Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-07-04
Stauntolt Spectator.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 4
Look TO the Interior.

posite TO Richmond a century ago
The start of Manchester was based on
tobacco. Located on the South side of
the great river, it became before the
close of the 18th century the center of
the tobacco trade, especially as that
interest was prosecuted by the long
roll of Scotch merchants who settled
there Immediately after the Revolu-
tionary War. The custom of sending
tobacco to market, commenced by roll
ing the hogsheads by manual labor
and this was improved upon by wagon
transportation. However, in the mean
time, the James above the falls, at the
head of tide-water, furnished the op-
portunities of ater-transportation by
the mountain boats. The falls being
in the way of complete connection with
the town, located as stated, the scheme
of canal around them was projected,
and Manchester at that early day being
ahead of Richmond in commercial
enterprise, especially as the chief of
agricultural products, tobacco. at that
time was king, and the up-country
farmers and merchants selected that
place for the canal basin for effectin2
improved trade relations with a grow
ing center at the head of tide water
The old Scotch merchants did not look
at it that way. They had realized the
great progress made in the increasing
wagon transportation and the immense
value of it over the more primitive
method of rolling tobacco to market,
and declared their satisfaction with it.
They did not want the newly fledged
method to be inaugurated as the
mountain boats were to play part
Richmond was welcome to it. Ac-
cordingly Patrick Henry was employed
to appear before the legislative com
mittee, having the scheme in charge,
to resist it so far as Manchester was
concerned. 1t need not be stated that
the reasoning and persuasive powers
of the great orator of the Revolution
was successful. Richmond captured
the new artery of the upper country
commerce, and here the fair and
beautiful metropolis of Virginia com
menced her onward and upward desti-
ny and Manchester languished on a
seat of commerce.
Staunton, like every other growing
trade center of the country, had her
start in the beginning through wagon
routes-the forerunners OF steam rail
roads, which in the near future may
be further advanced by electric power
Be that as it may, Staunton realizes
to-day, though chief railrc center,
that she has not had as keen an eye to
the interior as she should have had
An immense wagon trade which was
almost totally hers, stretching away
out to the north west of the interior
mountain country, has departed with
its increasing Importance from her
streets. Stauntonis equipped with all
the improvements of modern cities
and large wholesale houses have been
added of late years to her growing
commerce. She realizes that the rail
roads have been powerful agencies in
her growth and prosperity-and she
realizes, too, that she has neglected to
foster her wagon-trade on the routes
teeming with latent wealth, and to
hold and enjoy the advantages they
secured, and to blaze the way for the
coming Of the steam horse, or the cleo
tpin 40 C1, ino no 11a
to supersede the wagon, the first in the
race of material progress.
1t is never too late to do the right
thing, and now Staunton reviews the
past and comes squarely up to the
front for a new commencement, and
she adopts the right course.
We have adverted to the steadily
advancing growth of Staunton. 1t
should be, and we know that it is,
progress IN which the Empire county
of the Valley and all the interior coun
try now and hitherto in trade relations
with our splendid young city, most
heartily unite. Staunton is the
natural trade center, as it is the fnan-
cial center of a vast and rich section of
Virginia and West Virginia, and now
Staunton and the Augusta county
government in cordial co operation
should vie with each other in every
effort for securing a proper, a power
full, and a glorious destiny that will
shed its rich lustre for all time over the
scene of our joint efforts.
Look to the Interior" is not a new
text of the SPECTATOR. Eight years
ago, in the Staunton Chamber of Com
merce, when the loved and lamented
James Addison Cochran was it's presi-
dent, a similar movement to that in
augurated at the meeting of that body
on the Goth ultimo, was commenced
1t was the opening of the new depart
ure of effort. In all schemes of this
character time is required for cherish
ing designs and concentrating effort
The project then had the earnest and
patriotic support of that noble gentle
man, both as citizen and as the repre-
sentative of the commercial forces of
the city. The SPECTATOR then labor
ing in behalf of the enterprise as it is
to-day produced an array of statistics
of the wealth of the country, once
ours, and now to be regained, that
were really marvellous. 1t could well
admonish our people to ''Iook to the
INTERIOR" for there were stored great
treasures for their prosperity if de-
veloped as they should be. To repro
duce the facts then accompanied with
increasing values would be labor of
love now, but this article has already
reached greater length than in:
tended. We cali come into the race
again as the work progresses under
the new inspiration.
In connection with what has been
written, we invite attention to the
proceedings of the Chamber of Com