The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-12-25
ADVERTISING RATES:
Friday, Dec, Is, 1891.
General Improvement.

GSn6f0i improvements.
The prevalent feeling concerning Big
Stone Gap and Wise county investments
is more encouraging, and the outlook for
o revival MI along the line during the
next year is very bright, The bottom has
evidently been reached and the feeling in
al lines of business is better. The fur
naces of the Appalachian Steel and Iron
Company are approaching completion.
The development Of the iron ore in Wal
lens Ridge, almost within the town limits,
shows far richer deposits of ore than The
most sanguinc friends of the town have
ever claimed. "A large quantity of this.is
being mined ready for use in the local
furnaces, and for shipment to other fur
naces. The present mining contract is at
fifty cents per ton, and it is stated that at
the expiration of the present contract,
which calls for the mining Of 5000 tons,
that contracts can he made to mine at
thirty-6ve cents per ton. This is the
lowest Birmingham price; this, with the
conceded fact that coke can he made bet
ter and cheaper here than at any other
point in the South, insurcs substantial
development here in very short while
The records in the clerk office of Wise
county, show that SO far from investments
being less in Wise county property. the
number Of transfers of property Of all
kinds, especially Of mineral and timber
lands, is greater now than ut any time in
the history Of the county, with the ex-
ception probably Of q few months in the
early part of 1890. Every mail brings to
the clerk large numbers Of deeds to he re-
corded, an inspection Of which shows that
they are in most cases recent transfers of
Of land in the county. Throughout the
entire coal fields active operations are in
progress for the early mining of coal and
making Of coke. The action OF the Vir-
ginia Coal and Iron Company in develop
ing it's great empire of coal property is
anxiously awaited by everyone immedi-
ately interested in Big Stone Gap The
beginning of operations by this company
will mark Il new era in the history of the
town, and it is necessarily matter of a
very brief time when they will begin,
The air continues full of railroad
runors affecting the town. 1t is thought
that the Kentucky Union people will soon
be in position to push that line through
to this point. The latest information is
that the three C's road is on its feet again
aad the link between Moccasin Gap and
Johnson City will be completed early in
'9a. The East Tennessee is still thought
to have an eye on immediate extension to
this point. Branch railroads from the
main line Of the L. & n and n g. w. into
the conl fields adjacent, within the county,
are being located, and several of them
will he constructed during the next year:
and also, branch lines from the S. A. 60
into the iron fields in Wildcat Valley. a
number Of new corporations and assoca-
tions, bringing capital together for de-
veloping purposes, have recently been
course of formation, ail5looking to an ac-
tive advancement Of mining operations of
all kinds in and near Big Stone Gap dur
ing the next year.
Public attention is being called again to
Big Stone Gap lots for Investments A
few decretal sales held here recently Of
which the public took no notice until after
the sales were held, and at which property
sold at merely nominal figures owing to a
total lack Of bidders,s have been poised
abroad as setting - standard at which
property is selling. While these sales do
not indicate the present status of the real
estate market here. they have served to
: draw attention to what is undoubtedly n
rsstrue state offacts; that large proportion
2 Of che town.site property can be bought at
figures greatly below the value placed
upon them during tho height Of the boom
ia 1880. While no investors are willing
'aeos sell propertyat loss on original prices,
the majority of the property now held
here was bought early, and bought low,
and present owners can afford to sell no
7 6w prices and still make fair profits.
Largs numbers Of letters have been re-
ceived recently from outside parties in
squlslng about the present price Of prop
essy,ah asking whether the reported
ssies ander iccrces afford any standard
az slass. and Indicating that the wrissra,
seeking Investments IL the prices
SssESSsS nc al as indicated.
An example Of the Righteousness OIL
49,