Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-02
SAVERNAKE.
THE GREAT CITY or TIC FUTURE ON
NORTH RIVER
Something of It's Uistoyy-A Transforma-
tion-Remsrksbie Development as
Manufacturing Centrc.
SAvEREAKE. Va. Nov. /. 1890.

SAyEREAKE, Va, Nov. l, 1890.
"Savernake," what o cuuous way Of
spelling Lock Laird, yet this is no
more astonishing thNp the Transformation
scene that has taken place in and around
Lock Laird within the last few years.
Savernake is the magical realization in
superlstive form of the dream of Rogers
and OF Professor John l.. Campbell, who
hid his riches OF mind under modesty
and reticence, as the mountains about
Lock Laird hid their wealth under the
wild flowers and rocks that crowd their
slopes. "SaSernnke is to be city that
will DO known from one end of this
country to the other as a manufacturing
centre that has risen as suddenly as a
mirage lifted in air." but not Ike the
mirage destined to fade.
BIT OF HISTORY.
What has wrought the transformation ?
Minerals. The answer to the question
is short, but comprehensive and full OF
suggestion. Ssvernake is an Anglo
Virginian enterprise. In 1888 an Eng-
lish gentleman, now a director in the
Loeb Laird Estate and Mineral Company,
limited, came to Virginia TO investigate
especially the reports of discoveries OF
tin-ore in Rockbridge county. While in
the county Hart's Bottom, on North
river, attracted his fancy as beautiful
site for city, and the fact was demon
strated 10 him that the country round
about teemed with mineral deposits, the
mining Of which would make the city a
possibility. This gentleman secured the
refusal OF the property. returned to Eng
land and endeayored to interesthis friends
in developing these minerals and in
building this city. His reception was not
encouraging. His friends had no faith
in the enterprise. But the fact that
Virginia, and Rockbridge county espe-
cially, afforded a splendid field for IN
vestment gradually forced itself upon
the English mind, and the English gem
tlemen to whom was unsuccessfully Of
fered the Harris Bottom property having
been communicated with, the Loeb
Laird estate, ono OF the p-cttiest on
North river, wGs secured and o company
formed in London for Its development
The main object of the company was
the development of manganese, and in
vestigation soon demonstrated that 1t ex-
listed in quality unsurpassed and in
quantity sufficient TO supply ferro-man-
ganese works and meet large foreign
demand.
THE cITY's GENESIS.
The properties adjacent to Sayernake,
which is named after the estate OF Lord
Henry Burdenell, member Parliament,
in Wiltshire, England, continued TO adj
vance in value and new discoveries OF
minerals were almost daily occurrences
Savernake saw It's opportunity town
was surveyed, lots were rapidly bought
up. and within a fortnight the city, with
numerous manufacturing enterprises,
includinga great tin-plate manufacturing
plant, was o certainty. Streets have ap-
peared as if at the bidding OF some ma
gician. a street railway has been con
tracted for, which will run through Ss
vernake and Buena Vista, which adloini
it. Arrangements have been made for Q
thorough water supply for household
and FIRE purposes, and thoroughly
equipped electric-hgh. plant IS to be IN
troduced. In short, the Loch-Laird pro
perry is proving q source OF untoiC
wealth, both above and below ground.
paw MATERIAL.
Around SGvernake there is every
thing 10 insure the continuance OF 1t
phenomena growth. When 1t is saiC
there are tin ores, brown iron ores, man
ganose, building clays for bricks anC
pines. brown stone, are clays for refrac
tories, cement rock, limestone for hex
and that ell OF them have been pro
nounced by experts TO be Of the mos
superior quality, the assertion is
prophecy Of the establishment OF an al
most infinite variety of industries, anC
of the employment of thousands OF skill
ed and other laborers The Manganese
of Sayernake alone will be the basis o.
numerous industries.
PRESENT AND PROSPECTIVE.
Among the industries for which or
rangoments have been concluded, OF
negotiations are in progress are ferro
manganese furnace acknowledgements
ornamental brick and till-works man
ganese grinding works; cement-kilni
end mills planning mill and wood work
ing mill 4; iron foundry and machine
- l.,,A l..ak ffn.Falaf.
works, with q capacity OF $500 boxes Of
|. Q. tin weekly, and capable OF exten
sion to a capacity Of 5000 boxes pen
week. The plant viii have all The
latest improvements OF the best Welsh
works. Among the projected industries
are coke-plant, an open-hearth steel
plant, with plate-mill and galyanizing
works, and an eighty-ton blast-furnace
There have also been offered the compa
nv the establishment at Sayernake Of az
iron-bridge works employing 600 hands
lock- and hsrdware-factory, and very
large malleable iron-wOrks from New
England. These are, it Is confidently
stated, bat an earnest OF what will bt
offered to the company in the near fu
ture in the matter Of establishment @
Sagernake of industries Of oil sorts.
OUTLETS
Sayernske has, through the Chesa
peske and Ohio railways North-Rive
branch Of its Richmond and Allegheny
division, and the Shenandoah Valley di
vision OF the Norfolk aud Western rail
road aad their connections, outlets
north, south, east, and vest for its man
ufactured products and any surplus ras
material.
As A REsIDESrIAL PLACE.
As O place OF residence Savernake 4
unsurpassed. 1t is at the junction OF TIL
North Rpn branch Of the Chesapeake
and Ohio railway and tho Shenandoah
Valley branch OF the Norfolk and Vest
ern railroad, and is in the heart Of som'