Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-05-20
Staunton Speria.:gs .
WEDNESDAY, MAY 90, 1856.
PROGRESS, DEVELOPMENT, AND I'M
PROVEMENT.

without discouraging results. Cheered by |
the hopeful, and only taking note of the |
adverse to profit by it, such experience
should lead us rightly and in all our varied |
interests to act as thoughtful and prudent |
men. Because we are not accomplishing |
Ill with which climate, location, and OPP
portunity, and resources SO invitingly |
every PORTION OF our State |
in the race of progress, it should not be set |
down to delinquency in inclination nor an |
estimate Of our position
and surroundings. We maintain that the |
future of Virginia will be commensurate
with the extent of her resources, and that
progress, though slow in assurances in its
evidences to some observers, will yet, with
an active capital, all of which has to be ac-
CURED, make an advancing and profitable
future.
The leading and trunk lines of railways
which of late years have been built in the
State added to those previously in exist
ence, are quite sufficient in that relation for
the general development of the country
and It's latent wealth. To these leading
lines, more than to any other influences
we are indebted for the spirit of enterprise
which has set ON foot the local improve
ments in remote and interior sections which
are now progressing-indeed, some have
been completed, and are displaying Won
derful results in sustaining the sagacity
and rewarding the efforts which brought
them into existence.
Without the opportunity Of obtaining &C
curate information, yet we can be suffi-
GENTLY correct for the purposes in hand,
when referring to the local lines which have
been constructed or commenced.
At Claremont on the lower James River,
a CONNER cial and manufacturing town has
sprung up, from which a railroad is max
ing its way across the interior to the Roam
oke Valley at GAINESVILLE and thence to
Darville. Another is the completed line
commencing at Elba on the Midland Rail
road forty miles south Of Lynchburg and
penetrating the western interior forty miles
to Rocky Mount, the county-seat of Frank
lin. The Danville and New River Railroad
is another, and long line crossing the
Piedmont and the plateau west of the Blue
Ridge into the New River valley, and will
probably be continued through Wythe
county to the Tazewell coal fields, Danvi!le
desiring direct route Of her own to that
famed fuel supply. 1t has been completed
to Stuart the county-seat Of Patrick. The
impulse, through the instrum ent Atty of this
road, which has been given along the COM
pleted portion, especially in the game little
county of Henry, has been marvellous.
Another is the uncompleted work from
Bristol 10 tie Kentucky State line, which
seeking the Lee, Wise, Scott, and Buch-
anan coal fields, aud passing through tie
natural arcl.-way or tunnel in Scott county,
will develop fertile agricultural country
with III equaled forest &ad mineral re-
sources.
Now these are local impr ", ments, I'M
dertaken with home capital in the main,
and by cities, towns, and counties uniting
lines or the trunti.lines of which some
complain in the adjustment Of freight
charges have notl ing to do with them, I'M
less they are admitted to such privileges
by the people themselves most deeply in
terested who will, of course, protect their
intererts, and SO that no excessive charges
are made.
If asked why these schemes ara sketched
and introduced here in local paper, and
to people remote from them and without
commercial and trade intercourse with
those sections Of the State, we answer, be-
cause a few years ago, Danville had a back
country tributary 20 it undeveloped, as the
city of Staunton has now. Danville and
the counties interested have built the road,
and both are now reaping the largest bene-
tits, all euuring to local advantage and To-
cal prosperity. We introduce them to IL
lustrate the situation of another city.
9 Lynchburg has, also. a large interior wagon
trading country. She proposes to attract
it all the way from that city to The North
Cagoiii a line, 167 miles, near the great
watershed OF she Tennessee, Yadkin, Dan,
and New Rivers, by a narrow gauge read =
tie whole enterprise being the work of the
city and the Counties. The design is purely
socal, SO intended ard will SO result She
ROW pays $3.50 local tax on the 800 of
assessed property, and yet finds it to her
interest to hold the country which she had
under primitive modes of transportation
hy undertaking to construct the advanced
methods of intercourse Here are the facts
IN relation to other cities, once situated as
Stanton is now. 1t is not for us to say
wha5 she can or will do nor the time Of her
action in the premises. We are now pass
ing through the stages of depression
Changing times will come. Another boom
will spread over the land after the clouds
at dependency pass away and We hope all
which now is hers by intercourse and trade
relations, may continue in the same chan
nels and under more favorable auspices.
The progress made by these cities as
well as along the lines of the Improvements,
are as marked in the manufacturing as n
any other department of industry. The
wealth which the back country tributary to
this city has in its hard woods alone would
annually double the great and growing hay
crop of Augusta county. Factories for
shaping these woods into the daily and
continually growing demand for fabrics OF
siis material would be established in tlis
city, with what benefits the most visionary
mind cannot estimate. No section Of the
Virginias has snch resources in the South
ern hard woods, which are now controlling
the markets of the country in those sup
plies. 1t is not necessary to refer to the large
interests existing also in grazing, agrcAl-
ture, mining, &C.. which would center in
silis city new trade Of marvellous value.
Another fact in sustaining the view pre-
seated in the opening of this article. The
New River branch of the Norfolk and