Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-05-15

| the good fortune to get. He said it was thu
first chance he had had to get around to al
the developing towns on his line, and he was
just closing a trip during which he had
driven over and inspected all of them
They marked new era in the history Of
the State. AS we finally drove up to thu
fine Hotel Brandon he spoke of the value
of such hotel to town and asked who
kept it. Being told that it was the com
pany's hotel he laughed and remarked
"Well, 1 d better not ask you if it is good
one.'' Later when he went through it his
good opinion of the value of such hotel tC
town was confirmed. While at lunch he
commented in a manner exceedingly
gratifying, I take it, to the company I
officers on the marvellous exhibition of en-
terprise he had just been driving through,
saying to Mr.. Booker that Basic City was
the ''banner town" of all the new towns he
had been through. He and his party left
dUOuu " C1OCh lO1 Sldl AAOAA,
where they were to go North.
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE AT BASIC CITY IN
AYEAR-A WONDERFUL EXHIBIT.
It is not surprising that Mr.. ingalls,, OF
indeed anybody else, should be astonished at
what has been done in Basic City in the
twelve months which closed yesterday.
Yesterday afternoon I drove over the
place slowly on visit of inspection. One
of the first points 1 reached has now be-
come historical one. 1t was the first lot
sold in Basic City. Asher Ayres Of Staun-
ton, was the purchaser, and he paid $3.50
for it. 1t has changed hands many times
since then and to-day is owned by gentle.
man in London, England, who bought it
for $4,000. 1t would now bring over
So, 900.
Another point of real estate was instruc-
tive. 1t was a lot for which the owner, who
lives here, paid $500. The Methodists, who
are anxious to get it to erect a church on.
have offered as high as 81, 300, but $1,000 is
asked.
Why these lots should bring such a price
is explained by the history of one building
which I inspected. 1t is a. handsome one
of brick, three stories, owned by MI. J. T.
Jordan and cost $12,5 800. It's stores are oc-
cupied by the Basic City Bank, a grocery,
and hardware store kept by Pennsylva-
MAN, and up stairs is boarding house, a
millinery store, and doctor s Office. The
annual rental is over So 900, nearly IL per
cent. on the investment.
On this same line, I may say that just
across the street is the "Rosenberger
block, - a handsome brick edifice contain
ing five stores on its street floor. In it
will be the ''Bank of the Iron Crosse and
the annual rental of it's stores and up stairs
offices will be about $4,000. On all sides 1
saw brick and frame buildings occupied as
stores and residences which are bringing
II per cent. OH their cost. Such results
fully explain the value of building lots and
residence lots here.
The Basic City Company has set good
example in the matter OF solid building, In
it's own office building. 1t is of brick with
brown stone trimmings, 25x75 feet, three
stories high, with mansard roof, and tow
Ell from which the National flag floats The
counter of it's business Office, all $500 one.
is Of cherry and oak, deliberately carved and
surmounted by bronze net screen work.
The ceiling is Of cherry lined out with gold
and the carved wainscoting is OF cherry.
Behindthe counter is fire proof safe built
intothe wall. On this floor, the first, is the
Secretary and Treasurer and the President s
and Directors Offices. In the rooms above
are the Engineers offices and those of other
employees. The windows are of plate glass
crowned with stained panels. The building
cost $4,000.
Near this building IS another running
back the whole length of block, being the
Wise Bros. depot for agricultural imple-
ments.
THE INDUSTRIES.
The Car Works are the largest of the
kind in Virginia. The various buildings
composing the group are of brick. The
office building contains the Offices OF the
craftsmen and officers of the company
In the yard is crane which will lift from
ten to twelve tons. The foundry building
is 1O0X60 feet, and a curiosity IN it is the
novel way the foreman's Office is located;
it is suspended in the air by truss which
besides enabling him to see all over the shop
gives that much more floor room. There
are two furnaces, one Of which melts ten
tons of iron and the other 8 tons. Next is
the core room and the oven for drying the
cores. Then comes the big machine shop
100X60 feet. A railroad track runs right
through it and connects with the belt line
and four more railroad tracks are at the
side of the building. The machinery is
driven by S5-H. T. engine. The black
smiths shop, 1O0x60 feet, comes next, and
has 20 smiths furnaces. Then there is
the erection shop, 17Sx78, and the paint
shed, 17sx7S, and the planer shop. 124x42.
and the pattern shop. 60x36. 1t is expec-
ted that work will be commenced in this
immense establishment by July 1st. While
at the North purchasing machinery, Mr..
NJ. A. Booker, Secretary and Treasurer of
the Car Works Company, had converse
tion which well illustrates the advantages
under which manufacturers here start. A
member of a large firm said to him: ''How
is it that you down there are going into
making cars when our firm is just drawing
out of it because of the small margin of
profit. "Well,'' said MI. Booker, ''what
see here explains it. You paid $2S for
that timber 1 see in your yard. We get
the same timber put down at Basic City at
exactly $14. You pay for iron more than
we do at Basic City, and you pay more for
else used in car making. That
is why we are going into the business and
you are going out. -