The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1891-10-29
Important Improvement Proposed

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We have been informed that arrange
ments have been completed for the con-
| struction of the Warm Springs Valley
railroad to Martins Bottom in Pocahon-
tas county, W. Va, where it will reach
the Camden systematic Chesapeake
and Ohio extension being about 25 miles
in that direction, and the Camden sys-
tenn having "a miles to build before the
| junction is formed. This will give a di-
rect route to Pittsburg from Covington,
and open up one of the most valuable
and abundant timber and coal sections
of the known world. 1t will bring the
coal from two important and competing
localities to the iron ores of the Rich
Patch district, and there unite the es-
sential material for making pig iron at
minimum cost. The construction of
the road from Covington up Potts
Creek, and then through to the Norfolk
and Western, will place the Pocahontas
coal fields in competition with the West
Virginia coal interests, giving this local
ity the choice between three competing
coal supplies.
Referring to the Potts Creek road
L. P. Grasty, who has recently gone over
the route that will be occupied by the
| Camden system, gives some valua-
BILE information of the country and its
resources to be traversed, and says in an
article in the Manufacturers Record, of
October 9th:
] asked Mr.. Camden about the road up Potts
Creek to open the $4,000 acres of strictly mineral
lands owned by syndicate of which he is a
member. THAT he replied, Twill be indie
pendent road with equal advantages to the
Chesapeake and OHIO and the West Virginia
and Pittsburg. 1t will be built in the near fu-
ture, and will be about 30 miles long, from Gov
ington on toward the divide between Potts
Creek and Big Stony, which runs through Nor
folk and Western territory. This area has been
explored by experts who have exposed and
opened the ore body in more than SO places,
which show that the slopes on either side, as
well as the valley itself, contain persistent bed
OF Oriskany ore from 20 to 50 feet in thickness.
Most of this ore will be made into pig iron by
furnaces to be erected along the road upon the
syndicate'S property, and some will be shipped
TO furnaces in Virginia. A large proportion Of
the pig iron produced on Potts Creek will be
shipped to Pittsburg. A perfectly satisfactory
traffic arrangement has been made with the
Chesapeake and Ohio people, which is to apply
alike to the West Virginia and Pittsburg and
the proposed Potts Creek Railroad.
These projected improvements. which
will be completed fact within the next
twelve months, as we have been in
formed, contemplate a development
H. ,~t l. 4
and cents. They will make the Jackson
river valley from Clifton Forge to Cov>
ington the most attractive locality in
the Union for the manufacture of iron,
as they will bring together all the nec>
essary elements for that urpose and
open up direct route to Pittsburg as a
market.
With the Chesapeake and Ohio dou-
ble>tracked from Clifton Forge to Gov
ington, this place will be in direct com
and north and south, and will pre-
sent advantages for all kinds of
industries related to iron unsurpassed
in the country. Iron Gate, Clifton
Forge, Low Moor, and Covington will
all receive incalculable benefits from the
completion of these lines of road, tap
ping and penetrating the richest timber
coal and iron districts on the continent
and offering inducements for the ioca
ton of capital, such as no other portion
of the South can approach.
Secretary Blaine resumed the duties
of his office in Washington on Saturday.
after being absent since May last. His
health has been much improved. and
his strength restored to normal con-
ditiOn.
Mr. W. J. Hickman, our former con
stable and well known to our citizens
is now with the drug firm of Farrar s.
Williamson. where he will be glad to
see his friends, whose name is legion.
Forest Inn Hotel, at Natural Bridge.
was burned on the 21st, with the excep.
ton of the bar-room and pavilion.