.. Loekridge now
az iudianapolis, by whose knowledge aud skill
lA9 NieePresident elect, Governor Hendricks,
" s4ved from death when other distin-
guish I'd members of the profession abandoned
his case as hopeless.
Disi. McCue dwelt with emphasis upon the
great value of the railroad and the schools in
oheir Citations to the progressive interests of
3 ugusha county, and to the services he had, in
ccnuection with others, faith fully and timely
rendered, when those great schemes were in
irQ5 lce2. Apart from all other advantages, he
referred to the direct revenues derived by tax
satlon which the railroad was pouring into the
county treasury, and from which source he
7sas informed the Board of Supervisors now
proposed TO erect a new and safe building for
.he accommodation of the Offices of Treasurer,
5 heritf, Surveyor, &c.
re cSted instances when aged citizens Of
fas1 Il /