Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-05-16
THE DEVELOPMENT OF STA UNION

THE DEVELOPMENT OF STA UNION.
The Staunton Development Company
by reason of the change in the mode of its
stock payments, has received tremendous
impetus this week here at it's own home.
1t is sometimes asked what is there in
this great revival now going on in the iron
belt of Virginia in which Staunton is To-
Gated; how long will it last We answer
that it all rests on the wealth that is in OIL
on the earth Of that belt. The iron fields
of this part of Virginia are almost as truly
just discovered as were the gold fields
of California in 40. In California, cities
were built, manufactures were commenc-
ed, mines were opened, almost in night,
that are growing and prosperous to-day,
because of the hidden metal in it's hills.
In Virginia, cities arespringing up, manu-
features are being commenced and mines
are being opened that will still be growing
fifty years from now as are those of Cali
fOrnia.
All this wealth has been known to be
here for hundreds of years, why is it that
it is just now being doomed and exploited :?
Simply because African slavery was pail
under which it was all hidden for centuries
The population, weighed down by an unna-
tural system of labor, could do little to
develop it.. Capital nor population could
come from the North and do the work. 1t
remained and would have remained, but
for the civil war and it's results, still hidden
from the outer world. Men of science like
Prof. Rogers, wandered through our noun
tains and wrote books about the wealth
they contained. Orators rose in the halls
of legislation and grew eloquent over our
resources. But there stood slavery, brood
ing over every foot of the wondrous wealth
they described. 1t was hands off to foreign
labor, foreign capital, foreign explorers
At last, all this is changed. Hampering
laws have vanished, local prejudice jealous
of the new conner has faded away, a broad
welcome has been given to the world To-
day we ale not only boasting of what is in
our land, but of what is being done to de-
velop it.
In this sudden shifting Of the scene,
=.
stands forth in new light. For this
race she has every advantage over other
points. She is equipped. Her schools are
not to be built. Her streets are not to be
made. Her churches are not to be organized
and then built. Her thoroughfares are not
to be staked off and then paved. Her rail
roads are not yet to be built Her homes
are built. She has all ready. Everything
is in order. She is just twenty years ahead
OF any new point that may be selected on
which to build city.
So, having the home ready, what does she
offer to attract enterprise? She lies in the
midst of vast beds of iron ores; within
prompt and easy cheap-delivery reach of
fuel; with labor reasonable and reliable for
this work, and with open iron roads for the
output to all quarters of the country and to
deep water. She is situated in county
nearly as large as Rhode Island and half as
large as Connecticut, through which three
rivers run, which is fruitful Of great crops,
and to which the blizzard and cyclone are
unknown.
utary to StauntOn make it one of the most
desirable of places for the manufacture of
all articles into the construction of which
wood largely enters. No portion of the
United States can furnish greater varie-
ty OF woods of superior quality, in greater
quantity, cheaper in price, and more suita-
bile for all manufacturing purposes, than
that included in radius of 100 miles from
this city. More than half of the country,
as a whole, along the line Of the Chesapeake
q Ohio Railway, from and including the
Blue Ridge, for $50 miles to the westward
10000 to 40. 900 square miles "a region two
thirds of the extent of the State of Penn
sylvania, is still occupied by forests, most
ly Of original growth.
We have iron, coal, wood, all to hand
here. What else is wanted?
But one thing-for our people to take
hold themselves. They are not backward
people. They have had a strong hand in
building up Iron Gate and Buena Vista.
and planting Basic City-those towns
whose place in the economy of the State
may be considered as fixed for all time.
They must now do as much for their own
city. If they will they can do anything.
What changed Birmingham, Ala, from a
broom-sage field into city of thirty thous-
and Inhabitants? What changed the water
tank station at Big Lick into the thriving
city of Roanoke? What has brought Anne
went to the great West, down to the towns
and fields Of the South 1t has been the
energy of the people. AS traveller recent
ly said OF Southern town-'if the people
OF that town were put out on desert they
would have a city there in less than a
month" 1t lies in the people of place and
If our people intend Staunton to be large
city and to bring them the profit of large
city their own work can make the intention
good. No better machinery can be put in
their hands for the purpose than the Staun-
ton Development Company if they will use
it, back it up, and push it.
Since the above was written the Staun-
ton Chamber of Commerce, representing
the community by a membership from every
vocation in it, has adopted the following
resolution:
ResoI0ed, That the Chamber of Commerce of
the city of Staunton heartily endorse the
Staunton Development Co., and having been
Informed of the objects for which said compa-
ny has been formed, knowing the substantial
advantages they offer, and being heartily in
sympathy and accord with said company's
purposes commend said company to business
men in all sections of the country as one offer