The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-07-03
Extension of the City Street Rail

Extension of thB City Street Rail
way
The Staunton Development Go. petit
toned Judge Stout. of the county court,
for the right of way for the extension OF
the city street railway beyond the pres
ent city limits, along the following coun-
ty roads Greenvlle road, south, half a
mile, and to Nelson street, and right to
open street to Nelson street; Nelson
street north to corporate line; Middle
brook road half a mile south Green
street to Middlebrook road, and Maple
Avenue to it's termination Parkersburg
pike to Plunkettsville; Hebron Church
road to point near the distillery; old
Middlebrook road, from Parkersburg
pike, to H. D. Peck's; Fair Ground Ave
nue. north from Parkersburg pike to
Churchville road, near Pump House I;
along the New Hope road from its inter
section of road in front of Witt u Hollis
Touring mill. at corporate limits, two
miles or less East Beverly street ex-
tended, from corporate limits, along road
in front of the Asst property to Valley
pike: North Toalter street extended
from corporate limits to lane on farm OF
Mrs. J. P. Asst from City Pump House
along Churchville road one mile, and
along the Mt. Solon (Fultz) road from its
intersection with the Churchville road
one mile; Greenville Avenue and road
one mile. ere IS 1879.
The company agrees not to interfere
with travel on any of the above named
roads, nor with proprietary rights on
either side; to leave a roadway IA feet
wide; to place the track as may be di-
rected by county engineers to defray
expense of widening roads, where such
widening may be necessary and to keep
the road bed of track, and one foot on
either side of track, in good order by
macadamizing.
The petition was referred to the Road
Board of Beverly Manor, composed OF
Jos. Houseman, Commissioners r. A.
Fulcher,, supervisor; w. A. Burnett,
director.
The Board recommend that the petit
ton be granted, subject, however,to the
following conditions:
Right of way, or road, to National
Gem. tie y, subject to rights of U. s.
| Government.
Motive power to be either by horses or
mules, but no other.
The Street Railway Company to be
liable for all damages.
The company to give notice of the APP
proach of all trains by suitable signals
Engineers to first report upon space to
be left in the highways.
Tracks to be laid on level of roads.
All expenses to be borne by Railway
Company.
Railway Company to keep and main
tain in good order the entire width of
the roadway from side to side.'
Tofurnish proper car service.
Twenty coy days notice of delinquency
as to any condition of this contract, if
not corrected, to work forfeit of fran
chise
And in consideration of the privi-
leges hereinbefore recommended to said
company, it shall be their duty to put,
and at all times to maintain the public
highways in good and sufficient repair
along all portions of said public high
ways where they may locate their said
railway, keeping up and properly main
tanning either single or double passways,
fl,o no OF
costs and charges or fail
to keep in proper order, for public use,
the portions of the public highways
there along reserved for public use"
And we further recommend, that
should it hereafter become necessary, by
reason of the use and occupation of said
company and it's tracks of any portion
of said public highway that such portion
so used should have to be changed in
location in order to give better facilities
for reasonable public travel thereover,
or by reason of changing grades, or
widening tt es me, that such expenses
as may be incident to suchchanges, shall
be borne in full by said company"
The report of the Board was confirmed
by the court and continued to next or
subsequent terms for further considera-
ton, and parties may appear.
1t will be apparent at a glance that
the harsh terms and restrictions i'm
posed by the court operates as
a prohibition to. the extension Of the
street car service for the promotion of
the interests of the several improvement
companies operating around our city. 1t
is vital blow at the common interests
of both the city and county. 1t is an un-
business like proposition, and has the APP
pearance of being designed to kill the
proposed extension, rather than help it,.
We understand the conditions were die
tated by the legal advisor of the
Board, and that some members, or at
least one, thinks the terms too harsh
and should be modified. If this is not
done, when the matter comes up for fur
Their consideration before the court, the
proposition must fail; for, as has been
said by the railway people, "they do not
propose to buy the roads, Such a re-
suit will be disastrous. There is no an
tagonism between the city of Staunton
and the county of Augusta, their inter
ests are mutual, dependent the one upon
the other, and whatever feeling Of this
kind may have existed with individuals
should certainly neither be encouraged
nor stimulated by those in official posi-
ton. Those holding official positions
are the servants of the people, not alone
to guard their rights, but to promote
their interests. We have fallen upon
evil times, when public servants, in the
exercise OF their official duties, allow
their individual opinions or prejudices
to place harsh and prohibitory restric-
tions upon public improvements, recog
niZed on all hands to be for the general
welfare. The failure to exercise wise
discretion in the promotion of matters
of public interest, is as much to be con-
demned as the neglect of public duty !;
and the good sense of the people will be
as quick to recognize a failure in the one
as in the other.
When the matter comes up for further
consideration before the court, the va
rious improvement companies of our city