Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1883-09-13

pike. Allowing, ds u'o, hfo AhCs
for the descent, which is accomplished !
in less than four miles oman air line, |
estimated that we lose here, by devel-
opment, some three miles as compared
with an ordinary tunnel line across
the mountains.
AS definitely as I could determine
without the aid of instrupents. the de-
scent, beeinning mile sd1d a half east
of Tugg!es Gap proper, should be so
graded as to reach w. A. Compton's
house at about grade, and from that
point pass on under the Turnpike in
tunnel 500 feet long; or turning south |
wardly pass through the secondary
spur on which Wade lives; and SO
continue down, and advance around
the Tuggles' Gap spur. This crossing
Of the Blue Ridge, | shall call How
ards route, because its having been
indicated by Col. Joseph l.. Howard,
of Jacksonville, and from the personal
interest he took in showing me the
route, and the beautiful northern ap-
proach thereto. The work on this sec
ton will involve 1900 feet of spur
tunneling, and good deal of other
formidable construction.
Having reached NsN Castle creek,
we pass on thence to Taylorsville with
nothing more to encounter than the
ordinary difficulties of traversiDg 9
piedme MT country. And so from Tay-
Iorsville to Danbury and Walnut
Cove, where we intersect the partially
graded Cape Fear & Yadkin Valley,
and the North Carolina Midland rail-
roads; the latter of which passes thence
to the city of Winston in stretch Of
Is miles through comparatively
plain country. This section would
naturally constitute portion OF your
proposed road, which might appropri-
atelv be called-The South Atlantic
& Lake Erie Short Line.
! Returning, I examined route from
Floyd Court House, down the head
waters of the south fork of Roanoke
to junction with the n & w. r. r
! at Shawsville, or Big Spring, at one O.
; which points, it is believed to be no
p improbable the extension of the Balti
= more Valley road will leave the n. &
e w in sitsJscutherr or soHtihwesterneex
4 tension. The route passed over by me
: was but one of number which hav
: been regarded as being more or les
a practicable by railroad men.
e NV observations (Which were chief.
l. on the route afforded by the valleys G
Old Field creek, Little River an
e. Bowman,s creek to the top of the A
o leghany, and thence down Flat creef
h a tributary of the South Fork satlsfie
al me that no difficulty would be encour
d, tered in passing from the top of ALI
ID ghany to the descent of the Blu
J. Ridge, distance Of Is Or 20 miles
v. and that the ascent of the Alleghan
DR. by some one Of the several convenier
lis tributaries of the South Fork, woul
re involve not more than an average q
* gree Of difficulty incident to such loc
ne tions.
Sc From the city of Winston to Hinte
" on the G. 80. r. R., by wagon ros
est is 175 miles. 1t would probably
ap about as far by railroad line. Fro
M the city of Winston to Hinton, by tt
of shortest possible combination OF exls
Id ing lines, is 2S7 miles. 1t will be Sc.
le. that at least 100 miles are saved
to constructing on this route, an item
-er Importance in this day of quick tran
is, and close competition. The tonna
Sc. producing capacity of the line IS
on ready fully understood by railro
of men. They know that is the short'
ag; tie between the North Carolina a
is the Ohio systems, laid through the b
err: toric magnetic ORES fields of Stol
to county, n. c., and Of Patrick a
his FLOYD counties, Va, and along !
of New River and Kanawhaw coal fiel
: They know that it starts at WHIST
a one of the most active, growing a
IDS. beautiful of the young cities OF
OK South already a place with &C
art manding trade in leaf and manui
Dot tured tobacco; that it traverses +
of syth and Stokes counties with til
lille freight producing fields of tobacco,
par ests of pine, and untouched mines
use, coal. They know that the mounta
e Of OF Patrick, and Of Floyd, and of Nj
700 gomery bear surface testimony
It of singularly great variety OF wes
the within. From the mica produe
beds of Stokes, to the gold mine
the Floyd and Montgomery, is found i
r no copper, traces Of lead and silver;
it is asbestos, flexible sandstone, garI
and and possibly diamonds. Indeed,
the strata being all on edge in this ct
: to try, we may reasonably expect to
'tion on the surface, samples of whateVl
nmit contained within.
over Besides the little city Of Wins
more which is modelof the modern liz
eek, town, there is, on the route, Wa
| the Cove, promising railroad center
ont uated in the coal basin, 10 miles n
scent of Winston Danbury II miles
rad ther on, the county-seat OF Stokes
ainst centre of mica and iron ore indr
until and in the vicinity Of once poi
mile, ! watering place, which is still mucl
,te Of quented Taylorsville Patrick {
ich is house) the present liked termIn
r the the D. & N. r. Marrow Guage !.