Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-10-10
SEMI-LOCAL NEWS.
Roanoke, Va.

! circulation among lflcnuS IOllOWeu
until during the afternoon when Olin
Beall came along with a buggy for a
spin around town. We did not 90
very far away, but travelled briskly
over much ground in three hours.
Some of the many manufacturing eS-
Establishments were visited and note
made Of their activity. In the west
end and beyond the river three
factories are going up. one of them an
enormous brick building. All these
are importations from northern States
and include the hundreds of operatives
yet to come, and for whom dwellings
are to be erected.
Mr. BealIs residence, ''lngleside,"
beautifully rehabilitated old time
farm residence, was visited. Occupy
ing considerable elevation, it com
mands comprehensive and pretty
view of the city. The interior is hand
somely finished, conveniently arranged
and elegantly furnished. Altogether
Mr.. Beall is fortunate in owning one
of the most attractive homes in the
vicinage. At the time of our visit it
lacked III interest only the presence Of
his charming wife, then visiting
friends in Jefferson county, w. Va.
Down on one of the streets we
stepped from Mr.. Beall's to }. 7.
Engleby's buggy, the latter bound
home to tea. Thenceforward we were
the fortunate guest of himself and his
most amiable wife.
Next morning and evening we ac-
companied Mr.. E. to the NJ. f.
Church, South, a handsome cdifice,
bright and CHEEKY, but much too small
for the throng which attends. In each
instance Rev. DR.. w. F. Hammer,
pastor, preached. He is not at first Il
striking pulpit personality, but as he
warns up he becomes eloquent and
impressive. He is fluent without APP
pearing studicdly so and distinct with
out being painfully articulate. 1t is,
in short, real pleasure to listen to
men whose strong native ability has
lost not 700 many of its rough edges
under the abrasion Of education and
polish Of elocutionary training.
What is the business prospect in
Roanoke In the universal language
+1n Wall, ,>,l- Of ln
people. mo legitimate interest is i'm
periled by the current stringency.'
| Over-speculation has been followed by
the unfailing rebound, and those who
were widest have suffered most. The
consequence is-money to meet ma
turing obligations in many instances
is scarce. Yet, so strong and abiding
is the faith of the debtor class in the
permanent value of their investments,
they are raising the money so sure
are they that Roanoke is growing and
will continue to grow, they are not
letting their holdings 90. AS a result
Of this deep-seated conviction i'm
proved properties and town lots are
still confidently held at boom prices.
And there are hundreds of choice To-
cations that are worth the actual
settler the high money asked for them.
There is much more could be said Of
Roanoke's material future, but we
cannot extend this report. Nor can
we finish it without attempting some
account of visit with Mr.. Engleby
to the summit of Mill mountain-an
outlook near the city which surpasses
in sublimity and stretch of landscape
our own Dams Rock. A new, narrow
road, comprising a succession of sharp
zigzags, leads up the steep northeast
wall of the mountain, the entire city
in full view all the way. On the sum-
NIT the spectator stands far above the
great amphitheatre below-an i'm
mense basin walled in by sharp peaks.
The valley is a deep foreground of
winding river, city, railroads, groves
and rolling hills-a vast panorama of
Nature adorned by the Typographical
necromancy of human enterprise.
There is Roanoke at our feet and off
westward Salem, the county seat, with
far less glitter of roof and spire in the
reflected light of the slow declinin g
sun.
Let us take higher and wider sweep.
Near sunrise we begin with the high
Peaks of Otter, and leaping leisurely
from summit to summit around the ire
mendous semi-circle, the eye follows a
highway of eagles, each peak an aerial
station-pursues it until, away off in
Giles, the tired vision at last loses
itself in the haze which envelopes the
blessed spirits that stop for intermis-
sion on the un-bright zenith of
CANCELS Rest"
Within and beyond this vast scope
lie the elements of ROanoke's future
agriculture, iron and coal. The one
is perennial ; the others ineXhaustible
for generations and generations to
come. They have lain dormant since
the morning when God, looking across
the stormy sea of liquid earth and
boiling minerals, said at the supreme
moment of elemental cOnyulsiOn-