The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-03-14

sion In favor of this locality than are
presented anywhere else, because of t.ls
neglected consideration. 1t is that We
are Oh the main trunk liDe-the Chesa-
peake aud Ohio-to water transportation.
and that seyeL-tenths Of the iron mar
ufactured in the country is consumed i'll
Eve 8. itirs of the Union-Phiiadelph
New York, Dos. or. PlttSNulg ard On
sinnati three of which Philadelphia,
New York ard Boston-can be reached
By boat. from Newport News. aud ton
Of iron be- laid there al minimum cost.
This fact is pregnant with Argument. III
DIT ties criticism and challenges c0mpttl-
ton. IL is conclusive that the mnera! dis
tricts Of the valley are without a rival,
and that when all the advantages here pre-
scented are considered. the douhteTs ald
scoffers will have TO give way and ae'
knowledge that the great iron ceutre OF
the country is destined TO be located oe'
tween the Blue Ridge and the North
Mountain OF the beautiful Valley of Viz
ginia
There is not within the broad limits Of
the Union al area OF country possessing
so much intrinsic wealth. awaiting the
application OF capital and energy. as Is to
b. found Within radius of fifty miles
around Stanton, We have anthracite
coal. red and brown heIna,ite iron ores
manganese, cement rock. ochrfs. cays and
l>o IL ipo atrcc
could all be converted int, active values
by the construction OF the Stanton and
West Augusta Railroad seventeen miles
in length. 1t would lie the means of Gre
ating traffic for The railroad. which
woul amply repay for the ltlay from
| the first day an engine would pass over 1t.
| aud he fit itIui Of pos siGlitles that woui'
assure business without parallel cls-
lance and expenditure considered, in rail-
road Ell telprise.
| 1t Is only a question of time when all
these promises will become frui'ions. In
this stirring, progressive age. with limit
less idle capital seeking profitable invest
ment, and the eyes Of the whole country
turned to Virginia and her marvellous nat
ural resources, such 0pport as are
here offered will LOT long go begging. AEf
| once the staff is made and the real facts
| understood, the wonder wi be that sucb
a field for enterprise and pr,lt has sc
long been neglected.
Il is the opportunity of the Chesapeake
AMI Olio railroad. The enlightened. eXpe
rienced and able president of the 6 rpora-
ton and it's recently related roads, onl.
has to know tenth of what can be see!
to arrest his attention and command his
practical investigation OF the wonderful
material resources which await the tOucl
of means and energy. and an avenue oi
escape from their mountain Businesses
Thee is nothing 10 the gold regions. o
in any of the coal and iron districts OF
tn. Union. to snrpass the wealth that her
lies dead. There is nothing iP the com
pass Of figures to compute it, There il
nothing in the possibilities of development
to surpass it.
The first step to vigorous impulse.
live. active Sakaning to practical ap
preciitlon OF the fact. is the eonstrnc
ton of The little, apparently insignificant
seventeen miles of railroad from Stasnto
to North River Gap. 1t will touch tn
springs which will put all the forces i
motion for the development aud utiliza
ton of one of the most remarkably ricl
mineral sections Of the Union. And III
influence that will accomplish this vi
not only reap bcuntiful reward. but vi
prove benefaction to people who ar
too narrow IN inded aud sluggish and III
different 10 understand their own inter
ests and cnm prehend the marvellous %
stowments of a too kind Providence.