The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-05-31
ROANOKE THE MAGIC CITY.
The Story of Its Growth Boiled
Down.
What Roanoke Has Done and What She
Is Still Observation-Disclosures the
Close Money Market sic, 200, 600 in I'm
provemcnts Already in Sight---The
Population, Industries and Advnnt-
ages of the Wonder Of the Valley.

O0O Its citizens arc from nearly every
State in the Union. Eight years ago it
had 600 people. It's growth at present
is on more solid basis and moro rapid
than ever before in its history.
Roanoke is located at the junction of
the Shenandoah and Roanoke valleys.
Its altitude is GOT feet and it is sur
rounded by rich agricultural and min
eral country.
Roanoke is distant just eight hours
ride from Washington and Norfolk, nine
from Baltimore. twelve from Philadel-
is situated at the junction of the Shcn-
andoah Valley and Norfolk and West
ern railroads, both trunk lines, and is
easily reached from any section of tho
country.
The Roanoke and Southern railroad
is now being built to this place from
Winston, N. c., and will open up the
trade of the Carolinas to this section
next fall. The Valley branch of the
Baltimore and Ohio runs to Lexington,
forty miles distant, and road filing
the connecting link will be constructed
to Roanoke in Il short time.
The growth of the city dates from
1852, when the headquarters of the Nor
folk and Western wero removed here
from Lynchburg, the Shenandoah Val
ley road was completed, and the Roam
oke Machine Works, employing at pre-
sent 80 0 hands, was established. Since
then millions of dollars have flowed
into the city in the establishment of
manufac lures and other business enter
Prises.
Coal and iron and the rich agricultu-
raj lands of the section have contribu-
ted to the growth.
Roanoke has siXty-fve miles of streets
and eight miles of street railway inside
tho corporate limits. A dummy line
extends to Vinton, Il distance of two
miles cast, and to Salem, six miles
west Throughout the city electricity,
in short time, will take the place of
horses as motive power.
The water works are sufficient to fur
nish a city of $4,000 inhabitants. The
supply comes from pure, cold spring
that gnshes from the side of Mill Noun
tain, and is without equal in any city
in the country. 1t is undoubtedly a
specific for many forms of kidney dis
ease.
Light is furnished by tho Gas Com
pany and the Electric Light and Motor
Power Company
the assessment of this year, is nearly
S9,O0O,000, besides the railroad property
and the Roanoke Machine Works. The
increase in the value of realty was
about 100000 over the previous
assessment Of four years ago; but pres
emit values are many millions in excess
of those given.
There are four fine hotels-Eotel Roa-
noke, tho Ponce dc Leon, the Continen-
tai, and Hotel Felix-besides number
of smaller ones. All of them are
crowded and constantly turning away
guests.
Roanoke is we'll supplied with
BANKING FACILITIES.
The First National Bank has a cap
ital of Sl00,000 the National Exchange
Bank capital of 500, 900; the Citizens
National Bank capital of 500, 900: the
Commercial National Bank Il capital of
$780, 900; the Roanoke Trust, Loan and
Safe Deposit Company capital of
$500 the Traders Loan, Trust and
Deposit Company capital Of Sl00.OOO
the Fidelity Loan and Trust Company
capital of $4,000 and several private
banking concerns transact large finan-
cial business.
The Roanoke Machine Works, with
capital of Ss5,000,000, pays out SG5, 900
per month in wages to employees. About
S5,000,00 year is paid in the city for
wages.
Some of the important
MANUFACTURING PLANTS
are as follows: