Montgomery County sentinel., 1890-09-19
The Great Virginia Coal Mines.


Edtt0r Sentinel
1t is not worth while for US to describe our
feelings when we bade farewell to the loved
ones at home, and the many friends with
whom we have been associated tor the past
few years, suffice it to say that the breast
heaved and the eyes we're filled to overflow
| ing but with brave hearts we set ont for
| Virginia City Wise county, Va
| II is often said To Italy let us go and look
upon natures grandeur and natures beau
ties--to bask under Italy's blue sky, to drink
| from her balmy atmosphere the health-givlng
air.; but why leave this the ltirest and grand
est OF all parts of our world, aud seek new
| beauiies across The grent waters? Are there
not as mtuy bright mountains, beautiful wall
! leys and pure waters sparkling like diamonds
| in the sun. as they roar and splash down the
| mountain 5 side? But the mind wonders and
| wanders into space, and we are lost in won
! der aud surprise at what the great Creator
| has given 10 this part OF our grand old Com
monwealth
But few yeirs ago may say months,
/ this whole section was totally undeveloped.
| The citizens thought they were tho WHOLE
| world, and every where else was but an empty
| dream AT last, however, the scales have fall
en- from their eyes. No longer is the shrill
| whistle OF the steam engine an idle tale No
| longer do they believe they compose The uni
turtle Is silent throughout our valleys. The
shout Of the workmen preparing for The com
| ing of the fiery locomotive reverberates
| through our mountains, and echoing and re-
echoing the glad news that al last the noun
tains are made low, the valleys filled up, and
Onward goes the work of making our beloved
State once more the first ia the hearts OF her
citizens
Virginia City is on the Clnch River Branch
of the Norfolk and Western Railroad, Wise
county, Va the N Il W running through
the property. It is situa.ed in q most beauv
| tifu! valley, surrounded on all sides by spurs
OF the Cumberland Mountains. IL is about
two thousand yards wide at It's widest part
and rams up TO rather Il narrow poiut near the
| mine proper. 1t is one OF the best locations
| for a large manufacturing city on the N. IL
| ". road, and il is proposed in the near future
/ TO establish iron ioundries here. 1t is claimed
TO be much cheaper TO bring iron 10 coal Than
| take coal to iron. This seems TO be the con-
| cusion arrive at by those who are estaO-
fishing iron foqndries all along this great
| thoroughiare.
The country around the city is beautiful
and charming in every respect. But the most
important OF all those things is the vas,
/ amount o. coal lying hidden under the noun
| tain ranges. We bear a great deal about the
| Cumberland mines and their most wonderful
resources the Pocahontas coal fields and
others, but from the outlook and develop
ments at Virginia City it will surpass them
ALL To describe ou- feelings when we first
| looked upon this vast mountain of coal,
stretching out as far as the eye could reach,
would be impossible. The main entrance TO
the mines is through bed OF coal nine feet
thick, standing out in bold relief. Going
into the mine only gives you more snbstan-
| ia, view of what is expected from It's work
ings So far, two hundred feet or more on
one entrance has been mined, and about one
hundred on Ihe main entrance, and the vein
! still holds its Lwn as to the quantity, no
man knows, but those who are engaged in the
enterprise say that it is inexhaustible. The
quality Is OF the very best. IL has been used
| by your writer ever since his arrival, and he
can assure you, without exaggeration, that il
| is the finest burning coal on the market for
domestic purposes.
Fully two thousand tons have Deen hauled
out on the dump, not having railroad hcili-
ties for shipping. In snort time, possibly
thirty days the railroad will be brought 10
the mine and you will then have the pleasure
of seeing what our fellow-ciiizen, VIM. 7.
Griffith, Of II has accomplished by pluck
and perseverance. MINER.