Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1879-05-27
COMMUNICATED
THE N. G. r. r.
Wilt Paw?

Will IL Pay?
In my first letter tried to show the
Importance of building the Bristol Coal
and Iron Narrow Guage Rail Road.
In my next endeavorcd to show the
practicability of said road and in this, |
will cndeavor to discuss the question,
viii it pay? This is beyond all doubt
the most important question for the con-
sideration of business men. Upon its
demonstration in the affirmative, final
ly rest my hopes of building this road.
If 1t will not pay it is not necessary, and
if not necessary it ought not to be built.
Gen. Wilson of Illinois, who is eminent
authority upon the subject of building
railroads, says, Before deciding upon
the construction of a railroad along n
| given route, careful calculation of the
amount of transporting business already
done OH the route should be made, with
the view Of ascertaining whether it is
sufficient to justify the proposed rail-
road, though estimates of this kind have
in general been found very uncertain
indication of the amount of business
which the railroad itself would obtain
when complete. A more enlarged esti-
mate should be made of the extent of
country tributary to the proposed rail-
road, together with lis mineral and ag-
ricultural resources developed and UNI
developed, its wealth and population
and also the influence of the new route
Of transportation upon these already es-
tlbllshed, as well rs upon the habits
and productions Of the people who are
expected to use 1t. The first question
to be considered Is, viii any kind of u
railroad pay when builtg the second Is,
What kind Of a railroad, all things con-
sidered, should be built? and the third
Is, VIII N and how can the money be got
to pay for itY" These are the namcl
reflections of u close observer and Il man
Of sound judgement. Let MS apply
these conditions to The Bristol Coal and
Iron n. G.. II. II. have no estimates
that will give with certainty, the amount
of transporting now done along the pro-
posed route, but before the building Of
n tolerable wagon road from Joncsvlllc
to Rogcrsyillc II few years ago, II was
much larger than ut present. But when
the extent ofcouutry that this road will
penetrate, Its population, fertility and
productions, Is considered, cannot but
believe, that the utmost energies ahd
capacity of the road when completed,
will be taxed. But II Is to the undcvcl-
oped mineral resources of that region,
that we may most confidently look for u
paying business. If the three counties
of Scott, Lee and Wise were situated IN
New England, they would be among
the most popuous In the United States
were they situated IN England they
would give her 100 years more of man
ufactnring aud commercial supremacy.
The author of the Geographical and Po-
litlcal Summary Of Virginia, published
by authority of law, says, "l'he beauti-
ful varigated JroeR marbles. known as
Tennessee are found in Scott Co."
"Bltumlnous coal Is found In the coun-
ties Of Tazewcll, Russell, Scott, Lee,
Buchanan aud Wise, IN the southwest,
where portion of the great Appalachi-
nm coal fields of the United States cross
es Virginia territory, giving It nearly
], 200 square miles Of this remarkable
deposit of fossil fuel. No where else In
the Union do we find the same condi-
ton Of things M that existing here,
where the limestone of the Lower Silu.
ran, holding the brown hcmatite ores,
directly abut against the coa beds of the
carbonllerous and observation-disclosures era'
the result of giant uphcnvals aud
downthrows, that have brought the
richest farming aud grazing lands and
the most valuable ores Of iron along
side the Goals, ieiihoM an iniepenigd
mountain barrier. The line of the fs-
sure, where these formations meet IL IN
the valley of the Cllnch river"
Lately coal has been discovered near
Estlllville aud II Ia believed that large
deposits are only waiting the hand of In
dustry and enterprise TO utilize II. At
Spccrs' Ferry persons cut from the rocks |
sufficient quantity Of lead for their own
use. The development Of all this un-
told wealth, Is awaiting for the whistle
of the locomotive to call II into activity
this earth will hold her grasp upon II
I'LL the thunders of the iron horse shall
shall shake Il loose. Treasures more
valuable than Golconda's are beckon-
Ing Bristol TO seize them, and will she
delayP To sum up, can any one doubt
that the transportation Of tho wheat.
corn, dried fruit, butter, bacon tobacco
and the hundred other agricultural
products that are noie produced In all
The vast region that would be tributary
10 this line, would payy In 1874, the
last estimate that have before me, all