Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va) 1886-1890, 1889-11-19
MORE TALKS.
INTERVIEWS ABOUT ROANOKE
AND ITS FUTURE.
ROANOKE and SOUTHERN WANTED.
The Mineral LANDS 1t Would Open.
Tho Benefit to Trade That Would
Accrue--yiews About o Plant
for Steel Rails.

Everything pertaining to Roanoke
is of interest to all classes Of people
living here, and the TIMES today
prints further talks with prominent
citizens about new industries and
other improvements to make the town
grow.
Mr.. d. A. CARRIER, the real estate
agent, said: IA great thing towards
building up Roanoke would be the
establishment of small industries
here-something which would give
employment to girls and boys. A
cotton mill would be great addition
in this respect"
Mr.. w. P. Camp, the Norfolk avenue
merchant, said: 1.-The Roanoke and
Southern Railroad would do more for
Roanoke PROFESSIONALLY than any.
thing else. Once complete that and
all kinds of industries will come here"
But, "he continued as he looked out
at the mud on Norfolk avenue,
"I tell you what would help this
CITY wonderfully. Let the city
council order Norfolk-avenue
from Henry to Randolph-street to be
macadamized and provided with a
good brick sidewalk all OF that dis
lance. The avenue just in front OF
the depot, as you and everybody else
knows, presents a very unattractive
appearance, and yet is the first part
Of the city seen by visitors. II cap
itilist is passing through here on his
way south for his health, or to make
investments, he is not likely to be
favorably impressed with the appear
ance of the city at that point. With
the avenue we'll paved and handsome
buildings in the place of some OF
the unsightly structures, the attrac-
tions to strangers would be greatly
enhanced. This is a side issue of
course, but it is one we'll worthy the
consideration Of the city fathers.
When the Roanoke and Southern is
built, however, real estate values
will be greatly enhanced, and with a
competing line established in
dustries will come here un-
sought and a large wholesale trade
with the South and the Southwest
will bA built up by our enterprising
me. chants. Mr.. Camp has been in
Roanoke since 1882, and is fully &C
uuainted with the wants OF the city.
Mr.. T. Smoot, for many years Sec
rotary of the Chamber of Commerce
of this city, said he did not regard
anything spoken OF in connection
with the growth and prosperity of
Roanoke as equaling in Importance
the early construction of the Roanoke
and Southern Railroad.
He had been a resident of this city
since 1882, and had watched it's growth
with interest. What the Shenandoah
Valley railroad had been TO the city
in it's early history the Roanoke and
Southern would be in its later growth.
But for the former road this city
would have continued a way station,
or, at best, would not have been OF
any more Importance than several
places on the Norfolk and Western
west Of here. To establish any inn
portant industries here there must be
outlets for the products Of those in
dustries, and without competing lines
of railway there would be no induce
ment to locate them. The completion
of the Roanoke and Southern would
be followed by an increase of business
and population which in three years
would give us population OF 10000
at the lowest estimate. In computing
the possible benefits of the proposed
road, it was hard to tell what might
be their extent and Importance.
There would be an opportunity OF
opening up a trade with the South,
which would add millions to the
wealth of this city. A line, such as the
Roanoke and Southern will be, is very
much needed, and just as soon as the
next assessment is raised, the 100000
additional asked for should be voted.
There has been considerable talk
about the advantages of a plant for
the manufacture OF steel rails here,
but there is some doubt as to whether
just the right kind of ore can be found
convenient.
Mr.. T. C. Blair, dealer in mineral
lesiss and gentleman we'll posted in
t. Capabilities of this section in that
line, who was interviewed briefly by q
TIMES reporter as to the prospects for
establishing a plant for such manu-
factory here, said:
IT am afraid the right kind OF iron
ore cannot be found for the manufac-
sire of steel in this section. The ores
now in use are too soft, it is claimed,
to be used for that purpose, having,
it is said, too large per cent of phos-
phorus. Then again it would require
a very heavy outlay for a plant OF
that character. If the right kind Of
ore could be found, however, it would
be very important industry for
Roanoke and could not fail to add
largely to it's wealth and growth"
.sMr. Reese, of Philadelphia, was
here some years ago, trying to organ.
ize company for the manufacture OF
what he called Basic STEEL" said the
reporter, "by a process which he
had had patented, claimed to be able
to eliminate the phosphorus, the resi-
due resulting from the process being
the phosphate of lime, which, he
claimed, could be used as fertilizer
for the worn out lands of the South.
He said from the sale of this phos-
plate of lime enough money would be
received to pay the expenses OF smelt
ing the ore, which would be ready for
making steel equal to the Bessemer
article.
"If, however, plant for making
steel by the Basic process were
located here don't you think, Mr..
Blair, that ore for the manufac-
ture Of steel rails in connection with
it would be a paying industry?'
"Most assuredly do. The only
objection, as I have alreedy said, to
locating steel rail plant here is the