Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-08-22
A Phenomenal City.

!: Il | lGlUlllGuQl lilly
THE INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS AT BASH
CITY.
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN ~ DAYS-PTIE
| NoMENAL GATHERING OF INDUSTRIES
IN A NEW ToWN-THE FACTORIES IN
PRoGREss-A MAGNIFICENT HOTEL
THE NORMAL COLLEGE-IMPROvE.
NENTS IN THE TOWN-THE PAY ROLL
NOW AND WHAT IT WILL BE JANUARY
| 1, 1S91-THE CAPITAL AT BASIC CITY.
SC, &C., &C.
Reported for the Staunton VINDIcAToR.]
BASIC CITY, Aug. Is.
What will astOnish every man who re-
visits this new Virginia town-and what
most fills me with sort of inability to be-
lieve my own eyes-is the rapid progress in
the establishing of industries and the &C
cessions to them. To be frank, L, with
| thousands of others, didn't believe it was in
our Virginia people to do it, and yet on
running over the list Of officers and direc-
tors of the Basic City Mining and Manu-
featuring Co., find every name, save one,
is that of a man "native and to the manor
born, - and reared on the soil. When [ was
here ninety days ago, was in reality the
date of the beginning of the city. The
company was organized seven months ago
and the stock placed, but the beginning Of
the building of the city dates from few
days after May 9th, the day of the sale Of
lots. The nest egg from which the town
has grown may be put down in round
numbers, SO to speak, at hay rick, a small
hotel, a COW shed, three little houses, and a
hard cider stand near the depot. The census
of the town might, with liberal minded
enumeration, have reached twenty five in
habitants. To-day as the train ran in the
scene was altogether changed. Stores, resi-
dences, factories with the smoke rising
from them; a belt-line railroad half encir-
cling the town from the Chesapeake 4 Ohio
on the west to the iron furnace on the
north; a magnificent hotel (for which the
ground had not even been cleared when I
was here. the Normal College, the match
factory, the steam brick works, and last
but most important Of all the massive
stone first-stories of the iron furnace, the
hardware factory, the car factory, and the
paper mill, all rose upon the vision to
puzzle the beholder with the suddenness of
their coming and excite his admiration of
the enterprise that had brought them.
A RIDE THROUGH THE NEW TOWN-ITS
INDUSTRIES.
To see Basic City now, you have to take
a carriage. Ninety days ago 1 could stand
on the railroad embankment and see it all
OF what there was then to see of it.
The first thing that attracts your atten-
ton is the belt line railroad. 1t leaves the
Chesapeake & Ohio road on trestle and on
reaching the ground runs around the west
ern side of the manufacturing portion of the
town, between it and the river, and making
curve by the iron furnace On the north,
joins the Shenandoah Valley Railroad. It
affords shipping facilities right from their
doors to the large establishments located in
til Ut quarter. The grading is done and the
rold only now awaits it's superstructure. 1t
is a mile and one-eighth long and Gooch &
Ryan are the contractors.
Just where this line leaves the G.. & O.
are located the works of the Coal and Lum-
ber Co., recently organized and composed
OF Virginians and North Carolinians.
Next to this comes the Steam Brick
Works which occupy a large space with
their plant. The machinery is at work and
it's output is to be 40, 900 brick day.
The Basic City Hardware Company's
factory comes next with the massive stone
foundations of its seven buildings. This
is an immense concern and will be the only
one of the kind in the Southern States The
first stories of the buildings are up and are
three OIL four feet thick. To give an idea
of the magnitude of the establishment, 1
give you the measurements Of the different
buildings. The finishing department build
ing is 425X37! feet; the foundry 200X75; the
machinery building, 250x5O; the Japanning
house, 50X40; the engine house, 65x35: the
brass foundry, 75x40 and the cupola, 2Ox15.
This great factory will work about 500
hands.
The next is the paper mill, for which Mr.
J. G. Jones has the contract. The founda-
lions are up. 1t will work IS hands, and
commence work October 1st.
Then comes the cigar factory which will
work 20 hands.
Next is the Match Factory, which is be-
ing erected by PennsyIvanians from Leban-
on, Pa, and which will work 4Ohands.
Then comes the immense car works which
also have seven buildings. Their founda-
lions are of massive stone. This establish
ment will work $50 hands.
| Next comes theblind, sash and door fac
tory which will employ 40 hands.
Last comes the great stone foundations
of the iron furnace, which will work $50
hands.
THE NORMAL COLLEGE,.
In the northern edge Of the city situated
in beautiful grove, is the new Normal
College. 1t is handsome building three
stories high and will be finished by the End
of September, ready for the opening of the
next session. 1t has 40 rooms. The study
hall is 24x31 feet and the recitation room
the same size. 1t has a frontage Of e
feet and an elevation of 81 feet. The first
floor contains the Principals office, the
dining room, parlOr, recitation room ant
kitchen. The other stories are occupied az
dormitories. 1t is handsome building
and the grounds will be among the most at