The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-10-16

No better method of informing tho
public of tho scope and character of tho
Roanoke Development Company can be
found than to publish its prosps ctus
in full. 1t runs as follows: Roanoke
Development Company. capital Sl.l0o,-
900. Directors: =. l.. Terry. Roanoke:
Arthur c. Dcnniston, Philadelphia:
Joseph II. Sands, Roanoke: Richard S.
Brock, Philadelphia Clarence Nj. Clark.
Philadelphia; James s. Simmons. Roam
oke; j. w. ,Jamison, Roanoke; Joseph
A. Gale. Roanoke.
This company proposes To purchase
1900 acres Of land lying adjacent to the
corporate limits Of Roanoke and direct
ly west of the centre of the town. The
property has frontage Of about two and
half miles on the Roanoke river. and
comprises some 800 Or 100 acres OF iinc
bottom lands, suitable for business and
manufacturing purposes. The rest of
the property is, for the most part, high
table land and admirably adapted for
town purposes. The accompanying map
shows the location and character of the
property better than they can be de-
scribed.
The capital of the company is to be
S1,1OO, 600, of which 500, 900 is for the
purchase of the property, and the re-
naming 5000, 600 will be available to
aid in the esta blishmcnt of manufacture
n ricnu 20 ND, wi a,
improvement OF its property.
Tho lands Of the company will be de-
veloped on largo scale. a fine bridge
will be built Immediately, connecting
them with the corporate limits of the
city; an electric street railway will be
constructed over large part of the COM
pany's lands and across the bridge. and
will be extended to tho center of tho
city as soon as the necessary franchises
can be obtained This railway will
bring the property within few minutes
ride of the business part of the town.
The company proposes to lay off and
so improve some 300 or 400 acres of it's
land as to render them unqucstionablv
the most desirable residence quarter of
Roanoke. This property lies high. com
handing magnificent views. and for
beauty of location Surpasscs the West
End and Mountain View tracts The
electric railway will render it moro ac-
ceSsiblc than these last-na med tracts in
which property is now selling at an av-
crage price Of $1,000 PER acre. Upon
the completion of iss improvements the
company can readily sell IuU acres Of
this land for SIJ.Wi0 an acre. or $500 600
the entire cost Of the entire 300 acres
purchased
1t will be the policy of the company to
reserve large number OF lots in every
section laid oil in order to share in the
great appreciation in value that will fol-
low the development and improvements
The history of Roanoke has been brief
but eventfnl. in 1882 Big Lick station
became the junction of the Norfolk and
Western and Shenandoah Valley rail
roads, having been given the name of
Koanokc. In the same year the Roam
olle Machine Works were established at
this point. employing some 800 hands.
These works have been increased from
time to time until they now employ
some 800 hands. Other Industries fol
lowed, and were located upon the level
land lying 4 long the railroad and cast of
the machine works. until ut last uCarly
all tho land in that section suitable 70"
manufacturing purposes has been OK
haustcd. Meanwhile the citv had crown
from population OF 100. in lSNo. 10 /;
population on -. 900 i'll 1880. and has on
tcDded its corporate limits toward the
west and South until they reach the
Roanoke river.
Tho far-sightcd have. long recognized
that the future of Roanoke as an indus
trial center lies i'll the fine bottom lands
along this river 1t is upon this theory
that the Roanoke Development Com
pany has been formed. The furnace of
the Roanoke Iron Company and ttr roll
Jig mill to be built Immediately bv THAI
company, the latter employing some 100
or 500 hands. both Of which are located
near the river and directly opposite the
land of the Roanoke Development Com
pany. arc but the precursors of.hundrcds
of other Industries that will be estab-
lished along the river bottoms, a large
part of which is owned by the Roanoke
Development Company. The river will
inevitably become the center Of the