The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-05-02
vRelNiA's PROSPECTS.
An Interesting Interview With
vice-President Eddy.

Tho following interesting interview
with President Eddy, of the Nor
folk and Western, appears in this weeks
issue of tho Virginia Manufacturer:
"The outlook for the whole State of
Virginia. said Colonel Eddy, bright
ems every day, not only in the establish
ment of iron industries and other diver
sified manufactures, but also in the
prosperity that will come to our farm
ing communities. The great develop
ment 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, horse-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 homo market to our farm
ers for everything that is grown on their
farms"
Mr.. Eddy dwelt especially ON the i'm
portance to which Virginia is rising as a
wool-producing state and gave some
interesting information which will be
heard by many for the first time. lie
said:
"The attention of wool-growers all
over the United States is being directed
to the magnificent limestone valleys of
Virginia and Tennessee lying between
the western slope of the Blue Ridge and
Unaka ranges and the eastern slope Of
the Allegheny and Cumberland mount
aims as sheep-breeding places"
In answer to q question with regard
to the grade OF wool that can be OBJ
tanned and the an cunt of attention
paid to the breeding of and caring for
sheep, Mr.. Eddy stated that every
farmer in Virginia who is increasing
his flocks OF sheep is turning his atten-
ton to the higher grades, such as
Merinos, Cotswolds, Shropshires and
Southdowns, and is giving more care
and attention to the proper sheltering
of his sheep during the winter months.
facturers of wooden goods, such as
worsted blankets and yarns, to the
section Of Virginia which is traversed
by the Norfolk and Western principally
for the reason that wool grown upon
the limeston soil of our valleys can be
secured with far less percentage of
loss in weight than woods grown on
other soils"
With reference to the Improvement in
the breed, Mr.. Eddy said: ut is no un
common occurrence to see sheep coming
lroin 1eNaS, anu new MEXICO TO points
in the Valley of Virginia to be met
there by the best breeds of merino rams
from Vermont. This will make revo-
luton in the sheep-growing industry in
the ton Of Virginia traversed by our
lines, and confidently look forward to
the day when Virginia will rank near
the top as wool producing, wool-manu-
featuring State"
With reference to the proper means
OF protection for We oil growers, Mr.. Eddy
said: 'One of the great necessities for
our whole State is proper dog law for
the proper protection of the flocks of
farmers, and feel certain that our next
legislature will pass such law"
In summing up the matter of wool
growing Mr.. Eddy said: eff 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 produc-
ing States in the Union.
"The whole State" said the vice
president Of the Norfolk and Western.
seems to be moving in the direction of
diversified manufactures, and think it
is safe estimate that at least ten
thousand residences will be built along
the lines OF our railroad during the next
ten months to accommodate tho influx
of skilled mechanics and artisans locat-
ing in our industrial cities and towns"