Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-08-05
Our West virginia Connections.


We have several times alluded to the
seeming difficulty Of getting any West Viz
cinia road north OF the Chesapeake and
Ohio to extend Its arms into Virginia. We
hear and read Of projected railroads. but
We do not realize that they are actually IN
process Of construction. Yet such is the
feet. and there must be a point on every
such railroad where the freight will have
natural inclination TO GO to Richmond
rather than backwards TO Piftsburg or
Wheeling. or Baltimore. Tho Wheeling
Rcqis,er has reported recent intervie"
with Senator CAMDEN. OF West Virginia.
whose name is attached TO system OF
roads in that State. He spoke with fuii
knowledge Of what he was saying. Inc
Covincton paper prefxes to Senator CAM
DENIS remarks the statement that the Only
outlet of the Potts Creek property owned
by the Senator is through Coyington ana
Fremont. We quote Senator CAMDEN:
"The new roads are progressing very fa'is-
factorily indeed. The honoDgshela river roeo
from Fairmont to Clarksburg IL one OF the very
beet built ronds In the State, and opens up the
nuest coal territory have ever seen ~ runs
thirty.fye miles along n'ne-foot vein Oh 'he
very best coal. The roads from Clarksburg To
TIM Buckbannon river and from Weston 20 Brax-
ton Courthouse on the Elk river are also CON-
p,etcd. They are stand ard gauge, wei puii' ana
well baliasted roads, and have good prospects ior
business. Many large lumber plants are III
operation and in progress OF building Inc Alex
ander plant on the Buckhannon river 10 ono OIL
tho largest and beet equipped In the state
There are also quite number o, email mills IN
operation on the Buckbannon.
"On the Elk river the Curtin Boom and Lum'
Der Company have very extensive ana COM
plete plants In operation, ard several other new
mills are IN progress OF erection, making the
outlook for business very encouraging on tho
road now completed.
"The work on the road from Braxton Court
house to the Gauley river in Webster county Is
progressing rapidly. The grading Will DO nm.
ished this fall and the road open for business
next spring. l regard this part OF the road as
the most promising Of interesting Development
In the State. The timber resources OF this Sec
ton are wonderful. ! do not think Il has Its
equal anywhere east Of the Mississippi, or per-
haps In the country anywhere for valuable hard
woods"
On the Gauley river, in Webster county.
the railroad company is building plant
that will yield from 100000 to 100000
of feet of lumber year. Think Of that.
An IDexhaustible supply Of spruce-used
for pulp--is found there. We quote Sena-
tor CAMDEN:
"The forest IN that section IA very dense.
There are four 10 FIVE hundred square miles that
are practically an unbroken forest Cherry, pop
Lar. ash, oak, and pine are very abundant-and
tho very finest cherry and oak. From the Can
ley river the road will extend TO q connection
with the Chesapeake and Ohio road at Covng-
ton. Arrangements have just been completed
between the Chesapeake and Ohio road and the
West Virginia and Pittsburg road TO form june
ton ut Martins Bottom or come point on the
Greenbrier river. where perhaps the largest
town In tho interior Of the State will be made.
This junction is expected TO DO made next sum-
mer. The Chesapeake and Ohio road Will
have only about twenty-five miles TO COM
p,ete from its Warm-Spring branch. on
Jacksons river, and the West Virginia and
Pii,sburg road about thirty-nve miles from
the Gauley. II IL n very handsome location.
The country between the Greenbrier river on the
west and the Allegheny summit on the cast In
Pocahontas county, IL n very pretty and pro-
ductive plateau. 1t has fine limestone and lie a
good grass-growing country. and has q large
amount Of iron ore. This connection with the
Chesapeake and Ohio road will open up direct
line through tie centre Of the State. from the
irou-ore regions OF Virginia, including Potts
creek, Craigs creek, and the Low Moor and other
furnaces in that section. to Wheeling and Pitts
burg while II viii also develop and mako acces.
sble about $50 miles Of the State between
Western and the Virginia State line. which has
heretofore been inaccessible to transportation.
We expec: 10 have it all completed next sum-
mer. The junction on the Greenbrier will be
made next summer and fall"
To us these details are exceedingly in
teresting. 1t is impossible that Richmond
can fail to be benefited by the CAMDEN
system Of roads. They will run through
country 80 rich in natural resources
that the story of the quality and the
abundance of these resources reads as if
it might be untrue. But every word is
true. Senator CAMDEN did not exaggerate
the facts. Even farther north than any of
the places, or points. or roads mentioned
by him Is region which there is no reasoQ
in the world for not counting upon as one
so situated as to be naturally tributary to
Richmond.