The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-01-10
cpesapeak, and Ohio Railroad.

= The New York correspondent Ct the
Baltimore Saea, under date OF tie Sd.
says:
The friends and present managers of
the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad are
very lubilant over the prospects that The
compl-tion of the CONNECTIONS with the
Big Four system bring to the road. The
t xtension from Ashland to Covington and
the new bridge at Cincinnati have been
turned over TO the company. and it now
has complete lie under its own con-
Lrol from Cincinnati 10 tidewater. One
of the Chief aims Of the new reOrganiza
ton scheme has thus been satisfactorily
accomplished. I'VE have got" said
gentlemen who knows all the inside work
of the company, to day, to the Sun cor
respondent lone Of the best railroad men
in the country at the head of the road and
it starts ont with fair promise of btcom-
ing one of the great trunk lines to the
West. 1t is the shortest line from Wash.
ington to Cincinnati. and will III time
prove rival even to the Baltimore and
Ohio. don suppose that it will ever reach
down to New York in competition with
the roads here. but certainly from Wash
in ,ton TO Cincinnati it need fear no COM
petition. The road is now down to hard
pan. cash basis and under a continuance
of such IA programme. the only honest
method of railroading. the hopes of its
friends must be realized. The time, too.
when it will have double track is not so
far off. A large addition is being con.
stanty made to its sidings, all of which
may be used when the double track comes
and the running plant Of the road has been
put in Thoroughly efficient condivion The
coal and mineral resources of the country
it taps will be opened up by the demands
of the Big Four region, and in return
large increase of freightage to tidewater
from the West NAV confidently be ex
pected. The road will be running its own
trains from Newport News to Cincinnati
next week. and will quickly prove to the
public that it is the quickest route from
Washington. Memphis Louisville and all
that section to Cincinnati. y
The success of this imp Jrtant road lies
in the development of the mineral re-
sources between the Blue Ridge and Ka-
nawha Falls. There is enough of iron
and coal within this boundary to make a
business for the road, that would aggre-
gate as much as all the balance of its
trade. AS yet its development is in its
infancy. The iron producing section Of
the country could beslocated in this re-
gion. If capitalists wouldstake hold Of the
properties that are inviting inyestme Dt.
We had occasion few days ago TO go
over the Ferrol.property Immediately on
the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad. and is
miles from Stanton. 1t is one of the
richest iron tracts anywhereto he found.
and yet it is idle. With few thousand
dollars Grace Furnace could be pus in op-
Grafton, with the ore and limestone right
at the plant and the coke in easy reach
at New River. The product.o of this fur
mace always ranked high in the market
when it was operated. Its capacity is so
tons per day; the ore averages SO per
cent. metallic iron; the limestone is with
moGated by railroad laid from the fur
mace to the mines. at very liberal es-
innate ton of No. l foundry pig could
be made at $l2 or 1913 per ton. Econom-
ically managed, With ample capital to
handle the whole arrangement, it could
be made for Jess. and the output enlarged
to an indefinite amount, if estimated by
the capacity of the ores. Estaline Fur.
mace, adjoining this property, and short
distance from the railroad, is another
valuable iron estate. lying idle. At least
two SO ton furnaces ought TO be in oper-
alton at this point. They could be made
oil itoI to bo q
We'll as the railroads. and contribute
largely to the prosperity and business of
The country surrounding. as we'll as Staun.
ton.
We mention this one location to illus
trate The possibilities of the future for
the railroad and the country through
which it passes. There will have to be
local business created to make the road
tween Clifton Forge and Richmond, ssas
with the Richmond and Allegheny in the
control of the Chesapeake and Ohio, the
easy grades ON the former will necessa.
riy divert all the through traffic in that
direction. Both for the road. the section
and The entire State, therefore, it is im'
portant that local development be encour.
aged. 1t is the only sensible and practical
thing to do, in order to make it prosper.
Gus and an agent in beneftting the coun-
try it traverses.
The new management, we are sure, is
fully alive to the Importance of material
development along its line, and when the
| President becomes more fully acquainted
with the marvellous resources of the sec
| ton through which the road passes he will
direct his attention to their utilization.
Quick Work.
Would that our business men had lit.
tie of the pluck and enterprise of the PEG
pie of Lynchburg. Recently PROPOSE.
tion was made to locate the Zinc works
which are to be established by company
of which Gen. Rosencranz is President
The mines are near Bonsack's, on the
Norfolk and Western Railroad. Roanoke
was bidder, but it seems Lynchbure
now stands the best chance of getting
| luclu. LII CANVASS VI LWU UlUCk5 VI UuSl
ness firms, taking but few hours. 6.25(
shares of the par value of $40 each were
subscribed by 81 men-$4 on each share to
be paid on first call. Hon. J. W. Daniel
was the moving spirit in the matter and
presided at the public meeting before
which the result of the canvass was an :
nounced. The names of the subscribers
are published in the city papers and the
amount OF stock taken by each.
Why cannot the business men of Staun-
! ton show like enterprise and public spirit?
There is no more intelligent and sagacious
people in the State than the BUSINESS men
of this place, and we believe it is only ne
cessary to have their attention called TO
the necessity of cooperative action looking
to some important industry being located
here, for them to take hold of it in earnest.
Stanton has as many natural advan-
tages as any point in the whole South for
an industrial plant connected with iron
manufactures. Why not utilize her ad-
vantages and give the town a start in the
line of progress and prosperity?