Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1912-09-26
To the Ladies,
To the Clergy,
To the Voters of Jefferson Co.

IefferSOn County Ids diiIIOSt iO,OOO u
habitants. OF this number about g,OOO
are in the five incorporated towns OF Shep-
herdstown, Harper's Ferry, Bolivar.
Charles Town, Ransom and their lrnme-
diate suburbs, leaving about 5000 inhao-
itants that are truly rural, or country peo-
Die. or this 5000 about 200 OF them Il
in 81 are on the east side OF the Shenan-
doah River and al least oue-tiftti OF Tue
territory OF the county is on the east SIDE
of the Shenandoah River.
From Harper's Ferry, w. Va, TO Gas
tleman's Ferry, Va, not a single bridge
spans the Shenandoah River for the ac-
commodation of nearly l5 OF the total
number of Jefferson countY's country
people. The County Court has unanl-
mously agreed to build one bridge near
Bloomery. central point in this distance
of nearly Is miles, 10 accommodate near
ly l-5 OF the country people OF Jefferson
county. To do this they are submitting
10 the voters OF Jefferson county at TINS
fall's election a proposition TO bond the
county not to exceed $50, goo to build The
bridge.
To carry this proposition 60 per cent OF
the people voting must vote Tor the orlo9e
or the proposition fails. This IS undouot-
edly the proper position for the ondge,ior
nine times out OF ten when one ot our
countrymen on the east side ot the fiVer
leaves his home his objective point is ms
county seat Charles Town.. 80 whein-
er he lives up the river or down the nv
er when he starts for the bridge he loses
no time or distance ,as the site OF the pro-
posed bridge is nearly opposite the Town
of Charles Town.
To make this bridge effective, OF prac-
tical use, il is necessary 10 construct TWO
roads, one down the river to Keys Fer-
nv road, the other up the river 10 Inc
ShannondaIe Furnace road. Now the
construction of these roads will mol cost
the county one cent, the men especial
ly benenled have signed an agreement
with the County Court agreeing 10 con-
struct these roads under the supervision
and approval OF the County surveyor,
lanes X. Hendricks. One OF the mem-
bers OF the County Court estimated tnat
these roads would cost $S,OOO to SlO,UOO,
so il will be seen that those specially
benefited are willing 10 bear special our-
denS.
Some have said that as Charles Town
district will be specially benefited by Inc
construction OF this bridge she could con-
tribute more than the other districts.
This is correct. She should coHtrl6ute
more and she will for every time Jetier-
son county spends ST 90 Tor county pur-
poses, Charles Town pays nearly one
half. Why? Because Charles Town
district has nearly one-halt the assessed
value OF real estate and personal properly
in Jefferson county.
Some people think and have said that
the real estate on the east side OF the
Shenandoah River is poor and OF little
| value. This is not correct. There are
several large veins OF limestone running
through land on the east side OF the Shen-
andodh River and every Jefferson county
farmer knows that where we ind lime
stone we find first class land. The land
ON the east side OF the Shenandoah Rlv-
| er is now assessed at very low figure.
Erect this bridge and you will increase
its present value over 100000, when VIII
then pay its share Of county taxes.
To increase the bonded Indebtedness
OF Jefferson county 50,0OO, pay interest
on same at per cent, and to pay II on al
the rate OF 5000 per year, will, without
taking into consideration the increased
value of land on the east side OF the Shen-
andoah River, only increase our present
taxes the FIRST year z per cent. every
succeeding year II VIII be less. oo
To illuSlrate-lf your taxes are SlU
per annum, the first year after the bond
issue they will be Sl02. II your taxes
are $50, they will be the first year $ol.
II they are SIS, they will be $3.50, and
so on. So you see this will not be a
heavy burden upon any one. Then.
again, in very few years after building
this bridge, the increased assessed value
of the land on the east side OF the Shen-
andoah River, and the land between the
| Shenandoah River and Charles Town,
| and Charles Town itself, will much more
than take care Of the bond issue and will
really tighten our burdens instead OF in
creasing them.
At the present writing the grain dealers
| and milers OF Charles Town are getting
about thirty thousand bushels OF wheat
| from Loudoun county. Build this bridge
| and construct these roads, and we VIII
pet from eighty to one hundred thousand
bushels of wheat from Loudoun county.
Now, YOU cannot benefit any part OF JET
ferson county without beneiitting all OF Il
| 10 greater or less extent. The State
Normal School at Shepherdstown bene-
fits primarily Shepheldstown and Vicinity
but at the same time il is great benefit
TO the entire county.
THE RAILROAD BOND ISSUE.
So build this bridge and construct these
roads and the increased assessed value
of the land east OF the Shenandoah klyer,
the increased assessed value OF The land
between Charles Town and the river and
the increased assessed value OF Charles
Town property caused by the building
OF this bridge and the construction oi
these roads will more than take care OF
the expense caused by the construction
thereof. Now we have all frequently
heard the bond issue OF $500 Tor the
construction of the Shenandoah Railroad
criticised. and il may be that IT deserves
some criticism, but. nevertheless, II has
and is still paying Jefferson county farni-
ers over 10 per cent annually on the IN
creased price Of the 100000 bushels ol
wheat that we annually market, owing tc
its opening up the southern markets
We are today getting from , TO D cents
more a bushel for our wheat Than the
farmers OF Frederick county, Nd, owing
10 our direct connection with southerr
markets. Five TO 8 cents a bushel on
500 900 bushels Of wheat is from *, ,O1
TO 5000 year, which is from 10 10 u
per cent on $50, 600.
The present Indebtedness Of Ieffefser
county is $4,000. We are limited y
our State Constitution by the wisdom d
the farmers thereof to county debt no
TO exceed 5per cent OF our assessed value
The assessed value Of the real and per-
sonal property OF Jefferson county i
about $l5, ,000, 900. This assessment en-.
titles US to carry de0t OF $3.50, 600. .wFiief
the wisdom of the fathers OF our consij.
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