The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-22


sale trade in Virginia, and in few
years will be ono of tho best in tho
whole South.
Yet while development in the other
channels of trade and industry have
been pushed to the fullest extent, tho
wholesale establishments of Roanoke
may almost bo counted on the fingers Of
one hand.
What Roanoke has in tho way of
wholesale establishments arc four
grocery houses, which are making for
tunes for the ownors; one Wholesale
hardware firm, ono smoking tobacco
house, and two plug tobacco houses.
Besides these firms, which are the only
ones doing an extensive business, thero
are also u few retail houses that also
do some wholesale business. These
are drug, notion, oroakery and
furniture estab lishment.
What Roanoke needs is boot and shoe
establishments, clothing and hat houses,
notions and dry goods houses, wholesale
drug stores and even moro grocery
firms.
The volume of tho business done in
Roanoke by wholesale merchants yearly
amounts to one million, five hundred
thousand dollars. 1t ought to reach
sever million dollars and will inside of
five years.
There are several golden opportuni-
ties for men of experience, push and
enterprise to step in and make n fortune
out OF the wholesale business. If any
doubt they are referred to the whole
sale men of Roanoke who have riskcd
and reaped.
Where is the field? Southwest Vir-
ginia, along tho lines of the Norfolk
and Western railroad piercing some of
tho richest mineral districts in the
United States; portion Of country
which is rapidly developing and build
ing up; magnificent iron and coal re-
gion.
The Shenandoah Valley, noted in the
history OF the civil war rs the field OF
somo of Stonewall Jackson's exploits
and Phil Shcridan's dashing ride
though this valley winds the Shcnan-
doah. which means ''in tho mellow In
dian tongue" bright, laughing daugh-
ter Of tho stars" and which waters one
of tho finest agricultural districts in tho
world. This is country where the
houses. 1t is budding with now towns,
and its mineral and agricultural pro-
ducts find an outlet through the Shen-
andoah Valley railroad, now a division
Of the Norfolk and Western, having
Roanoke and IIagerstown, Md, as its
termini.
The great Valley of Virginia, lying to
the west of the Shenandoah Valley,
must eventually be opened up to Roa-
noke by the extension of tho baltimore
and Ohio road from Lexington and the
Forge to Roanoke. The securing of
these roads has already been discussed
by citizens of Roanoke, and liberal in
ducements will be extended them for
the extension Of their lines.
Roanoke, which was little village
eight years ago. is now grasping for the
trade of Southwest Virginia. Roanoke
has snatched a big part of it from
Lynchburg's mercantile mouth, and
now Roanoke is threatning to crowd
Richmond, the eagle of Virginia cities,
out OF tho nest, insomuch that t,.e Rich
mond Times, only a short while ago,
contained An earnest editorial advising
Richmond merchants to rouse them
selves and consider the matter of build
| ing some shorter railroad route than the
one now existing between North Caro-
| lima aid Richmond olse Roanoke, upon
the completion of the Roanoke and
Southern railroad, would nightly Grip
pie Richmond's North Carolina trade,
which that city has held undisputed in
the past. The Roanoke and Southern,
striking North Carolina at its Invest
city, Winston, gives Roanoke a diroct
route to that city 14O miles shorter than
Riohmond's route. North Carolina,
while rich State. is not State Of large
cities.
Richmond's wholesale trade, amount
ing to over fifteen million dollars
yearly. is largely derived from North
Carolina Roanoke will get large
slice of that trade before long.
j. NJ. Gambill said to TIMES re-
| porter, when asked his opinion of Roam
okc as wholesale center: you can't
say too much about it. When l went
into the wholesale grocery business nine
years ago, l was laughed at, but time
has developed that Roanoke Is the best
wholesale point in Virginia.
"Thero is room in Roanoke for a whole
sale boot and shoe fac DRY, and for dry
goods, notions, queensware, clothing
and hats, and for moro wholesale hard
ware and grocery esta blishments.
One of the largest wholesale grocery
men and prominent citizens OF Rich
mond told me when he was in Roanoke
not long ago, that upon the completion
OF the Roanoke and Southern railroad,
he intended to move to Roanoke. YOU
he said, will be only one hundred
miles from North Carolina, while We in
Richmond are two hundred and forty
miles away
Mayor Evans, of the hardware firm of
Evans & Chalmers, said: Roanoke. is
destined to be a fine poipt for WHOLESALE