The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-02
PEOPLE OF FAUQU|ER
WANT DIRECT ROUTE
Earnestly Hope the Goulis Will
Build from Ashland to
.iI IIll Manassas.
-------------.
Open. ll'II UP FINE L COUNTRY
Would Give Richmond Direct
III Access to What Is Her Ma
t,lral Territory.
OPEN !'|P UP FINE COUNTRY
rspeeial to rhe Times .1,Ispatcl,.l


MoRRIsvILLE VA. February L.
Morrisville last Saturday to protest
nEatnst ;he unlimited rspeal q the
Richmond, fredericksburg and Poto-
mac Railroad was given UP when 1t
Vas Vas learned thar the Joint Senate and
70 look into this question met on the
preceding Wednesday.
lii Ihe sentiment of this section. While
n.r9,ngly opposed to unconditional re-
road direct from Ashland to Manassas
without regard 70 fredericksburg
Which now enjoys both rail ard water
unlimited repeal would mean that the
Goulds could seize the straiglitest and
easiest graded route to build their
through traffic for support and payl
but little attention To the local trade
with the result that its benefitt
side of the slight boost 4, would give
to the town 8of Fredericksburg, as
part Of the power brought down the
beyond what was required for. oper-
ating purposes on the proposed cleo
trio road, might be used there for opcr-
ating factories II capital could be I
inducedato build and equip them.
What Eject Womb he.
g II road is built closely parallel |
ing the tracks of the Richmond. Fred
ericksbnrg and Potomac Railroad, 1t I
will be Of no possible benefit to the
section which Is to furnish the power
of the proposed road. while. besides
shutting out any hope of a future de-
velopnent it Will also inflict great
permanent damage upon this same sec
gtion. The Gouds now own 1000 acres
of land lying along the RappahannoclsI
and Hapidan Rivers, extending several
sericksburg. The erection OF the pro-
posed mammoth dams along these
rivers will cover the most.of this land
with water and permanently destroyl
same land annually renewed from the
deposits left by the spring freshets
Is, like the Nile Valley, very productive
Under good cultivation 1T ought toll
of corn to the acre. with 4 large
sErowth of fodder. On January l5thl
corn sold at public auction al james,
mock River, brought sS.15, per barrel,
and fodder sold at I cents per bundle
Fifteen barrels of corn per acre on
100 bundles of fodder per acre on 1000
acres at Z cents per. bundle. S2S.OOO:
81 worth lat low estimate) OF pumpkins
per acre on 1000 acres. $4,000. Total
annual loss to the people of this sec
ton. 1890
And are they to receive TO benefits
In return?
!, Or look at it from another angle
Twenty acres of this fertile land Will
easily support a family. That means
the destruction OF GOO small farms, and
II is not an eNaggeration to place the
average Size of families in this section|
at eight, which would mean the total
destruction of the support of n possible
population Of LOCO. a dependent pop
ulation of at least 300. as merchants
carpenters, plasterers. blacksmiths.
doctors. lawyers. teachers. preachers,
TO at least 1900. The water backed
up the many tributaries ofstba Rappa-
hammock and Rapidan Rivers by tile
proposed dams, would divide many
farms up into a very awkward shape
and kept up by the county and by
private individuals where none are
now required. 1t is the general inn
preston n among the people that the
formed would become stagnant and
change a healthy country Into ma
!arla-tnfested one. Hence to the 900
ut seems safe to add at least 80 per
GENT, making probable a total possible
the highest and best type.
Want Direct Road.
People in Fauquier pay less freight
or express TO get merchandise from
Chicago and New York than on goods
from Richmond. Richmond papers al
most Invariably come day later than
road direct from Ashland TO Manassas
would pass through an undcveloped
4 country, RICH. in promise of timber
D lnineral anA agricultural wealth. that
Is only Waiting for better transporta-
tion facilities 10 grow in wealth, and
s population. and with the route men
toned above would become a great