Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-07-02
Stauntot. Spectator,
WEDNESDAY, JULY 2. 1890.
The Cumberland Valley Railroad.

The Cumberland Valley Railroad.
A few weeks since we referred to the
progress of the Cumberland Valley rail
road southwark and up the Valley OF VIZ
ginia to Winchester. We have not OBJ
served that any public discussion has taken
place anching the further extension OF
this road, but there is some speculation
among the people along the western borders
of the Valley counties higher up concern
ing it's future direction. The management
of this road will hardly be content to end
its trunk at Winchester. Whatever may
be the policy-whether or not its prolonga-
ton is to turn out of the Valley-the time
will come when the favored route now open
to it will be occupied, and more than that,
the future of the commerce Of this CONT
nent, North and South, may cause the
construction of more lines OF railway
through the great Valley Of Virginia, as
there will without doubt be multiplications
of them in the Ohio and Mississippi Val.
leys.
1u6 UuIlulDS VI LILO lluCo AAO~A
East to West was unquestionably proper,
and other main and auxiliary lines should
fill vacant space, and it all tends to full
comprehension of the degrees to which the
commerce of the country can attain. The
growth and expansion of trade between the
East and the West is not without its bene'
fits in aiding the development between the
North and the South. We begin to realize
more fully the value of such commerce as
the increasing railroad facilities on direct
routes between the North and the South
are added to the wealth of the country and
to the opportunities of enterprise for the
people. This is the opening to the view
which is yet to encompass more fully the
growth and value of the rapid interchange
of the commodities and products OF dill
ferent and wide-apart ATTITUDES. We are
rapidly passing ahead of the economy winch
appropriated the few North and South lines
constructed by links and retained as such,
and more for passenger travel than freight
purposes. The local interests which aided
in construction are now united to the
through transportation, and consolidated
systems are forming between the North
and the South just as they have from
East to West. We can give home illus
trations sustaining this fact. Since the
construction of the Shenandoah Valley rail-
road eight years ago, the Roanoke and
Southern line in its direct course south was
born of that policy which reached Roanoke
by the first named line and expanding
through the Norfolk and Western has done
such great things for Virginia and the
South, Let an observer OF the traffic on
the Shenandoah Valley call to mind its
character and extent between the then
distant points as it was at the opening, and
now take look at its trains carrying pas
sengers and tonnage between still most
distant points, and something more than
he dreamed of will engage his reflections
The Roanoke and Southern is now uade1
construction to Martinsvllc, Va, on the
North Carolina border, and on The route to
Asbyille and Atlanta, through much new
and >undeveloped rich country, and its
North and South connections and links
are meeting it on the way. The Lynch
burg and Durham is another, which is
building directly South, and will soon be-
come of much moro than local concern, as
the future will demonstrate. The plans
organizing and filling up on the Atlantic
slope will find their shortest lines directly
through our Valley. In the valleys of the
Ohio and Mississippi, schemes have ma
tured and others are forming to connect
the lakes and the great North. west country
BY direct and the shortest routes with the
South Atlantic and Gulf ports. Chicago
has not only the perfectly consolidated line
of the Illinois Central to New Orleans, but
is maturing her plans to control fall
share of the future commerce which will
come in ard pass out at Tampa, Florida
The lumber kings of the great Northwest
are now throwing their capital and energies
into the yellow-pine forests of the South
Atlantic and Gulf States, and want their
products Immediately to supply the de-
mands of the building and construction
booms Of the higher ATTITUDES.
Following the natural direction which
attaches to the subject in its full i'm
po1tance, we might go, in reference to the
additional features of the new North and
South commerce which is to grow up be-
tween our own and far-of countries, even
beyond the Isthmus through which the
oce in.level waterway will yet be ac-
complished, feeding the many lines of trade
and travel as they play their parts across
the States from North to South. 1t will be
new and great commerce. 1t will be
both, because it will b. the interchange OF
dissimiiar commodities of different latitudes,
and the ports of the Gulf States will furnish
the counters, so to speak, over which the
interchange will pass.
If the managers of the Cumberland VAL
ley railroad are considering, or are intend
ing to advance their line, the ardent hopes
of the people of long line of rich country
which now has but one line-the Chesa-
peake and Ohio-which crosses it at right
angles, are looking in that direction. A
good country to open up and good local
support, are considerations to be apprs-
ciated in forward movements. The COM
munites on the western borders Of the
Valley counties possess the first, and good
faith in all things has characterized that
people through all their history. Although
this long stretch of territory is part OF
that embraced in the first settlements of
the Valley, yet, in many respects, it is
comparatively new country, and to all
not now possessing immediate railroad ad-
yantages, that realization would add large
revenues TO the road and increase the same
annually as the general interests would
grow and multiply in rich development.
AL L. ao-,tor and oil thu onct r;da oE