Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1890-09-30
FINE EXAMPLE
OF The Manner in Which The
West Virginias
Are Being Deue1oped-Col. e. p.
Chen Talks of the Marvellous
Grooth and Advantages Of
tie To,on of Goshen.

Col. IL. L. Chew, OF j EMERSON coun-
ty, arrived in the city yesterday
morning, on his way to Chicago, and
registered at the Mcclure. knowing
that Col. Chew is largely interested
in the development of Virginia and
West Virginia enterprises, and that
he is very familiar with what is being
done in the way of bringing to light
the resources of both States, re-
porter for the Register sought him
out last evening, and secured large
amount of valuable information from
him, portion of which is herewith
presented, and which will be read
with interest by our readers.
s'Among other things said Col.
Chew, II have been instrumental in
selling large tracts of land in Boone
county, including among others the
Burr-wakeman tract. That country
regard as being probably the finest
undeveloped coal and timber land in
West Virginia. A railroad running
through this country, say by line
running from St. Alban's south, will
put within easy reach of markets and
open to more thorough settlement an
area of 100000 acres of mineral
and timber lands. 1 also have an
interest in the newly organized
Charlestown Development Company,
and there are great things in store
for that enterprise, and of necessity,
for the people / have named. Among
other things, extensive deposits of
brown hematite have just been found
within two or three miles of Charles
town, and will, think, prove of
great value"
"How about your new enterprise
over in Virginia?"
''Well, sir, there we have one of
the most remarkable instances of a
prompt realization of splendid thing
appearing on the records of Late
Goshen, the new town located on
lands of the Goshen Land and I'm
provement Company, is situated in
Rockbridge county, about thirty miles
west of Staunton, and is altogether
the most promising of the new manu-
featuring towns lately inaugurated in
this country. Goshen is situated
within mile or two of Panther Gap
on the west and Goshen Pass on the
east, and by reason of its location it
is the natural outlet for all railroads
running from Central West Virginia
to the South and East. The Pitts
burgh and Southern road, of which
General Fitzhugh Lee is President,
will run through this town. 1t is re-
liably stated that the money is al
ready subscribed to build this road,
and its early completion is assured.
Our Company was organized on the
first day of May last, and in the in
tervenins time the Company has Sc
cured the location on its lands of a
rolling mill, now in course of cree
ton; car shops, for the manufacture
of electric and other cars, two iron
foundries, the foundation of one of
which is complete and the building,
in course of erection, large wood
working establishment, removed from
Williamsport, Pa, two planning mills,
a steam brick Company, now in OPP
Grafton, a magnificent hotel-the
finest in the State of Yirginia-which,
with the buildings and grounds COM
plete, will represent value of $780,
600. In addition to this, there is the
Victoria furnace, owned by an Eng
lish syndicate, and reorganized as
the finest furnace in the South. It
is now in full blast. Several Build
ing Associations have also been or
ganized, obligating themselves to
erect, within the next twelve and
ni0hfanD rDODths I,,iI5iDcro 4o tho nv
gregate value of 5000, 900. The oc-
casion for these extraordinary prep
arations in the way of buildings is
that within a year fifteen hundred
skilled workmen will be engaged in
industrial enterprises, representing a
population of from FIVE to six thous-
and of people.
"a large streams considerable
river in fact-runs through the town,
ensuring the best Of drainage, and
the character of the land is exceed
ingly attractive and well adapted for
the location of manufacturing city.
1t is within eight miles of Rockbridge
Alum Spring, famous, as you well
know, and the Company owns the
Cold Sulphur Springs. The water
from this spring will be piped to our
hotel"
"Will there be an opportunity for
profitable investment tbere?"
81 think so. The Company pro-
poses to sell property on the 9th and
10th of October, and capitalists from
Philadelphia, Baltimore and Wash
ington City will be present at that
time to take advantage of the cppor-
tunity afforded for profitable invest
ment in this young and enterprising
CITY,"
"What of the mineral resources of
the land in that immediate vicinity.
Colonel?"
cit is everything that could be de-
sired. The basis of the coming pros
perity of Goshen is the vast deposits
of iron ore in its vicinity. The value
OF these ores was early recognized by
far-seeing men in the business world.
Commodore Maury predicted years
ago that that valley would be the site
of large iron industry, and Hon.
Hester Clymer, of Pennsylvania,
predicted seventeen years ago that
the chief seat of production of pig
iron would be transferred from the
Lehigh and SchuylkiIl Valleys to the
region wherein Goshen is located, he
being cognizant of the fact that iron