Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va) 1886-1890, 1889-12-28
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 90, lSs
RETRospECr AND PROSPECT.

In few days 1889 vii! have ended
and the new year, with its promises
and its possibilities, will be upon US.
Looking backward and looking fer
ward. Roanoke has every reason to
feel gratified. 10th as to the achieve
ments of the past, and as to the ind
cations for the future.
Several thousand more people make
their home here now than when the
church bells, ringing out III the mid
night air, announced the birth Of the
new year nearly twelve months ago.
Hundreds of new houses, store ADD
dwelling, Of wood and brick, have been
erected, and now constitute comfort
able homes and convenient places of
business.
Throughout. the year there hrs
been pronounced activity III real
estate, and a general advance in tho
value OF property.
The Grocer furnace has found it
necessary to double its capacity. and
two furnaces now send out their molten
stream of iron, night and day, where
last year there was one. The rolling
mill and bridge works, which give en-
ploymeut to several hundred men, aud
are valuable adjuncis to the city's pro
perty.
The street railway has been put in
operation and Ninton connected with
the city by ths dummy line. Two
new hotels, one Of them the immense
Ponce de Leon, are nearing completion,
and the handsome Felix hotel has BEEN
opened for guests.
Two Touring mills, one IN full opera
ton and the other about completed.
will furnish ready market for grain
while as an evidence OF the increasing
wholesale business, Terry's maguii-
cent warehouse looms up as movements
of individual enterprise and local pros
perity.
A system of electric lighting has also
been introduced throughout the city;
while the water-works and gas couI-
pauies have both doubled their capac-
tiles. and everywhere are Indications OF
substantial and increasing prosperity.
AS bright as has been the past, the
outlook for the future is even brighter
aud, without the Indications are decep-
tive, 1890 will witness much greater
development than 1889.
The passage of the ordinance for fur
nishing the required aid for the con-
structon OF the Roanoke and Southern
railroad which is to be voted upon on
the 2Sth OF January, will give great
impetus to business Of every kind, aud
even before the locomotive on the new
road begins to draw its rich burdens
around the mountain peaks lying south
of the city, hundreds of thousands of
new capital will have been invested
here, and several thousand people have
made this their home. The West Eud
furnace will be completed and put into
blast, and together with the sngue
works, the brewery, the carriage fac
tory and other enterprises, will
give employment to several hun
dred new people, and through the
arteries of trade and the ties of family
support to several thousand.
The TINES is not a dreamer; but it
expects to see wonderful develop
ment in Roanoke aud Southwest Vir-
GINA in the next few Years. II expects
to see Roanoke city Of 10000 prople
1t expects 10 see her merchants doing a
big Wholesale trade as we'll as su PLYING
the local demand, seuding drummers int
North Caroline, Tennessee aud Wet
Virginia, as we'll as throughout the
Southwest.
1t expects to see many new manu-
featuring enterprises in this city aud
surrounding section, giving employment
and affordiug comfortable existence 10
thousands of meu. women and children,
now farihg less we'll IN other sectious
1t expects to see the lands of the sur.
rounding country divided into smaller
ownipgs, and made to bring forth an
even greater abundance than ct pres.
emit.
1t also expects to zee many new pal
atial residences erected on the thou
sands of desirable mountain sites in
the Southwest section, aud if they are
not as fine and as elaborate as that
George Vanderbilt is having built in