The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-12-19
and local interest. The statistics show.
marked advance IN recent yeaes along NIL
the Inc. Of State educational work and
the outlook seems most encouraging.
The Duke Of Marlborough.

The Duke and Duchess of Marlborough
returned to England week ago, and tho
friends Of the duke now see no objection
to letting it be known that he was here
on business 1t will he remembered that
number of months ago ex-mayor Abram
Stevens Hewitt. who married tic Duke
to his American bride, visited London,
and while there met some of the great
iron and steel men Of the United Kingdom.
At that time the rapid development ofthe
coal and iron industries in the South came
in for very free discussion and extended
explanation. The Duke of Marlborough
became greatly interested in what sounded
like romance, and some of his New York
friends declare that he decided at that
time on his next trip7to the United States
to examine the ground with the idea OF
associating himself with others, and, ii
possible, corralling some of the fortune
that is coming out of this development ct
the South. While here he made an ex-
tended tour of Kentucky. Tennessee, Ala
ALBANIA, and other Southern States with
Mr.. Hewitt, and he has secured options
on lands supposed to have coal and IRON
products in northern Alabama and III
Tennessee. 1t is not known Just how
closely the Duke Of Marlborough is assoc
ciated with Mr.. Hewitt in these reported
ventures, because the friends OF sr.
Hewitt said yesterday that they did not
wish to discuss the matter.
1t was said, though, by people IN a
position to know that the Duchess of Mari
borough did not take very kindly to he
Dukes ideas about his Southern ventures.
In a word, it was said that she thought
that. i'm view Of the recent vast develop
ment, anv new ventures would have an
element of risk which would not warrant
her in putting any of her individual for
tune into the enterprise. The Duke OF
Marlborough, while not questioning ms
wifc's business acumen, still held 10 ms
ideas, and believed that the options thai
he and his friends had secured would turn
out to be great financial successes with
this idea, it is said, he has returned to
London with the idea of interesting some
of his English friends in plan to organ
ize a company which is to furnish the
capital for the development of these lands,
and if need he furnish the funds to build
CITY something after the plan OF Blrm-
ingham.
Whether he will be able to secure the
funds for this vast enterprise i'll time to
take up the options was matter OF spec
ulation Yesterday among his New York
friends. Some said that the Duke was
known in England as a man of business
sagacity, and that he could easily secure
the capital for the enterprises. Others
are not so sanguine of the Dukes success.
As we understand it, there are some
misstatcmcnts in the above which we wish
to correct.
The Duke was not in Alabama at ali
aud passed through Tennessee only incl
dentally on his way from Middlesboroug
(where he went 70 see how town-huiidlng
was done) to Big Stone Gap, (wierc he
thought might be the best place 10 do IT
over again.
In Middlesborough MANI millions of
English money are invested, and in elias
gov, which place he also visited, is some
more British gold. There is no doubt
about it, the Duke was extremely we'll
pleased with all that he saw in and about
Big Stone Gap.
Nor do we believe the Duke has any OPP
tons ON anything in rAlabapa- or Tenpes-
see, for it is known that one Of his Prin-
cipal advisers, and perhaps associates, has
stated that he does not want anything
south of knoxville. 1t is probable that if
he has hold OH any lands, which We do
not pretend to say. they are situated in
Southwest Virginia.
The Duchess has no control Of tue cs-
tate left by her previous husband, Mr..
Hammersley. but enjoys simply the in
come thcrefrom, some 5000, 600 or $500, GOO
yearly, which she Ghost to spend on their
London house and in restoring their
country place, Blenhcim, to its original
splendor. and maintaining it as BELTS such
a station as theirs An idea Of what out
lay is required will be had when we state
that the house is 700 feet long, there be-
ing seven acres under roof, and the charge
for coal for keeping up the free in their
greenhouse alone was $4,000 year.
Long life: to the Duke and Duchess,
success to his good intentions and mission
and may Big Stone Gap soon be what its
best fri ends wish for it.