The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-22
he EARLY DAYS OF ROANOKE.
low Things Were Done in the
Early Days.
Ao Description of the Starting of Roam
oko's Foundation Enterprises, Taken
From Tho vircinins' Interesting His
tory, That Contrast Sharply with
Roanoke of To-day.

81 The following description of Roanoke
p Its infancy is taken from the July
lumber of 1.-THE Virginias," for 1882,
lublished by Major Jed Hotchlkiss, now
3zzI nc president of the Grottoes Company
It Shendun. The article, with Major
r potohkiss' editorial preface, is as fol-
flows:
ga From tho recently issued bulletin
Sf tho Bureau of immigration and Min.
hg Intelligence Of the Norfolk and
~ fYestern and Shenandoah Valley rail-
RHEays we take the following description
Isl bf tho thriving town of Roanoke as it
afs now and as the energetic companies
having it in hand propose to make it
Yin the future. Tho statements of this
prescription are official and therefore
sAPne may confidently look for their speedy
specialization. The National Bank spoken
#|Pf was organized few days ago. 1t
;H~ould be difficult to find n location
3Iwhere nero elements for the growth and
&lPontinued prosperity of an inland city
Marc naturally or can BIO easily ooncen-
#trated. - Editor. Il
II "'Tho city Of Roanoke is located ut
a!tho junction OF tho Shenandoah Valley
Wand Norfolk and Western railways,
NIFTY three miles west of Lynchburg.
the situation is very beautiful, the
INLAND high and rolling, and surrounded
altpy picturesque mountain range. Tho
Gbmmediate vicinity has long been cele-
Il ttrated for tho excellence of it's farms,
Nhhving rich SOIL diverse field, with
4 beautiful groves of valuable timber.
Edand well watered by streams and
Blsprings.
n "'A town had long been established
n near by known as big Lick" having
H been salt-lick for buffalo in tho early
III days Of tho settlement Of the country.
n This had gained population of about
H 1000, and, besides being trading place
III for tho surrounding farms, had very
4 considerable business in tho packing
n and Shipping of tobacco
" '''1n 1881 the point o. junction OF tho
h two lines had been decided upon; tho
Il Company" was organized. and the pur-
chase of some 500 acres of land was
effcctual.
'"This had been laid out as n town
site, with streets sixty feet in width,
and with all the modern appliances for
health and progress. Already some If
teen miles of streets are in process of
\ grading-plank sidewalks to be put
down-shade trees being planted
drainage and the latest sanitary i'm
provements will be Immediately cstab-
lished. The company has purchased a
spring of excellent water. discharging
! about five and Il half millions OF gallons
per day, and will convey the water by
pipes throughout the town. Gas works
APPS also to be established.
Tho two railway companies arc
making extensive improvements, it
being intended to make this the central
point in the administration of tho com
bincd system. Large round houses and
! machine shops are i'll course of construc-
( ton, and still more will be added as
rapidly as possiblc-as hcro will be
! built and repaired all the engines, cars
and equipment of this extended railway
combination. Other important indus
trial enterprises have been started
Z ""rho town has been divided into six
wards. The first and second wards have
} been devoted to manufacturing and fur
mace establishments. In tho second
| ward 1.-The Grocer Steel and Iron Com
pany" Samuel A. Crozicr, president
and Treasurer David L. Houston, sec
rotary and general managcr) is erecting
furnace equipped with tho latest inn
| provements and having n sufficient
capacity to turn out one hundred tons
of iron per day.
"'This company has been chartered
under tho laws of the State of Virginia
with paid-up capital of $1,000 and
power to increase, at option to 50, OOO,-
600. It's furnace stack is sevt nty feet
high with sixteen feet bosh, has two
blowing engines with steam cylinders
42X43 inches, and blowing cylinders
4SxS4 inches; three Whitwcll fire brick
stories. zach 1SXT0 foot The ores to no
used are the red hcmatites from Wash
ington county, brown hcmatites from
Cloverdale, Roanoke county, and tho
magnetic iron ores from Cranberry, NJ C.
The coke is to be supplied from the
\ "Flat Top" district. The contracts
provide for tho delivery of the works in
( complete running order January 1, 1888.
Another company, for tho erection
of furnace of equal capacity. has been
formed, and but n small amount of the
stock remains unsubscribed before COM
building company is also in course of
organization. largo sash and blind
factory and furniture factory are in
successful opera lion.
1.-The Third ward is occupied by tho
combined companies station buildings,
Offices, shops, engine houses, cattle
yards and by finely wooded park on
hill just south of tho station resorya-
ton.
"'In tho Fourth ward the improve
ment company is erecting about two
hundred comfortable homes for mo-
ohanic and employees. These are for sale
or for rent, and this system of building
will be further extended, affording the
purchasers easy terms of payment and
tho advantages of the most economical
cost in construction.
""The Fifth ward Is for business pur-
noses; stores of various kinds arc fin