Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1908-01-01

motion and Kept moving the influ-
ences that resulted in stretching
down the Valley the long Inc of
steel rails.
The only position Colonel Boyce
ever held with the Shenandoah
Valley Railroad was it's Vice
Presidency. He was never its gen
eral counsel nor its President.
Colonel Boycc however, took an
active part in influencing the differ
ent counties through which the line
passed in purchasing the bonds of
the railroad company. Clarke
county took 100000 of these
bonds, which however. upon the
reorganization OF the road we're
worth about twenty cents on the
dollar. The sale OF these bonds
gave the railroad company sufficient
funds TO buy the rights of way and
grade the road bed. Then work
stopped 1t was 1873 ami Black
Friday the panic of '73. had
created such y money Str:neency
that il was impossible SO secure
ilrd> 10 push the rork uf hAing
the steel rails.
Ii was shortly after this that hat
genial old Irish railroad contractor.
Satterlee, became interested in the
work, and he secured financial
assistance from f. w. Clark & Son.
of Philadelphia, bankers. WHO made
a business of financing new rail
roads. Colonel Boyce claimed to
have got Satterlee interested in the
project. while others assert it was
President Ashby, of the railroad
company. just before this time
President Thomas Scott. of the
Pennsylvania Railroad, remarked
to Colonel BOyce that If he got that
Shenandoah Valley line ON its feet
he would give him $4,000. Some
say this remark was delivered in a
jocuIar vain, but Colonel Boyce
took it seriously and redoubled his
energies.
The Shenandoah Valley Railroad
was soon completed, and after the
first train had passed from Hagers-
town To Roanoke. Colonel Boyce
hunted up President Scott and
claimed the $4,000. Scott for a
few minutes demurred, but Colonel
Boyce convinced him he was the
man of the hour" and n check
for the $4,000 was forthcoming.
With this money, Colonel Boycc
bought out the other heirs to the
Tuleyries" estate and there he
resided until five years ago. He
and his son, Lawrence, maintained
a law Office in Berryville until
shortly before they left Clarke. but
Colonel Boyce rested his oars as a
farmer and engaged in very little
legal business, except few large
cases, in which he had some interest.
None will deny that Colonel
Boyce possessed a giant intellect,
but it was not trained mind. 1t
is believed 10y many that had his
mind the training To be secured in
high educational institutions he
would have risen To 4 place of great
prominence in the country.
Colonel Boyce was one Of the
original and staunchest free silver
advocates in the '90s, and his voice
was often heard on the strump in
Clarke county advocating Mr..
Bryan and his favoritc campaign
issue. Following the campaign Of
1896 Colonel Boyce was neveraftcr
heard on the stump.
There are many people who be-
lievc Colonel Boyce's given name
was "Uriel. " This is wrong. His
given name was as appears in this
article. The name "Uricl," by
which he was often called. was the
given name of his father in law.
Major Uricl Wright. and after the
latter'S death, so many called
Colonel Boyce "Uriel" that it was
generally thought thatwas hiSgiyen
name.
An lnSldiOHS Danger