Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-07
PROGRESSIVE SALEM.
A GLANCE AT THE QUEEN CITY or
THE SOUTHWEST.
Activity In Buiiding-Its Indus
tries, Schools. Churches, Etc.
S.rrM. December & 1900.

celled for hospitality aud whose health
fulness was unsurpassed. 1t had then
population of eighteen hundred souls
now its population numbers over four
thousand, with the prospect-nay, al
most the certainty-that within another
year these lastpamed figures will be
more than doubled.
And what has wrought this change 7?
What has made ii 10 few short months
the industrial beehive it now IS? The
answer does not involve the exercise OF
much mental labor. The people of Sa-
lem suddenly walked mp to its own adj
yantages as Il manufacturing aud railroad
centre and other people also walked up
to them.
LOCATION.
located as il is in the heart of q great
mineral area Astounding in limestone,
manganese, iron ore, coal, stone for
building purposes, &C., having ample
water-power, being on the line of that
great city builder the Norfolk and West
ern railroad and being the charter termi-
nus of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad,
which is already extended to Lexington,
it wOdld have been mystery If the place
had not gone with a rush TO the crest OF
the TIDAL wave Of prosperity and develop
ment that is rolling along Ia Southwest
Virginia. Moreover it will be impossible
for it not to keep its place there.
A SOLID BASIS.
Salems development started with a
solid basis-ihat of all old town with an
already good business and a naturally
industrious and thrifty population. Upon
that basis it has expanded to degree al
most phenomenal. but none the less safe.
The details Of this development would
fill the columns OF the DIsPATcH, and |
can only glance at the town as it is.
ARAPID GLANCE.
When one alights from a Norfolk and
Western train ct Salem he walks into one
of the prettiest railroad stations in Yir-
ginia-a Gothic stone building which is
in general design atype of what the com
pany have already erected, or will erect,
at each station on their line. Thus ho
gets the impression of n live, go-aheat
place in the beginning, and that impress
sion is in no wise weakened. but TO the
contrary, is greatly strengthened as he
walks through the town.
BUILDING.
On every side he will be struck with
evidences OF building activity. Since
last March over four hundred houses
have been erected here. Numbers Of
others are now going up, and so great IS
the demand for houses that 1t ~ a COM
mon thing for people to move into
them before they are finished. Store
property is in extraordinary demand
and some OF the stores IN process OF
erection will cost as much as $4,000
each. The material in most of the larger
buildings erected aud being erected IS
brick and the mechanical classes seem
TO DO literally worked to death. On
some OF the principal streets the i'm
provemeut companies will permit no.
thing but brick buildings.
IMPOSING BUILDINGS.
Among the most imposing buildings
of Salem ia Roanoke College, one Of the
best-known educational institutions in
Virginia, and it is soon to have ar
chitectural companions in the Baptist
Orphan Asylum and the Hotel Salem.
The former, which is in course of CON
struction, Is on an elevated plateau OF
some ten acres and will cost one hundred
thousand dollars. The latter, which will
be open 10 visitors by the LIST of Febru-
ary, is q fve-story Gothic brick struc-
ture containing one hundred and twenty
five rooms, will cost when completed
seventy-fve thousand dollars. and be one
OF the most picturesque hotel structures
in Southwest Virginia.
sALEM's INDUsTRIES.
The development Of Salem's indus
tries has even outstripped the progress
of the place ia the matter of build
ing residences and stores, and Is al
most weekly enhancing the demand
for the latter and increasing the values
of unImproved lots. Among the indus
tries may mention the Salem Furnace
Company, tho Salem Car and Machine
Company, two sash, blind, door, aud
building establishments, several tame
ries. O wagon manufacturing company,
gas-heater manufacturing company, two
maebine-shops and foundries, two chair
companies, a cand y-factory, the Camden
Iron Works, o planing-mill. an ice COM
papv. swoollen-mill, several brick-works,
carriage-factories, a roller Touring mill,
marble works, three canneries, and nu-
merous smaller industries. This list IN
cludes only such industries as are In ope-
ration or whose buildings are being
erected. Within the last week six new
industries have been secured whose ag-
Cregate capital amounts to over million
and a half dollars and which will employ
1000 hands. A reasonable estimate OF
the number of hands the Salem indus
tries now in operation, building. and
positively secured will employ is 1900.
EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES
The educational facilities OF Salem are
the very best, the place being rrecog-
nized seat OF learning, and the church
advantages are unsurpassed in the
Southwest. There are five white and
three colored churches here and the de-
nominations represented are the Presoy-
terlans, Baptists, Lutherans, Episcopa-
lians, and Methodists.
FINANCIAL.
Salem has three banks and a number
Of improvement and investment compa-
MES and other financial institutions;
The capital of the banks is $500, GOO and and
their aggregate deposits $1,000, 600.
Among the investment, loan, land com,
papies. &C.. are the South Salem Land
COMPANY, j. L. Crabtree president the
Salem Improvement Company. j. w. +:
AlIemong president the Steelton Land
COMPANY, j. O. Langhorne president;
the bike Land Company, j. @. Lang.
horne president the Glenmore Land
COMPANY. f. s. Strayer president the
R;yerside Land Company, w. L. Hurl-
bert president; the Lake Spring Land
COMPANY. M. NJ. Rogers president the
Hockman Land Company, ". NJ. Mel;
son president; the West-En 9. La mo
Company. George Allen president the
Creston Land Company y; .. Lieon
4ho V;ctoria Land Company,