The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-10-18
WORK FOR THE VALLEY BRANCH.
The Courthouse Mass Meeting
Develops Marked Strength.
The Commercial Clubs Call Needed by
rive hundred Prominent Citizens
Strong Speeches by Strong Mcn-Reso-
intions Adopted Thanking the Conn
Inercial Club.

III enthusiasm and push and argument
mean anything the Baltimore and Ohio's
Valley branch ought to be five miles
nearer Roanoke this morning than it
was "a hours ago. The courthouse
meeting was crowded with prominent
citizens and prominent visitors. Roa-
nol1e spirit and Commercial Club enter
prise came out strong. President Wood
rum, of the club, occupied the chair and
stated the objects of the meeting.
I'VE are just beginning to grow" said
he Let the Baltimore and Ohio build
the extension of the Valley Branch and
this valley will hold $4,000 people. and
Baltimore will have secured the trade
of this section and the South
Capt. Il. Il. Norman took the floor
Said he; 81 am glad that the CONNER
cial Club has shown itself before the
public in this important movement. We
are to consider matter of Importance
to Virginia and Maryland, and cspoci-
ally to the cities of Roanoke and Talti-
more.
AS carly rs 1910 plans were completed
for the construction of Il road from Bal
timorc to this very valley. and was pre-
vented only by some peculiar views
about state rights held by Virginia.
eve have ample railroad facilities
compared with most other places. The
Norfolk and Western and the Shcnan-
doah Valleys railroad have already
done much TO develop this section, but
we want Il closer relation with Ralti-
more.
Now is the golden opportunity for
Baltimore to gain undisputed control of
the Southern trade. but the extension
of the Baltimore and Ohio to this valley
is necessary
Colonel Penn followed in strong
speech. Said he: at is but short
while since meeting was held in old
Rorer Hall, actuated by similar pur-
pose which has brought us here tonight.
''About fifty of us inauguratcd what is
now the Roanoke and Southern Rail-
road Company. We were striving for n
connection with the Carolinas, and had
no organization, no money, no credit.
We infused life into the enterprise and
fifty miles of the road have been built,
and the money is in hand to build the
rest. -
'Only forty miles OF road to build, to
make the connection, instead of 100.
When we undertook the Roanoke and
Southern but few investments of profit
had been made in the mineral lands OF
this section, and our population was
only 5000 Now millions have been in
vested, and here we are. a city of &c, 900
and on the highway of progress. When
we started south we had nowhere to
look for help. But is it possible that
when we start TO build the 40 miles to
Lexington the great city of baltimore
will not strike two ticks for our one?
baltimore has fallen behind in the
race during the last twenty years on
IF In, 1,n Il
Valley road. People read the papers
from cities where they trade. and five
Philadelphia papers are read here to
one from Baltimore. The tread of en-
terprisc and wealth is toward the South,
as is shown by the lead Of the South in
railroad building. When we saw the
baltimore and Ohio must come. why
should we not say that Roanoke will do
its part. If we do this. before next
October the engine will come up the
slopes from the Roanoke river. and
the engine of the Baltimore and Ohio
will meet it here
Col. j. Hampton lIogc was introduced
and said:
''Our baltimore friends do not need TO
be reminded of the Importance of the
Baltimore and Ohio connection Their
| presence here Is evidence of their conf
dencc in the plncky city of Roanoke
"Mr. Carnegie has given it as his
opinion that four-tifths Of the foreign
capitalists who visit the Worlds Fair
will invest in Southwest Virginia and
East Tennessee
Colonel llogc dwclt at some length
upon the advantages to Baltimore OF IL
connection with the Roanoke and South
ern at Roanoke, by opening up the vast
resources OF this section. and the inn
mensc agricultural products of the Car
olinas. lie closed with IL strong appeal
to the meeting to give substantial sup
port.
Hon. H. s. Trout, president of the
Roanoke and Southern, was called upon
and said: Il was glad to hear the Roam
oke and Southern and Norfolk and Yves
tern complimcntcd by the speakers. In
making new friends we should not for
! get old ones. We cannot have too many
railroads. ] can tell YOU something
| about the Roanoke and Southern BY
the first of November trains will be run
ming into Martinsville. Already 900
hands are on the line between this city
and Martinsville, and before the full of
the moon hands will be at work all
along the line into the city limits
Secretary Hinton Helper, of the Com
mercial Club, in answer to repeated
calls, gave a strong and eloquent argu-
ment on the mutual advantages Of the
eXtention to Baltimore and Roanoke
lilo skctchcd the necessities of Roanoke
and the commercial Importance of Bal
timore vigorously and clearly, and re-
ceived hearty round of applause in CON
clusion
Mr.. T. II. Fisher. of Howard county,
Md, said that he believed Roanoke had
just begun TO grow and was Interested
| III this movement.