Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-03-28
IMMIGRATION.
MEETING OF THE PEOPLE OF AUeUsTA-A VAL
Lev xn AHn InrnG1c,,, rro,r SOCIETY.

MEETING OF THE PEOPLE OF AUGUsTA-A Val
LEY LAND AND IMMIGRATION SOCIETY.
The discussions and movements which hav
Of late taken place in respect to the desire
farmers in the West and Northwestern State
to settle in Virginia, as well as general deslr
of the people of Augusta to prom ote such pur
pose, public meeting, which was well attend
ed, was held at the Courthouse last Monoay
Reverend Samuel Driver called the meeting u
order. and proposed Judge Chas. Grattan 10
Chairman, which was unanimously agreed u
Judge Grattan, in explaining the oRJecI
the meeting, which was to form lana ELI
immigration society in the Valley, delivered
one of his clear and forcible speeches SO emil
AsHtly characteristic of his Investigation ane
researches in all things pertaining to our cnle
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. Now was the time tt
secure an instalment of new settlers, who woui'
gladly come with their capital, energy ano
thrift, If we would open the way to receive
them. This we ought to do and do it at once
During his address, he read letter received DS
Hon. A. Q. Gordon, President of the stanton
Chamber Of Commerce, from gentleman
one Of the Northwestern States now IN Ine
lower Valley in search of farming lands lor seS'
tiers whom he represents in his State.
| Mr.. Gordon offered resolution providing
| for the appointment of a committee TO apply W
Judge Mclaughlin for a charter incorporating
1.-THE Land and Immigration Society Oh Inc
| Valley of Virginia." which was discussed by
Messrs c. F. Nelson. P. A. Baylor, and W. a.
Burke. MIR. Baylor made many statements
from observation whilst visiting the West and
Northwest last Summer, and he was sure
large emigration from that country to this
would occur If the merits of the Valley of Vir-
ginia were made known and our people offer
proper inducements for them to settle here.
The Chesapeake & Ohio and the Baltimore
| and Ohio Railroad lines, with their western
connections, are now inaugurating excursion
trips with special reference to meeting the de-
sire of the Western people to visit Virginia in
search of new homes. These facilities and
many other topics In connection with the OBJ
jects in view were discussed and explained.
Judge Grattan, at this stage of the proceedings,
also referred to the great convention OF the
TINKER Church denomination which takes
place in the Valley in 1889 when there will
be great many Western people hare, and
urged that this society ought to be in full &C
tivity before and at that time. The resolution
was unanimously adopted. and the following
named persons were, by the Chair, appointed
the committee
Rev Samuel Driver and J. A. Patterson. DR.,
Augusta: A, C. Gordon and B. F. Eakle Staun-
ton; George Chrisman, John Lincoln, and
Rev. Samuel H. Myers, Rockingham; William
Miller, Edward Rice and Samuel Shirley,
Shenandoah; J. P. Moore, W. B. F. Leech, and
J. c. Shields, Rockbridge; Rev. D. G. Moomaw,
Roanoke; Col. Ed. Dillon. Botetourt; A. A.
McAllistsr, Allegheny; A. F. Withrow, Bath;
]. B. Bradshaw, Highland; Hon. VIM. Mines,
Page.
On motion of Rev. Mr.. Driver, Judge Graf
tan was added to the committee.
Mr.. Gordon called attention to the general
movement in the south favoring immigration
TO be made at a convention to be held at the
Hot Springs, in North Carolina, on the 18th
April. This movement includes all the States
east of the Mississippi and south of Maryland,
taking in this state, and on Mr.. Gordon's mo-
ton, Mr.. Grattan was appointed a delegate
from this meeting.
There was every manifestation by all partic-
ipating In the meeting, as well Jas by the peo-
pie of Augusta and other counties, who were
in large numbers on the court green, of favor
ing the movement for attracting to the Valley
enterprising farmers and others for the devel-
opment of our resources. If this work is carried
forward as 1t deserves to be there is no esti-
mating the large benefits.
Mr.. Driver, the Chairman of the Committee
to prepare the application for charter gives
notice that the committee will meet in Staun-
ton at the City Council Chamber, Saturday,
April Sth at IL a. m. He hopes that the publ
cation of this notice through the papers will
be sufficient to insure full attendance.