The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-03-29

society to be rganized-Cisarter 10 be
Asked for.

AT meeting OF clIlzenS anu la l'Si0 VI
Augusta coanty, held at the Court House
Monday last, Rev. Samuel Driver ealled
the meeting TO order, and on his motion
Judge Grattan, was called to the char.
Judge Grattan, on taking the chair, spoke
very earnestly of the time and opportunity
now offering as highly favorable for lmmi-
grafton to our valley and The South. Here
tofore we have looked to the East and be-
You'd the sea for immigrants. but on COM
ing to this country, they had been attract
ed West by flaming advertisements and
cheap lands. The railroads haQ so opef-
ated as to work in the interest OF the
Vest, and rates had been so adjusted, that
by sharp determinations, settlers Ill the
far West were placed nearer East than
those who settled in the East, and the
markets for produce were affected by SIM
liar methods. But happily by combina-
tion of fortuitous happenings, these things
were all to be changed, and the great
swelling tide which had been pouring
West, was about to be turne1 back. and IN
it's great reflow the East and the South
would receive the benefit. Cyclones, grass
hoppers, chinch bugs, billiards., and floods,
all terrible and destructive in their char
acter, had started the return tide OF east
ward immigration, and most oppofluneIy
the Inter-States commerce law either had
or would regulate railroad traffic, SO as to
give the Eastern farmer fair chance III
legitimate competition; and as the tide
begins to turn, the railroads change base
and are now Offering excursion rates to
parties coming East to prospect for lands.
In addition to this favorable com Dina
ton of events, we, of the Valley section
have special inducements to offer. A fer
tile soil, abundant streams and springs, a.
magnificent climate, mild, temperate and
genial: free from all the disturbing ele
ments prevailing in the West. Our noun
tains standing as barriers against the biz
yards of the Western country, and our
abundant forests protecting US against
floods, while the heavily timhered noun
tain sections secured to US copious, fire.
quent and refreshing showers.
IN the West the rapid removal OF the
timber increased the severity Of the
droughts, burnt up the crops, and this and
other causes, had brought the people to
turn their eyes towards.the East
The people who would come to US would
not be strangers Many of them, or their
fathers before them, had gone out from
among US. They would be but returning
to the land Of their birth, bringing with
them habits of energy, industry, and econ
omy acquired in the land of their adoption.
Judge Grattan stated that he was greatly
surprised to find upon investigation OF
statistics, that Augusta county. produced
larger general average of wheat than
Kansas, Iowa, and Minnesota, the great
wheat area Of the West.
He called attention to the fact that the
excursions lately organized by the b. q ..
railroad to bring prospecting parties East
had had good effect Mr.. Chrisman Of
Iowa, had been tol the Valley as the agent
OF 800 families in Iowa. He read letter
from Mr.. G. addressed to A. G. Gordon,
Esq, president Of the Chamber of Com
merce. regretting his inability to visit
Augusta county at this time, but expects
to be with US about April l2th the time of
| the next excursion. Many other good
points were made by Judge Grattan. He
was very severe Oh the Virginia Senate
for it's failure to pass Mr.. Gordon S rail
road bill, and declared that those Senators
who had opposed the measure, would be
consigned to the retirement of private
| life by their indignant constituency.
| A. G. Gordon, Esq, moved that com
mittee representing each county in the
| Valley be appointed to prepare constitu-
| tion and apply for a charter Of an associa-
| ton, to be known as the ''Valley Immi-
grafton Association. y C. T. Nelson, Esq ;,
of G. F. Nelson & Co., land agents. spoke
Of the large correspondence his firm has
with parties from the West, making en-
qulries for lands in. the Valley. Mr..
Hanna, of Greenbay, Mich. said in a per-
sonal interview, that large numbers Of the
people had made up their minds to leave
that section and come East. His firm was
now in correspondence with railroad of
ficials to secure excursion trains from the
far west,
z. A. Baylor, Esq. gave q most graphic
account of his visit last summer to Mis-
found the land parched and dried up, and
| all along the track of the railroads, were
fires as far as the eye could reach. the
dry grass and stubble having teen set on
fire by sparks from the passing trains, He
too. found the country people looking for
escape from cyclones, billiards., and de-
structive storms and floods.
| w. A. Burke, z. M, said he was III
daily receipt of letters enquiring as to
farming lands and homes.
It was stated that the G. & o. railroad
had also organized excursion trains, which
would run up to May 18th, from points
west of the Mississippi river.
The Chair appointed the following com
mittee, under MI Gordon S resolution:
Augusta County-Rev. SAM Driver, ].
A. Patterson, A. C. Gordon, B. F. Eakle
Rockingham County-George Chrisman,
Jno. Lincoln, Rev. S. H. Myers, Cornelius
Myers.
Shenandoah County-Wm. Miller, Hon.
| Edward Rice, Sam Shirley.
| Rockbridge County-Col. J. c. Shields.
J. P. Moore. w. B. T. .Leech.
Botetourt County-Rev. D. g. Mumaw.
Allegheny County-A A. McAllister.
Bath-Arch Withers.
| Highland-J. B. Bradshaw,
Page-Hon. VIM, Mines.
Botetourt-Col Evans Dillon.
| Judge Grattan was appointed to attend
the convention in the interest of Immi-
grafton to the South, which meets at Hot
Springs, N. c., april 25th.
@. T. Nelson, Z. M. Gushing, Mai P.
| H. Woodward, G. M. Dudrow, and Judge
j. M Quarles were appointed a committee
to wait on parties prospecting for lands, to
act ia concert with the railroad authori
ties, and compare opinions as to the best
mode of bringing the lands of the Valley
and Augusta county to the attention of
parties desiring to purchase.
Rev. Mr.. Driver gives notice that the
committee to prepare application for char
ter will meet in Staunton at the Council