The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-09
\ the Baltimore and Ohio, citing them to
/ appear before tho Circuit Court OF 5hen'

andOah t
"1n these proceedings the very Inadequate
railroad facilities and connections IN the
Valley were fully shown. and as d result
the court required tho two railroads to
make a schedule which would admit OF
close connection at strasburg Junction,
and would enable tho Baltimore and Ohio
to maintain It's connections OF Harper
Ferry with It's trains on the main limo,
east and west.
IA few years later this connection was
again broken, and theS Council again,
upon tho petition OF the business interests
of Winchester and the adjoining sec.
ttion. sent It's legal representative Eefore
the Corporation Commission ut Rich.
mond In the interest OF restoring better
connections cite tho above instance
merely to show that public opinion upon
this subject hns taken shape and that
the representative body Of this city has,
on more than one occasion, thought It
necessary to take the matter in hand.
II the several municipalities in the Valley
could be gotten 10 cooperate In this
matter, the end The Times Dispatch has
in view could be accomplished. believe.
Tho Valley OF Virginia is perhaps the
most prosperous section of the State, and
Els afflicted with the most Inadequate rail-
tho Valley and the eastern part OF the
State is, OF course, affected by the rail-
road conditions which exist in the VAL
ley, and as n result Baltimore has como
to be the commercial capital Of the Shen-
nndoah Valley. II the markets of Rich
n1ond could be brought within the easy
reach Of the people Of the Valley 1t would
be to the advantage Of both sections.
Winchester is the largest city in the
shenandoah Valley north OF Staunton.
and its business interests are very con-
siderable. 1t Is growing In population
and in industrial prosperity and In point
of educational facilities and in the conve-
niences that make desirable residential
city. has not It's equal in the State
Press Endorsement.
Mr. r. p. Byrd, editor OF the winches-
ter "Evening star" and d factor, In
civic and political life In Virginia, spoke
heartily In favor OF the proposed plan.
He said:
THE lower Valley has realized for
many years the inadequacy Of the rail-
road facilities south OF us. The atten-
ton OF the court has certainly been once
directed to this question. the case being
heard In Woodstock. and Judge TIarri-
son, of tho Circuit Court, required Ivy
his decree the Southern and the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroads to make rcn-
sonable connections at Strasburg juno
ton. AS understand the law now. the
Corporation Commission has charge OF
such matters and has power TO require
the railroads to give public service In
| a proper and convenient manner. We
are looking to the Corporation Commits
sion to perform this duty. and. II they
| do, It will be to our great material
| advantage. as we'll as to the advantage
| OF the entire State. Our intimate COM
mercial relations with the North and
East have been compelled by railroad
conditions. We are obliged to trade
with them. because we have no ade-
quate facilities to trade with anybody
else. Every consideration Of sentiment
and Interest require that the Valley
should have. at least. equal facilities
with the rest OF this State as now
enjoyed with the North. We have prac-
tically no trade with points south OF
us, because railroad conditions prevent
| 1t. AS indicated In an editorial which
| read in The Times-Dispatch OF Tues
day, the peoples OF the Valley are en-
tirely loyal to our beloved State. 1t
is not that they trade with Baltimore
or philadelphia or New York because
! they would rather, but because they.
have to. am not practical man in
railroad matters. but believe that
connections could be made and facilities
| furnished which would draw the Valley
OF Virginia as close to the rest Of the
State comm erciaIly as she is in senti-
Valley will strongly favor any adjust
ment Of the railroad conditions which
would lead to this result.
| GOT course, consider Winchester an
ideal place In which to live. We have
very healthful climate. perfectly pure
water and beautiful scenery. Our schools
have been long established. largely at
tended and thoroughly we'll managed. We
enjoy, perhaps. the lowest tax rate Of
any Incorporated city in the State. We
have good streets a fine opera house,
splendid water supply. and, in fact, all
the municipal Improvements enjoyed by
| any other city. Living is relatively
cheap. The town itself being an old one.
| formerly the seat Of the general court,
has "a society which is unusually attrac-
| tive; so much SO, indeed, that strangers
who once come here always desire to
come back. The fable is that 1t Is
due to the waters OF Shawnee Spring.
but I think the rational explanation lies
In the character and quality OF our peo-
pie.
Clarke county which was taken from
Frederick, and is very close and dear to
us. has received lately a great many
| wealthy emgrants from other States,
who are delighted with the Valley.
People Will Cooperate.
Mr.. H. s. Hansbrough. president OF the
Shenandoah Valley National Bank, and
one Of the leading business men of the
section was asked:
DO you think that the people Of this
section would cooperate with the rest
of: Virginia in attempting to bring about
better railroad connections and facilities
leading to closer business relation with
Eastern Virginia?
II unquestionably do, and they will
welcome very gladly any effort OF the
people of Eastern Virginia to bring about
closer relations. I have felt for some-
time that too much OF the business Of
this section has gone out OF Virginia In
stead OF going nearer to the center OF our
State. We feel that every effort should
be brought to bear to move what seems
to 20 an imaginary. division Inns known
as the Blue Ridge, which seems to have
J divided the business interests of our