The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-09-29

the city. and is building a substantial
/ now freight depot
| OF the buildings that are going up tho
! most costly is the Terry building, on tho
corner OF jefferson and Campbell streets.
Ihis magnificent stone and brick struc-
ture will be seven stories high, and will
cost when completed Sl25, 200. 1t will
be the handsomest oncc building in
Virginia. number of handsome bust
ness buildings have been erected this
year. This has been church building
year. Inc l.uthcranS are erecting 4
magnificent stone structure at cost Of
| 10000; tho Haptists have completed a
$4,000 church and are erecting an-
other to cost the same amount; the Epis-
copal Church is erecting n $40, 900 stone
church and rcctory. The Southern
Mcthodists have built one small church
at cost OF 81 500; erected tabernacle
at Il cost OF $1,000, and are building a
! $4,000 church: the Methodist Episcopal
church has repaired and improved it's
| house OF worship.
"A start has been made for tho needed
public improvements. Early in tho
year tho frecholdcrs of the city voted
S425.000 in bonds for streets, sewers.
public buildings and the fire depart
mcnt. The Gamcwcll electric fire alarm
system has been put in place and tho
apparatus of the department improved.
With some idea of what Big Lick was
ami the foregoing sketch Of the rise and
growth of Roanoke. the reader may bo
given Il reasonably accurate idea of tho
rapid progress of the city by a state
mcnt OF what Roanoke is to-day.
tits city of $4,000 people situated
between tho Valley OF the Roanoke
river, which skirts its southern border,
midway between tho Blue Ridge and
Allegheny mountains, at tho natural
gateway TO the far famed valley OF tho
Shcnandoah From it's hill tops and
from the summit Of Mill Mountain that
stray sentinel that rises abruptly in
the valley just across the river from the
city, may To seen all the beauty and
maEniilcrncc of mountain scenery that
the eye delights to look upon. At an elo-
walton of 907 feet above the lowell of tho
sea, and with cooling mountain brceZos,
Roanoke is free from the extreme heat,
and the mountains that surround it
break OF the rigorS OF the northern
winds OF winter. Tho average :cmpcra-
turc is IS degrees To add to its health
fulness. il has tho finest water supply
in the world. y large spring bursts forth
from the foot of Mill Mountain in n
stream largo enough to supply city OF
10000 people. Two steam pumps not
thirty yards from tho spring force tho
pure cold water immediately to the city,
, large Reservoir on tho mountain side
holding Il reserve supply.
Roanoke has fine railroad facilities.
as the center OF the Norfolk and
Western railroad system. and tho
northern terminus OF the Roanoke and
Southern with tho construction OF tho
baltimore and Ohio or the Chesapeake
ana ONO to Roanoke. which is incvita-
Bile. will greatly add TO the Importance
g. 10 r.,il
TOO, only a question of short time
when the Norfolk and Western will
have an independent line into Wash
ington u. c.
The assessed valuation of real estate
III lsS5 was Sl,iSl, 632.a5 In 1890 IT,
was $3.50, ssh. Tho assessed valuation
OF personal property Sl.7l5,Gie Tho
capital III business on which license is
paid, is 600 900
The iron industry is the chief innc-
tns 10 the growth of the city. Tho va
rions manufacturing enterprises cmplov
1000 people. and those in course OF con-
struction will add another thousand to
the number. Tine annual amount maid
out TO wage carncrs is moro than So
000,00
The capital invested in manufacture
ing enterprises is s. l25, 900, and in land
companies, in round numbers, Sll. 600
600
Roanoke has eight building and loan
associations with subscribed capital
OF $1,000, 00u.
The banking capital amounts to So
1000, and the banking institutions OF
tho city did 4 business in 1890 amounts
ing to =. 200, 600
Tho twenty two religious congrega-
tons, representing the Catholic, I.uth-
Continued ON Pnre *