Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1909-04-14
WOES OE THE b. * D.
Poor Old Valley Railway Headed
For the Poorhouse

(From the HarrisonDurg news !
The poverty of the Valley Rail
road Of Virginia and the bankrupt
cy Of that institution (according
to bookkeeping kept by and fol
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad)
was parsded in solemn fashion
nearly all day last Tuesday before
the Virginia Corporation Commits
zion in Richmond as a reason why
there should lot be decent passen-
ger facilities for the travelling pub
lie at Harrisonburg. 1t was the
old story-a sort OF death song in
a minor key-that has become 30
hereabouts that Harrison
burg school children almost know
by heart. With y suitable ACCOM-
paniment of tom-toms and hurdy
gurdles 1t might answer fair pur'
pose as the death chant for an In
dian funeral.
1t almost affected Supelintend'
4, mt Spurrier to tears, as often as
that tender. hearted gentleman has
tlken part In previous rehearsals.
Ii made members of the commits
sion tired. Judge Prentiss and
Colonel Willard had heard it al
most as often as MIR. Sparrier.
Judge Rhea, to whom the ttory
IS somewhat fresh, seen ed puz-
zled. 1t was the first time since his
accession TO the commission that it
had heen called upon to sit in
coroner's inquest, and he did rot
a ppear to be certain as to the legal
precedents for such procedure.
So there gathered in the city
of Richmon on Tuesday Col. Ru'
dolph Bun gardner, attorney fol
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
and the Valley Rallroad'of Virgin.
ia (either or both as the solen nj
ties of the occasion nay requlre) {;
Capt. j. K. Spurrier, division
superintendent (on the same slid
ing scale); suLdry accountants,
auditors and boUkkeepers (of Ike
dual utility; Mr.. r. b. Tunstall,
attorney for the Southern Railway,
and Mr.. George N. Conrad, repre-
senting the town of Harrisonburg
and the suffering public.
The principal witness for the
Valley Rsilroad to prove the uttel
inability of that corporation t.
maiptain adequate depot accouo-
dations at Harrisonburg was Aud
itor Kirk of the Baltimore ard
Ohio. THE gentleman keeps the
accounts CT hundred or ore SUBJ
sidiary lines which are operated BY
the Baltimore and Ohio. He war
armed with formidable balance
sheets and figures galore. He OvI
IDENTIFY earns his salary whatever 4
may be. His figures bring th,
Valley Railroad in debt to the
Baltimore and Ohio with neatress
and dispatch. They showed that
during the last fiscal year the
gross earnings of the Valley Rail
road between Harrisonburg ano
Lexington amounted to 1898, 500
For the same period the operating
expenses amounted to 1871, 1854
leaving an apparent balance to thu
good Of $62,491. The gentle read
err will kindly note the word Gap
parent" The sum named is tn
remainder after a simple operation
in substraction-good as far as l
goes. After Baltimore and Ohi'
management, Baltimore and Chr
bookkeeping, Baltimore and Vi
auditing and Baltimore and OH
accounting has severally and col
leclively taken shot at this "ap
parent" balance 1t comes out o
the wreck a deficit Of $4,000
Baltimore and Ohio charges 70
the rental of equipment, Balti
more and Ohio estimates for in
terest on bonded indie btedness
Baltimore and Ohio assessment fc
the salaries of main line official
and Baltimore and Ohio suDdrIe
for devious other benevolent pur
poses bring the aggregate for OF
Grating expenses from S131, 1854 u
} to nearly 1920, 0OO-and thus de
.nonstrate that in IL months Il
poor old Valley Railroad got Sl6,
600 nearer the poorhouse than
was at the beginning of the year
. After the Baltimore and Ohio pee
r pie got through with the "appal
emit" surplus of $o3, 900 it ha
J been converted Into uencII
$4,000. That was all there wa
TO It. Hilliar could do no more.
IL was just as convlacingl
2 shown that the passenger depot
] Harrisonburg was ample for oil tn
business of the Valley Railroad
t There was ample platform SPA
and waiting room accommodates
9 for the folks who Travelled frol
Harrisonburg to Pleasant Valley
Mount Crawford and on W tn
lie even as far as Lexington, an
vice versa. II people would pei
sist in going down the Valley II
stead OF up, and if they would II
sist on boarding the Souther
trains at the passenger station II
stead of at the csttle pen or Il
water tank, tfat was their fault