Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-01-11
LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE.

LOOK UN lhE bhluni oIDI.
Just at time when the business
prospects OF Martlnsburg are al
their highest,-when lots are in de-
mand, buildings going up, aud city
extensions 10 every direction,-a
dark cloud seems to bower over the
bright horizon of trade aud indus |
try. There are various conflicting
reports in regard to the intention OF
the b. & o. to make Berlin the end
of a division instead of this city as
at present. Though the shops would
not be moved, work would gradually
60 down and the centre of railroad
life and traffic would gravitate to
the distributing aud make up point
of the road. OF the report current
there is no authority for credit or
denial. Corporations generally keep
their own counsel and carry out their |
plans to suit themselves. One thing
the history of the road demonstrates,
towns along its line are neither |
hindrapce nor a favor in the adop-
ton or execution of its plans. The
railroad is au advantage to the towns
not t towns to the railroad; rail-
roads look at the long run of things,
not the short, and follow IN what
ever manner suits their plans and
purposes. If Martlnsbu:g had a
chance to locate the freight yards
here, where there is plenty of vacant
land, and failed to give sufficient
inducements by reason of asking too
high price, theu we are to blame
for whatever happens to the town.
not the railroad. TIE town should
have jumped at the chance of rent
ing or leasing or selling all the land
the road wanted at a nominal price.
1t would have enhanced values all
around, built up the town in business.
population and railroad importance.
This talk and effort about starting
enterprise here on IS aud so shares
al $50 Or hundred dollars capital,
with the privilege of increasing" to
million, is all chlld'S play in this
age of money push and business
progress. If we havn't men here
who are willing to put a hundred OF
thousand in promising enterprise
like the location of railroad OF indus.
trial plants, when the opportunity is
offered, there is 10 use in passing
the box around for nickel cOntribu
lions. BY the time the amount is
raised some other live town has the
golden egg in tow. Charlottesville.
Va, sent men and mouey to Lynn,
Mass, and returned with a shoe
factory, while hundreds of towns are
now talking of what might be done.
Two things are necessary to make
an enterprise go,-money and prac-
tical knowledge of the management
and workings of that enterprise.
Raise your money, put it in bank.
get q certified check Of deposit,
then go and meet capital and prac
tical industrial management half
way. But there is no use to look |
blue and Respondent over these rall. |
road rumOrS. Look at the bright |
side and be up and doing. The rail, |
load is here and will stay. The G.
V. r. r. is pushing surveys through |
the mountains to get into the coal
and lumber regions. The Pennsyl
vania and Western Maryland are
pushing in the same direction. We
are on the line of freight traffic to
the eastern MAJ kets, and will become
in time an important freight centre.
This is an age of gigantic overland |
and water schemes. Capital is now
working for through line of freight |
steamers from the Virginia coast to
South America, TO which West Vir-
ginia railroads and products will be
important feeders. We don't want |
any" Wichita boom" to grease specu
lators' pockets, and then fall fat as
last years yeast; but we want a |
steady, wholesome growth, and the
town will continue to prosper, as she
is doing.