Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1901-03-29
EXTENSION OF THE C. & W. INTO
NORTH RIVER GAP.

1t looks now as II The long cOintenl
plated Railway west from Brldgewa
ter into Highland and on to West Vii
ginia might be built. For some tim
there has been d gradual acquisition
| of land III North River gap and Brle
| ry Branch by northern parJles. More
| recently there has been an effort Il
| open up the Dora Coal mlneS. W hal
coal may be found there no one car
| tell, at present the outlook is not ia
vOrable but still there may De coal
There have been good prices offered 10
land owners in that quarter on the
hypothesis that coal might be found In
paying quantities. Should the coal
peter out lands would drop back to so
cents and 81 copper acre just where they
stood without buyers since the world
began, and lucky will be the man who
has sold.
1t has been thoughtthat the compa
ny buying these North River lands
would extend the road simply to reach
them. This however, seems now TO be
Ill founded. The scheme is broader.
The road if built at all we learn, will
go into Highland, Va, PendletOn and
PocahonLas counties, w. Va. and into
the West Virginia coal and timber
fields where there are really coal and
timber and not stop in North River
Gap. The present intention seems to
be Judging from the course of the sur
veys, to run down toward Franklin in
Pendleton county, thence up Straight
creek through Crab Bottom and over
at the Frost Gap into PocahOntas. 1t
is unfortunate that Monterey, the
county seat of Highland will be miss
ed, but the parties connected with
the Railway TO whom we have talked
say that Highland county is so much
opposed to the building of a rail road
through it, that if it is not absolutely
essential that the road go that way,
the big land damages of Highland
could be avoided by not touching the
county at all. Pendleton has been lib
eral and it's public men have been Of
fering various Inducements to the
road.
Tue line beyond Bridgwater into
n orth River Gap has been located and
let for IA miles. Messrs. Carpenter &
Wright, of Covington, Va are the
Mr.. E. W. jackson, the Chief Engineer
Ill CQdl VI UAC COAcCl uCUlOAs uhob
work will begin at once. Mr.. Friend
j. Hays, of Bridgewater, and able and
contractor has the con-
tract for pillng and ties as we'll as the
lum Der for depots Sc.
The road leaves Bridgewater to the
left passing out to North River, thence
around the western base of alarge hill !
Just back of the town UP North River |
to Messy Creek, up Messy Greek to Mt.
Scion, thence right through Mt. Scion
close to the North River county road
by the old Samuel Dinkel farm around
by Castle Hill and up North River into
the Gap. The grades are said to be
light, the work easy and the line
very satisfactory one. There has we
learn been but little liberality shown
by many persons whose properties will
be- greatly benefited along Messy creek
by this line, and heavy damages are
asked. others however, have been
liberal and given the road every en-
Should there be any de-
ay in building or the line changed we
earn that the heavy land damages will
De the cause of it. Lands not Saleable
at $25. 90 per acre have suddenly jump
ID to $500 and $500 per acre when the
company wished to buy right of way.
Of course this is ridiculous. North
River cobble stoneshave also jumped up
n value. The blue thistle and sand
over there have increased from 81 50per
tcre, the assessed value, to 500 per
Lcre for right of way. A less costly
inc can be built by following North
River from Bridgewater up leaving
Iossy creek out in the cold. 1t would
,e sad blow if it should be adopted.
t is said that StauntOn's treatment OF
he Shenandoah Valley R. r. drove that
Dad away from our city and that
might have had it in her
limits had she not actually disc )uraged
by the enormity OF the damages ask
d. Those persons therefore who think
hat railways can only pass through
heir lands and who want to sell few
ores for more than the farm was orig !
nally worth wake up sometimes to
ind themselves mistaken. 1t seems ,
ema rka BILE that Highland should not
make some effort to have the road by
he county seat. Highland has 1t is s
rue had sad lesson, but there may
e a hope of retrieving her lost for
unes here Certainly she has not got
en- to that state of mossbacklsm where 7
resent conditions are good enough.
The most serious feature of all this
$ the sad predicament of Staunton.
,he trade she has so long exclusively
njoyed with Highland will be cut off
nd to say that the loss will not be felt
$ to say what is by no means true.
}ould not Staunton tap this Railway
y trolley line or a good turnpike,
maybe some of the trade would come
his way. 1t is a serious question for
IS and we should look into it.