The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-07-24
ROANOKE'S WONDERFUL RECORD
The Story of It's Growth Briefly
Told.
A City of Over $4,000 People. With MILL
ions In II Great Variety of Industries
What Has Been Done and What is
Still Doing for the UPbuilding of the
Center of VirEinia's Industrial Dcvcl-
0pment

Roanoke has population of over22,
600. It's citizens arc from nearly every
State in tho Union. Eight years ago it
had COO people. Its growth at present
Is on moro solid basis and more rapid
than ever before in its history.
Roanoke is located at the junction of
che Shenandoah and Roanoke valleys.
Its altitude is 907 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-
phia, and fourteen from New York 1t
Is situa ted at the junction of the Shen-
sndoah Valley and Norfolk and West
ern railroads, both trunk lines, and is
easily reached from any section of the
country.
The Roanoke and Southern railroad
is now being built to this place from
Winston, n. c.. and will open up tho
trade of the Carolinas to this section
next fall. The Valley branch of the
Baltimore and Ohio runs to Lexington,
forty miles distant, and Il road filing
the connecting link will be constructed
to Roanoke in short time.
The growth OF the city dates from
1852, when the headquarters of the Nor
folk and Western were removed here
from Lynchburg, the Shenandoah Val
ley road was completed, and the Roam
oke Machine Works, employing at pre-
sent ] =, o hands, was established. Since
then millions of dollars have flowed
i,,tN no ritv in tho GSto M, Shp,nOt NJ
manufactures 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
the corporate limits. A dummy line
extends TO Nint0n distance OF two
miles east, 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 city OF $4,000 inhabitants. The
supply comes from pure, cold spring
that gushes from the side OF Mill Noun
tain, and is without equal in any city
in the country. 1t is undoubtedly
specific for many forms of kidney dis
ease.
Light is furnished by the Gas Com
pany and the Electric Light and Motor
Power Company.
The property valuation, according to
the assessment of this year, is nearly
$4,000, o0O, 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
ent values are many millions in excess
Of those given.
There are four fine hotels-Hotel Roa-
nolie, the Ponce de Leon, the Contincn-
tai, and Hotel Felix-besides a number
of smaller ones. All of them are
crowded and constantly turning away
guests.
Roanoke is well supplied with
BANKING FACILITIES.
The First National Bank has a cap
ttal of 100000 with surplus Of
Bank a capital of 100000: the Citizens
National Bank Il capital Of 100000; the
Commercial National Bank capital OF
Sl10,000: the Roanoke Trust, Loan and
Safe Deposit Company capital of
S250,000; the Traders Loan, Trust and
Deposit Company q capital Of 500, 0GO;
the Fidelity Loan and Trust Company
capital Of 5000, 900; ard several private
banking concerns transact large hnan-
cial business
The Roanoke Machine Works, with a
capital of S5,000,000, pays out sos 900
per month i'll wages to employees. About
5000, 900 q year is paid in the city for
wages.
Some Of the important
MANUFACTURING PLANTS
are as follows:
Roanoke Machine Works. S., 0OO, 900
West End Iron Co..... 100000
Grocer Steel and Iron c.. .. 5000 70
American bridge Work.. 200, 900
Rites Hydraulic Engine
Works .................. $4,000
Roanoke Canning Factory.... $4,000
Roanoke Rolling Mills. 200, 900
Roanoke Spike Factory .. 10000
Roanoke Iron Co., consisting
of a 2OO-ton Furnace. Muck
Bar Mill and Plate MILL. 500, 900
Roanoke brewery ......... $4,000
Bridgcwater Carriage Com
pany. Of Roanoke. ...... $1,000
Gambill FIGURING Mill Co... $4,000
Roanoke Milling Company e. 25 600
Roanoke Gas and Water Co 3. ESQ OO
Roanoke Electric Light Co.. $4,000
p. L. Terry Milling Co..... $4,000