The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-15

plants mt Conne,lsylic. is greatly delight
ed with the outlook here. He reports this
great territory Of coal mostly above
drainage, easily accessible by railroads,
and an abundance of level lands at hand
on the water courses on which to con-
struct ovens. In short, all the elements
combine for the successful manufacturing
of the cheapest coke and Of the finest
quality.
Both the l.. d n and the S. a. & O. are
preparing to run spur tracks up the
streams named, and Mr. Taggert will then
build ut once 300 or more ovens, TO lie
followed in the future bv an indefinite
number. He is now building and will
shortly he operating trial oven.
1t il on the foundation of coal and iron
that the destiny Of Big Stone Gap rests,
and with such showings as Messrs. Tag
CERT and Byrd make in their respective
departments, who can doubt the future?
THE INTERSTATE TUNNEL.
This great scheme with the incalculablc
benefits it will bring to Big Stone Gap
seems to be Undertaking in good shape.
Capt w. +. Gordon, the chief engineer,
has secured Capt. Bishop, ofpctcrsburg. an
engineer Of fine reputation TO take Charge
of tho field work, and the latter gentle
man moved last week into camp on. the
proposed line with IL splendid corps Of as
sistants, fifteen in number. The first en-
campment is on Callahan Creek about six
miles from the town. Capt. Bishop has
made partial preliminary examination
of the proposed routes, and is confident
that IL line can be secured, with u maxi
mum grade of only 66 feet to the mile, up
to and through Big BLACK Mountain,
down upon the Poor Fork of the Cumbcr-
land. and up the same. to and through
Pine Mountain and out into a section in
Lctchcr county, Ky, where good divcrg-
ing lines in all directions can bc secured,
all for two million dollars, or less. This
estimate includes the doubletrack tun-
ncls and doublc-track lines from this
point to the western terminus. If his ac
tual survey and estimates, bring the
amount to approximate two million dol
lars, there seems every assurance that the
scheme will bc carried out, and that with
out delay. Capt Bishop expects to be
out for four or more months with his
corps, surveying diffcIcnt routes and de-
tcrmining upon the best.
TIE MOUNTAIN pARK ASSOCIATION.
This rather aesthetic, bnt highly impor-
tant feature III the development of our
city, is not slumbering. An accurate sur
vey is now being madc Of the boundary Of
5000 acres, which it will be remembered
includes that wonderfully rich and pic
turcsquc High Knob" and ncShboring
peaks and deprcssions, with Il view to in
closing it, and fitting up as a game pre-
serve ana building upon "The Knob Il
rustic hotel or club house. As soon as
practicable the dummy line will be ex
tended to it, and also beautiful drvc-ways
made
OUR HAII.-RoADS.
Work all along the lines is progressing
satisiactoriallv The S. a. x o. has set
tied into very crcditablc road with two
passenger trains each way per day, and
sufficient freight train accommodations.
A suitable freight depot has been erected.
a passenger depot is badly needed. This
road has pushed through the Gap, and is
about completed up into the coal fields on
LO0ny Greek.
The l.. u n. roadbcd is merely graded,
and is trst-class bed in all particulars.
Track-laying is advancing this way rapid
" from Cumberland Gap, and those in
authority say it will reach us hv Novcm-
Der Isl; They will Immediately push their
track LAYING on from here out into the
coal fields through the Gap, and on to
Norton. spur up Preacher Greek is al
ready being graded. They will run ont
spurs in MI directions to the coal and iron
mines. Grading is now being pushed on
the switch yards, turntables. etc, on the
land known a. the Southwest Virginia
Mineral LAND CompaMy's tract, Just below
and opposite the lower end of PLAT" 1t
is said this company will build Il very
handsome depot.
The n. & W. road is pushing its work
westward TO Norton, twelve miles above
us where it makes iiuncturc with the
L. 4 ~, with all possible dispatch. 1t is
thought they sill reach Norton early
in '9l.
The z. I. V. & G. extension is being
graded north from Rogersvlle, Tenn, and
tho Kentucky Union is completed to jack
son, and only awaiting the settling of the
runner question 10 DeSln pushing OH mere.
Several other Kentucky roads are heading
this way, and it is almost the decree of
nature that they must come to Big Stone
Gap Tor an eastern outlet, or eastern and
southeastern connections.
OTHER INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
The citizens, both individually and col
lectively rs represented in the city coun-
Icil, are awakening to the Importance of
Improvements of all kinds, chiefly Of pub
lie and private buildings, grading, paving
and 'macadamizinS streets, etc. The air
is no longer pregnant with speculative
talk, but there is everywhere among our
citizens an impulse to build, and improve.
The council has taken steps toward
levying and collecting the taxes for this
year and tits estimated thatssome eight
or fen thousand dollars will be derived
from this source, all Of which viii
be es pended upon the streets in various
ways. The most freq tented streets of the
town will have thesidewalks brought to
Z - 49,. fa.l-