The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-11-11

weak supply, for the crawfsh had cut
tho dam loose. From the summit to
Boone's Mill is two miles. The scenery
along this point is very fine. Off to tho
right towers Caba's Knob, crowned
With the lowering cloud. 1t is the
highest point on the Blue Ridge in
Virginia, save tho Peaks of Otter ana
Its sister sentinel, tho Apple Orchard,
or Flat Top. Shortly after the war,
when the coast survey was made, a
signal tower, to mark one of tho tri-
angnlation points, was erected on this
mountain, but it is now nearly decayed.
Boone's mill is located on MagOdee
creek and has taken on a boom over the
completion of the Roanoke and South
ern. There arc four storehouses and a
hotel, and three stores under course
OF construction. Mr.. j. w. Abshire
owns largo store and the hotel, at
which the party were entertained. The
other stores are run by j. Garst Kesler
Bros, and Il. j. Garst. The mill is the
only industry and does q thriving bust
ness. 1t has lately been fitted up With
two stands of rolls, a turbine wheel and
other improved machinery. 1t makes
forty.cight barrels of flour per day. It
is owned by Mr.. Boone. Four turnpikes
center into tho Iown-to Lynchburg,
Rocky Mount, Floyd Court House and
Roanoke city
a New York syndicate is negotiating
to establish large tannery at this
point employing about two hundred
hands. The plant is now almost an
assured fact, and the citizens are greatly
elated over the acquisition, yet few Of
them hardly know how to appre-
ciate the value of an important in
dustry Just now everybody is striv-
ing to make as much money as possible
from the construc tion of the new rail
road, and future development hardly
enters into the question except by the
moro enterprisings.
Scarcely twenty miles intervenes be-
tween the points where the track laying
is now in progress. 1t is as stated
above, proposed to complete the work
by December 18th, and the point Mt
which the bands will unite, is two miles
this side of Rocky Mount, where a
large cut is being completed. The
grading will all be out of the wav
as fast as the track-layers can operate.
On the southern portion of the road
the track-laying has been pushed to
within eight miles of Rocky Mount. Il
is twelve miles from Boone's Mill to
that place, and SO it will be seen that
hardly twenty miles of the road remains
unfinished
The country between the Roanoke
river valley and Boon's Mills is exceed
ingly rough and hilly. Mountains tower
on either hand yet the road traversed
fertile little strip of country. and even
the hills, which look barren and useless.
will produce almost anything the farm
ers desire to grow.
The officers of the Virginia and North
Carolina Construction Company are
making vigorous effort to push this
road through, and in many instances
have doubled the force of hands.
a new engine, No. 6, has lately been
purchased from Pittsburg locomotive
works and has been put in running or
der in the Norfolk and Western round.
house. 1t will be taken out on the road
tomorrow or next day.
the hands employed in the track
laying are brought back to Roanoke
every night and taken out again in the
morning. On the way they load the
cars with cross-ties and such other ma
terial as is needed.
Thus before the people of Roanoke
are aware new section will be opened
up to them, and people and places that
were heretofore foreign will be placed
in direct communication with Roanoke