May HIGH IRON

[NW Mailing List]

From: J Hott [mailto:jjhott at mindspring.com] 
Sent: Monday, April 13, 2009 9:46 AM
To: Scheer, Frank R - Washington, DC
Subject: May HIGH IRON

Frank:

When you get a chance, please send the “second section” of the Boyce  history saga.   We are starting to work on the May issue of the HIGH IRON.

Thank you.

Jerry


April 14, 2009

Hello, Jerry:

Here's the next installment of Boyce station history.

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During 1912, the newly-created Town Council passed ordinances to define its tax base.  On July 1, the town Treasurer reported that he had notified the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC), the Norfolk & Western (N&W) Railway Company, the Western Union Telegraph Company, the Southern Express Company, and the Frederick and Clarke Telephone Company, regarding these Public Service Corporations within the limits of the Town of Boyce, so that they were subject to town assessments and business taxes.  So, not only did these companies facilitate town commerce, but they also partially financed the local government and town services.  The business tax levy upon the express and telegraph agencies was $10 each.

The first station at Boyce is depicted in a post card scene at http://www.railwaymailservicelibrary.org/ebay/BOYCE-SV.JPG [Jerry, you can download this .jpg file and insert the illustration into the article if desired.]  In 2009, a metal relay cabinet near the East Main Street road crossing is situated approximately where the lamp post appears in the view.  The Page-Manning warehouse is the building beyond the depot.  A hill ending at the track in the distance is approximately where the north end of the new station now stands.

Construction of the new Boyce station occurred during calendar year 1913.  The N&W had originally planned a new wooden depot on the west side of the track.  P. H. Mayo negotiated with the N&W for a larger building on approximately two acres situated along the right-of-way's east side.  Aside from land already owned by the N&W an occupied by the original Boyce station adjacent to the Winchester & Berry's Ferry Turnpike (now county route 723, East Main Street), adjacent property to the south was purchased from Messrs. Page and Manning.

The new station's opening date is not mentioned.  However, by the Town Council meeting on November 17, 1913, reviewed the assessment of "Depot Grounds & Lots" submitted by the SCC.  It concluded that the real estate should be assessed at not less than $800.  It also noted that the Western Union Telegraph Company was omitted from the assessment.  In November 21 reply to the SCC, the Town's Recorder wrote that the N&W "has most generously built a $25,000 Station Building within the limits of the Town."

The new station was a mixed blessing for the community.  Although a source of pride as the welcome-mat for most people arriving at Boyce, it also created new obligations.  A commitment to the N&W was that electricity and water would be supplied to the depot.  The situation was outlined in this May 4, 1914, Town Council meeting minutes entry:

    "It appearing to the Council of the Town of Boyce that the Norfolk & Western Railway has most generously responded to the needs and requests of the Community in erecting at Boyce Station a first-class Station Building of modern design with every requisite for the accomodation of Passengers and Freight: which Station is more for the benefit of persons residing outside of the Town than for the use of citizens of the Town; and that in order to obtain this magnificent Station it was necessary to answer the Norfolk and Western Railway that it would be furnished with water and electric lights in its splendid building: which as to the water was provided ["guaranteed" is sruck through] by the broad-minded and progressive man the late John W. Stephenson, and as to the electric lights by the Town of Boyce which for this purpose undertook and established an electric plant:
    "And it further appearing to said Council that the Estate of John W. Stephenson and said Town should not bear these burdens alone without assistance from those who are most benefitted by the erection and proper maintenance of said Station:
    "Be It Therefore Enacted that Mrs. Hattie Newcomer Gilpin, Mr. P. H. Mayo and Mr. R. Powell Page be requested to consent to an order to be entered by the Circuit Court for the County of Clarke extending the limits of he Town of Boyce as follows, to wit: Commencing at the present Town line at the crossing of th Norfolk and Western Railway over the Eidson-Page run and extending down that run to its junction with the Parkers or PageBrook run, thence up said last-mentioned run to the Boyce-Old Chapel Road, thence along said road to the present Townline: The Town of Boyce hereby contracting, agreeing, and guaranteeing that it will not attempt or undertake to make any street or other public way through any of the said properties of the said parties without their several full and free consent."

We'll continue next time with a discussion about this annexation attempt.  Meanwhile, it appears that the commitment to provide water to the station from a town supply failed.  After depot construction was completed, a pump house was later added that provided water from a well at the south end of the station.  Town Council records do not include information about that water source, so it seems to have been established by the N&W.

==================================================================

Best wishes,

Frank Scheer
f_scheer at yahoo.com