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Unpleasant News!
Charier Wood reported most an. pleasant news for the hoard of supervisors yesterday in the facts of the 1950 census. ■ Some of us were brought up on the old saying: “If you can’t say something pleasant, keep your anopth shut” ... Of course, Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch stack strictly to the “say something pleasant” regardless of circumstances. when Mr. Wiggs exhibited no redeeming characteristics, she still said “Well, you know, he writes a good hand.” . If Charles Wood doesn’t look out, some of us will be saying he “writes a good hand,” as the only pleasant thing we can think of about *him. His dismal picture states that by 1970 Rappahannock eitisens will resemble the dodo bird, or a dinosaur, if you prefer.
That makes me most unhappy, -fiince “the first hundred years are the hardest,” I had magnificent plans of spending the second hunsired of mine snugly situated right .here in the county. Now, it so happens my age will not be. 100 by 1970, and that sad prediction of ■Charles Wood’s leaves me with my life’s ambition nipped in the bud.
Even if I am the one exception to prove this declining population theory, it is still an unhappy picture. Rappahannock is beautiful, yes, but who wants to live here by himself? It’s Rappahannock people, too, who make up the -county’s charm.
Maybe Mr. Wood’s census calls for an organizatioif. They say there’s a Society for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities. What is needed here is an organization for the preservation of Rappahannock’s population. (Don’t look my; way; the extent of my co-operation is limited.)
The organization or society or whatever-you-call-it must save Rappahannock before we become a fit subject for the SPVA.
Fun aside; it’s no laughing mat. ter throughout. The picture does -present a serious problem,Now
we see why taxes are higher: there are 1000 less people to help pay them.
Something should be done to bring small business into Rappa^bannock; some way to furnish employment. Suggestions have poured from every side since it began to be hinted that the bounty population would show a decline. One fellow thinks there might be branches of factories that this location would suit; another suggested that an apple saucecannery could run similar to the apple juice plant; still another thinks there may be a lumber business possible; and other suggestions go on. Surely a county chamber of commerce couldn’t do any harm.
It’s an encouraging sign just to hear the suggestions. At least many people realize the necessity of action.
Railroads are not essential to small business. With the highways that Rappahannock has products could be trucked to any point.
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