The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-12-04


ing reference to railroad project which
has as much merit in it as any that could
be suggested as affecting the Valley, and
the interests of the Corporation which,
it is stated, has it under consideration:
And the Baltimore and Ohio r. r. Com
pany will shortly put Engineers on a survey
from Broadway, Rockingham county via
Coote's and Moorefield to Romney, where
they propose to join the Pittsburg Branch.
route that will open up new route for
the West either via Pittsburg or the Main
Stem. The distance from Broadway to
Romney is about sixty miles, and when it
is considered that the entire distance is
covered with fine timber and that vast
mineral wealth abounds, this in itself will
Justify the b. & O. in the undertaking
Our intelligence that this work is about
to be undertaken comes from reliable
source, and there is tangible evidence that
It is SO in the recent purchase Of the B. &
.. OF the line running from Wash
ington, Pa, to Pittsburg, which is to be
part OF the proposed line between Broad
way and Pittsburg.
The construction of this suggested road,
would not only open very rich mineral
and timber region, now entirely isolated
and cut off from the outside world, but
would shorten the distance from the Val
ley to the West not less than one hundred
miles. From Broadway, via Brock s
Gap. to the main stem, of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad, near Romney, is about
80 miles, From Broadway to Harper's
Ferry is about so miles, and from Har-
per's Ferry to the nearest station to
Romney Oh the main line of the B. and O..
is about the same distance, we would
guess, without having the data to state it
accurately. The construction of the line
mentioned from Broadway to Romney
would save about a hundred miles in going
from the Valley to the West. The iron
ore fields which would be utilized by this
road are very extensive and of valuable
quality. The pig iron manufactured at
Columbia. Liberty and Van Buren, Fur
naces, in Shenandoah, ranks among the
best that is made. The properties of these
companies on the Southwestern verge,
would be accommodated by this branch
improvement, and invite the establishment
Of additional plants, where iron could be
made at a minimum cost, as the Connells-
vile coke would be in short distance,
while the timber and stock traffic would
be a large factor in the business that
would be created.
1t our Harrisonburg contemporary is
correct in the statement given above, the
Importance of the Improvement cannot be
well overestimated. The iron, marble,
lumber and pastoral wealth that would be
developed, would Of itself justify the con-
struction of the road, to say nothing of
the reduction of distance to the West, and
the saving of time and expense which
would necessarily follow to the travelling
public.
We shall await further developments as
they may relate to this matter with inter-
est, and hope we may have the assurance
that the B. and 0. have taken hold of it in
earnest. We believe there is an existing
charter, comprehending this scheme,
which could be utilized, without the neces-
slty of further legislation.
New York Times; Dec End An impor
tant question was argued in the Supreme
Court Yesterday on an apparently technical
point. The Legislature of Virginia having