Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1891-01-20
Let us Cooperate.


III the people of Charlestown hope
60 reap as community the full BEN
eft Of the energy, skin aud enter
prise now being put forth by the
Chartestown H., III. 81. Co. in the
development of the property, and in
attracting manufacturing and other
business enterprises and population
to occupy the lands owned by it in
the vicinity Of our town, they must
cooperate with it.
We have observed that whilst many
of our citizens are lukewarm and ex-
press very little interest in the enter
prise, or are mere on-Iookers, waiting
for something to turn up, others have
actively antagonized it, and have de-
crided it as chimerical or whispered
that 1T was but scheme, having for
its principal object the emolument of
those most active in promoting it,
A few have looked with friendly in
terest upon the undertaking, desiring
its success and expressing their viii
lingness to second the efforts of the
Company.
A contributor TO the Free Press of
last week, whether intending to do
so or not, sounds a note of warning
which it would be well for our peo-
pie, and especially our local author
tiles, to heed. This is an era of pro-
gress and development, in the extern
sion of lines of transportation and
the opening of undeveloped nat
ural wealth unexampled in the
history of this country, and no.
where is this fact more apparent
than in the Valley of Virginia and
in the country south and west of
it. At many points favorably sit
uated, with reference to proximity to
raw materials on the one hand and
easy distribution of products on the
other, towns have sprung into exist
ence where corn and wheat fields or
wild lands only were to be seen few
short years ago. Few, if any, of
these points are more fayorably To-
Gated than are the lands of the I'm
provement Company, and therefore,
as the writer in the Free Press would
seem to indicate, the Company is not
dependent, to any great degree, upon
the old town for the success of the
enterprise and the upbuilding of a
Ipopulous manufacturing and bust
ness town, or city even, on its own
lands.
PROFESSIONALLY it would be far
better for both the old town and the
new, that the two should aid each
other, and this demands that spirit of
friendly cooperation which we have
advocated above. Let the people of
Charlestown, whether shareholders
in the Imp. Co. or not, and let the
corporate authorities of the town, as
wise men, avail themselves of the
spirit of enterprise active in our
midst. Let the authorities, so far as
in their judgment may be consistent
with the substantial welfare of the
people whom they represent, take the
necessary steps to connect our exist
ing highways with the streets and
avenues to be established upon the
Company's property, wherever it may
be expedient. Let those who own
property which it may be advanta-
'geous to occupy for public improve
ment, and who are willing to sell, fix
their prices for the same as they
would ask il dealing with private in
diViduals, taking with the account
some estimate of the advantage to re-
suit from such improvement. In
short, let all act together, corpora
ton, townspeopIe and Improvement
Co., and -est assured that the result
will fully justify the effort, and we
may look confidently for an increase
of population, wealth and commercial
Importance equal to that enjoyed by
any Of our sister cities.
Tho CLARKE no,,rEo,. in IN art;oIo