The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-22
ROANOKE IN EMBRYO.
AS Seen by chas. Dudley War
ner Seven Wears Ago.

The following, one of Charles Dudley
Warmers Virginia letters to the Hart
ford Courant, is preserved in the July
number Of The Virginias OF 1883, pub
lished by Major jed Hotchkiss:
"We had not boon in Roanoke, Va,
fivo minutes before 1t was evident that
we were in the midst of vast real
estate, railway and mineral speculation,
or shall 1 say enterprise? The long,
low station, handsome building with
broad platform and projecting roofs. was
thronged with restless, moving crowd,
either just arriving or departing, or
lowering with view to settling like
swarm Of bees. Where this pretty sta
ton stands was swamp eighteen
months ago. We ate our dinner, and
good one, in a low ceiled, dainty dining
room in the so-oalled Queen Ammo style,
though that queen never sat in so taste
full q dfning-room. or had so good din
ncr. and when We had finished, having
an hour to wait before the cars went on
to Salem, seven miles further, we
strolled out to look at the town.
Near the station were going up large,
solid, handsome brick buildings in
tended for the offices of the company.
On slight hill above it stands charm
ing hotel, also Queen Anne, handsome
inside and out. and commanding a.
lovely prospect of the uneven valley
and circumventing mountains.
The grounds Of the hotel are new,
but about to be pretty with walks and
flower beds. and already attractive by
reason of fountains which play in pro-
digality. The pure and cold water for
them comes from the same source that
supplies, the town, great natural
spring which bursts out ofthe side of
tho mountain to the east, some three
miles distant, in volume enough to form
agood stream, always cold and delicious,
and in quantity sufficient to supply
town of 100, 600 people. Its source be-
ing higher than any of the hillocks Of
the town, it is brought in without the
aid of machinery.
''From this mountain we saw the town
rising-literally rising-before our eyes
in every direction. Tho noise of ham
mering and hauling filled the air; streets
of temporary wooden shops and dwell
ings, drinking shops and hotels. with
false board fronts hiding tho upper half
stories, and big letter signs, after the
manner of the West, isolated dwellings,
on every hill and knoll, everywhere the
debris of building and ditching and
road-making. The company think it
is called the Virginia Land Improve
ment COmpany-which is responsible
for this activity, and which owns the
Luray cave and the splendid hotel
there, has bought up all tho land in
sight in the valley, and is pushing
things. Eighteen months ago there was
nothing here but an insignificant settle
mcnt of four or five hundred people.
Now there is lath-and- plaster city
with nobody knows how many inhabit-
ants, estimated at from six to nine
thousand.
"At n little distance from the station
are the extensive Car and other repair
shops OF the Shenandoah Company;
largo and imposing buildings covering
a good deal of ground, and to employ
1900 workmen. The basis for the city,
aside from its position as railway cen
ter, is the iron furnace the smoke of
which we saw in q near valley. The
iron ore. which is said to be of very
superior quality, comes by rail from IL
mountain to the south. The pig iron
which we saw turned out OF these now
works, is pronounced to be very fine
The superintendent or managing owner,
whom we saw at the sta ton; told us he
was turning out 100 tons daily, and
that he was under contract-the forfeit
of which is the iron mines-to furnish
100 tons day, for five years at $40
ton! If this sort OF iron can be sold hero
ut $40 Il ton-and | was informed that
it cost only 50 Il ton to produce it--what
is to become of the Pennsylvania fur
naccs? and have not Roanoke and Vir-
ginia promising futurc?"