The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-01-15
Street Corner Notes.

and dried fruits, &C., are kept, and re-
mainsa few moments, that he does not
see somebody pick up a handful OF pea
nuts, an apple, some dried fruit or piece
of cheese. With most persons who in
dulge in this kind Of nibbling, it is a hab-
| it, not thinking Of the imposition 1t is
on the proprietor, or the extreme wrong OF
the act. There are some persons who cam
not forego the temptation to crafty their
tastes in this way whenever they come in
contact with such articles. We have mo-
ticed men, who in all respects, so far as
| their dealings are concerned, are correct
and careful as to what they do and regarded
as strictly honest, that would think nothin z
| of taking a handful of peanuts OF chest
nuts, a lump of dates, a bunch OF ralslns,
a couple of cents worth of cheese. an APP
pie, dried peaches or berries of any kind
that happened to be convenient. They
don t mean to be dishonest, but the habit
of this sort Of Indulgence has become
second nature with them, and they never
think of checking themselves or consider
ing the improperly of what they do. The
| aggregate loss, in the course OF twelve
! months, to the merchant, is not easily es-
| tmated. but it is certainly not inconslder-
able The proprietor does not like to pro-
test and enter into a statement OF the loss
he maintains in that way, for it would
| instantly be put down to penurlOuSness,
as well. as cause offence. The habit, too,
| is contagious. If II person, who may pass
/ for gentleman, IS seen to sample. every
thing that lies in sight, others will feel at
| liberty to do the same, and in this way the
merchant is robbed of his goods. This is
/ a form of stealing that ought to be thought
| of, and where there is proper sensibility,
when little reflection is given, it will be
abandoned. The merchant pun chases his
goods to SELL and not to be sampled away.
| sometimes 10y those who do not buy two
dollars worth from him during the year.
| Render unto Caesar the things that are
| Caesar $. in the case of the merchant and
his goods, and when you feel like crafty
| ing your appetite. put your hand in your
| pocket. like !. man, aud pay for it.
Virginia is one of the richest mineral
| States in the Union. her mountainsabound
| i'm the most valuable ores. and there is
scarcely II geological treasure that has not
been or cannot be found within her bounda-
ries. Although one of the original thir-
teen States and running to the very gov
| ornamental centre of the Nation, her terri
| tory is practically d terra 5ncOglitd. But
| one systematic attempt has been made to
discover her resources, and that WAS over
forty years age. In 1924, Prof. VIM.
b. Rogers made a geological survey OF the
State, and never since that day has there
been any real effort put forth to locate tie
/ vast mines with which nature has under
laid her surface. Our legislatures have
i spent millions, but there has not been one
Assembly in doublescore of years that
had business sagacity enongsi to perceive
| that a j6dicious expenditure for a geolOg
ical survey would add millions to the tax
able values of the'State and bring to the
'front.' those agencies which have raised
neighbor4ng States to the forefront of
commoNwealti1s. Pennsylvania makes an
annual appropriation for this work, and
the result has been the establish ment of
vast industrial enterprises, representing
millions of capital and employing tens of
thousands Of workmen. The recent mes
sage of Gov. Patterson, referring to the
. Geological Survey of that State, gives
, some interesting information in regard to
the cost of the publication of the reports
and maps of the survey, the aggregate of
which is $593, sl.s9. This. however, the
Philadelphia Press declares, is likely to
, convey wrong impression to the public.
There have been seventy-three reports and
} \ aliases published. the edition of each
} amounting to 5000 copies, and In one or
/, two special reports 5000 copies, instead of
from 1000 to 5000 copies, making the ave-
rage cost for each volume about SLIGO.
The publication of the reports of the Sur
vey is done under the Constitution, which
specifcally.provides for the public print
y ing, and is conducted independent CT the
Board of Commissioners, the number of
the volumes of the reports being regulated
by special acts of the Legislature pro-
l viding for their publication for distrlbu-
tion among the members. These acts have
been passed independent of the board,
. | which controls alone the disbursement of
the appropriations made for the field work
of the Survey, ard the printing of 400
copies of each report, which, by the origi-
nal act establishing the Survey, are to be
: sold ;at the cost of publication, and the re-
ceipts thereof to be turned into the State
| Treasury The actual cost to the State,
therefore. of the work under the direction
:. / of the Board of Commissioners has been
wery little in excess of $450,000, which has
been appropriated for the field and office
work of the biologists, and the cost of the
reports not yet sold, which are in the hands
; of the Secretary of Internal Affairs
' There could be no better testimonial of
ttre value Of the work accomplished by
tho Survey than the fact that the demands
for y publications have been so great,
narticnl. rlg in the mineral districts OF the
State tbat several legislatures, since the
oon,n,oroor MT OF the work, have been
forced TO mass Nsneciai bills providing fol
the notification vt copies of the reports
which could he DIV, VI to their constituents
to meet practical q spaand. purlng tne
last session of the Leg Nature "a commit
tee, of which ex-senator Elckley po' COKE
was chairman, was appoin efe 10 i4iqulre
into 1.-The manner and ef1icien, " on Vho
illogical Survey The results oH uOS in'
vestigation were highly creditable> Nv Vhe
Survey, the report closing with t,N9S fe'
mark: 1.-THE work IS well done and - ID
credit to the State, and will compare favtT'
ably with any geological work in this coun-
try or abroad" Ii the people of Virginia
would consent to elect one business legis-
lature, a geological survey might be or
dered, thus affording the State an oppor-
tunity to let the world know the induce
ments she offers for the investment of
capital. If that legislature did nothing
besides. it would prove the most prof.
table the State has known for a gen.
: Grafton.