Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-05-15
Virginia,s Prosperity.
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE VICE PRESIDENT
OF THE NORFOLK & WESTERN RAILROAD.


OF THE NORFOLK & WESTERN RAILROAD.
In an interview with Representative
of the Vnginia Manufacturer, Mr.. Charles
G. Eddy, Vice President of the Norfolk
& Western r. Dad, discussed some very
important G ons, and gave some i'm
portant facts nich will prove of highest
Interest to all classes OF people who have
any investments in our State.
In response to a question regarding
the general commercial outlook Mr.. Eddy
said:
"The outlook for the whole State of
Virginia brigbtens every day not only in
the establishment of iron industries and
other diversified manufactures, but also in
the prosperity that will come to our farm.
ing communities. The great development
in the mining of coal and ores, and the
manufacture of pig-iron, and the working
of pig into bars, plates and structural and
sheet iron. hsrse-shOes, railway spikes,
etc is now absolutely assured. This
will cause such an influx of non-producing
population to our growing industrial
towns and cities as to furnish home
market to our farmers for everything that
is grown on their farms"
Mr.. Eddy dwet especially on the I'M
portance to which Virginia is rising as a
wool producing State and gave some in
teresting information which will be heard
By many for the first time. He said:
"The attention Of Too,-grovers all over
the United States is being directed to the
magnificent limestone valleys o. Virginia
and Tennessee lying between the western
slore of the Blue Ridge and Unaka ranges
and the eastern slope of the Allegheny
and Cumberland Mountains as oheep-
breeding places
In answer to a question with regard to
the grade of wool that can be obtained and
the amount of attention paid TO the breed
| ing of and caring for sheep, Mr. Eddy
stated that ''every farmer in Virginia
who is increasing his nOcks of sheep Is
turning mis- attention to the higher grades,
such as MerinOs, Cotswolds, SWEEPSTAKES
and Southdowns, and is giving more care
aud attention to the proper sheltering oil
his sheep during the winter months. Ihis
has turned the attention OF manufacturers
of wooden goods, such as worsted blankets
and yarns, to the section of Virginia
which is trayersed by the Norfolk x
Western principally tor the reason that
wool grown upon the limestone soil OF our
valleys can be secured with a far less per-
centage of loss In weight than woods
grown on other soils"
With reference to the improvement 10
the breed Mr. Eddy SAID: at is no nm
common occurrence TO see sheep coming
from Texas, and New Mexico to points in
the valley of Virginia to be met there by
the best of Merino rams from Vermont.
This will make revolution In the
sheep growing industry in the section OF
Virginia traversed by our lines, aud
confidently look forward to the day when
Virginia will rank near the top as wool
producing, wool-nau Featuring State"
With reference to the proper means OF
protection for wool growers Dit. Eddy
said: Zone of the great necessities Tor
our whole State is proper dog law LOT
the proper pr lection OF HOOKS OIL tue
farmers, and feel certain that our next
Legislature will pass such law"
In summing up the matter OF WOODS
growing Mr.. Eddy said: off the farmers
of Virginia with all the enterprise they
possess, will pay proper attention to the
raising of sheep, Virginia will soon be-
come one of the greatest wool producing
States in the Uaion.
"lhe whole State" said the vice-presl
dent Of the Norfolk 81 Western, "seems
to be moving in the dire ,tion of diversified
manufactures, aud think it is safe eS-
innate that at least ten thousand reslden-
ces will be built along the lines OF our
railroad during the next ten months 10
accommodate the influx of skilled me-
chanics and artisans locating in our ln-
dustrial cities and towns"
Speaking again OF the farming com
munity, to which much attention has
been directed of late, Mr.. Eddy said /;
"Their outlook is Frightening in every
direction, and especially as to the returns
for cattle. You see tue ranchmen OF the
West, who have heretofore crowded their
ranches to their fatteuing capacity, now
reducing their herds at least one'haf IN
order to preserve the growth of grass on
their cattle-runs. This cannot help Dut
work to the advantage of every farmer IN
the Middle and Eastern States, and l
look to see our Virginia farmers obtaIn
nearly double the price for their tat beef
cattls that they have received daring the
past two years"
"Then, Mr.. Eddy, you have no doubt as
to the bright future of the two Vlrglnias."
mo: there can be no question as to the
future of Virginia aud West Virginia,
They are on the high road to prosperity,
cheerily responded the genial vlce-presl-
dent.