Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-09-07
THE SOUTHWEST.
PLEASANT oIIMpsss OF THIS FAVOR
co SECTION OF VIRGINIA
rts Richness IN Lands and Minerals and
Great Growth in Wealth and
Population.
rspsc,.l eorr..pona.ace Of u, pl.p..ch.l

fbpeciAl cofreepondence OF tne psPssSn'l
BrurrrrLp. W. Va, September, 1890.
For ak weeks have been making tho
most Of my summer vacation by attend
ing the meetings Of district associations
nm and down the Norfolk aud Western
railroad, mingling almost daily with the
multitudes who attend these large gather
ines Of religious workers
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. REMOVED.
Southwest Virginia is much greater IN
extent Of territory and IN many other
respects than many OF those VINO nave
not been over IL think. Not iew
ARE accustomed 20 think Of IL as contract
ed region. containing a few places that
have been doomed into notorietv far be-
vond their merits. They know scarcely
ANYTHING OF the vast and fertile regions
ont here. which were inaccessible until
now the new railroads have thrown them
open TO the whole world. OF course there
has been an imitation of prices IN all such
sections, but il has been for the most part
. moderate advance. Thousands and tens
Of thousands OF acres of land in the back
counties can be bought at from 81 to 50
Der acre. And even in the neighborhoods
of many Of the growing towns good farm
ing land may he had at quite reasonable
prices. Those who think OF Southwest
Virginia rs a small patch preocupied ana
ruled by prices which make ~ quite risky
business TO invest here would think other
wise il thew could see the many openings
here and there and almost everywhere
where persons Of moderate means may IN
vest with comparative safety and with
almost certainty of good returns.
THE AGRICULTURE OF WEST VIRGINIA M
PROVING.
Formerly the small farmers OF Southwest
VIRGINIA were Of all men most miserable
las farmers everywhere are too apt 10
think concerning themselves. They
raised but little and there was little de-
farmers raised scarcely anything but cat
tie. and hence they had no need TO employ
manv laborers. A boy or two 10 look after
The hocks and herds met all the demands
OF such farmers. And. besides, the facili--
ties for transportation were so Few ana
costly that If farmer CHANGED to raise
more than he needed for home consuinp-
ton IL was difficult TO sell IL Tor Ienune-
rative price.
II is different now. The multitude of
thriving towns in this section furnish an
excellent home market for everything the
farmer can raise-from COW TO q chicken.
Indeed, they are getting far better prices
In many places out here than the same pro,
ducts would bring in Richmona; ana s OIL
can make will increase with the growth OF
the towns and the enlarged development
Of the mining and manufacturing interests
of this section.
SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA HNRrcHrNG THE NoBIH'
Few persons have any just idea OF the
vast amount of money that has within
few wears been put into the pockets OF EN-,
terprisine businessmen who have helped
to develop this country. Three years ago
/ was told by rich man ut the North that
he would give $4,000 to any man VINO
would let him tout whole" from his in
yestments in Southwest Virginia. Since
then he has made more than one million OF
dollars here.
W. ID. Jones. Philadelphia, the notice OF
whose death recently was teiegraphed over
the country, with the further announce
ment that he left an estate valued az zen
millions of dollars. told me himself aswe
rode from Bristol to Wytheville that no in
vestments paid him so well as those he
had made out here. His estate includes
many thousand acres of West Virginia
lands-probably 80, 900 acres. As passed
a village yesterday the conductor pointed
10 splendid residence on neighooring
"The man that lives there came here
from the North five years ago with S3O,ooo.
and to-day be is rated at $500, 600" and he
lyon will find IL so everywhere; the
Yankee has gotten the cream. while our
people have gotten the skinned milk"
OF course there are exceptlons' many %,
soutberners well of. whose gains have
been reaped here within few years, but
the hest cleaning has fallen to our north
ern friends. II will probably be different
hereafter. At almost every point OF any
importance you will find the southerner
taking the lead in developing the smaller
industries and these will grow IN NUMBER
and magnitude. Many who have had to
RELY upon northern capital heretofore are
now able to stand alone, and thus gradu-
ally our own people will have better
chance TO utilize the marvellous resources
Of this truly marvellous country. AS yet
We have scarcely begun the work: we nave
NOT much more than scratched few OF tue
great mining districts-hardly peeped into
one ont of ten thousand mines whose price
less treasures are still shut in from human
gaze. This is the day-dawn merely for
Southwest Virginia.
WHAT JUDGE LATHAM GAYS ABOUT 1T.
Inst here I am reminded of what Judge
latham, formerly of Lynchburg. told me
today. He is now living ct Bramwell and
IL connected with mining operations, and
seems to be thoroughly up. on the busl-
ness In reply to my inquiries ne ssld
ATTY miles long and twenty wide. Six
wears ago You could ride all day through
This region without meeting single in.
diyidual. Now we have o population OF
90. 900 within radius of five miles. We
have 1000 coke-ovens and some 400 more
in course of construction. Year before
last We shipped from this point alone not
ouite a million OF tons OF coal. Last year
We shipped 100. 900 tons. and this, year
we Will ship 2,225,000 tons, exclusive
of coke-I speak only of coal. The largest
OUTPUT from any one entry of coal-mine
ever made was made here few days ago.
Through one of these entries IN single
day we took out $500 tons OF coal" After
pausing a moment the Judge continued :;
ii will tell Won now the strangest thing OF
ali. Only one fifth of the amount we could
raise from the mlne is sent of. The rolling
stock OF the road is taxed to its utmost to
move the one fifth of the amount when
we could furnish il there were transports-
ton for it. You may safely say that we v,
have barely begun the development OF
this mighty cosl-feld."
Nrw RAILROADS.
The projected road from Bluefield &c
Hinton. distance of only forty miles, wal
let the Chesapeake and Ohio into this Goa
field. and that would help in many ways.
General Malone, representing northern
eyndicate, il out here IN the interest or
new railroad from Tazewell Courthouse to
Mcdowell Courthouse. am told that his
engineers are now surveying the. route
Within few DAYS the General has bought
$4,000 worth Of iron lands. He had be.
fore that made large purchases in this same
region. In almost every direction one
hears talk OF new roads 10 be built.
As Ipassed Bedford City that magic town
was excited over the new road soou to be
built from that point TO Big Island, on the
Chesapeake and Ohio railway. 1t had Just
come TO light that very soon that link II
the Pittsburgh and Atlanta road woult
be commenced. and that soon this com
petipg line would wake up old Bedford
and other adjoining counties.
At Roanoke all the talk was about the
Roanoke and Southern. which is now beinI
built to that city. Salem expects to get |
branch of the same road and also the Bal
timors and Ohio (and IL would seem lit
tie something of everything elsel.
A little further on at Christisnsburg the.
are talking of new road, while at Radfor'
they arc counting on two more roads, on
~ which they will surely get.