The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1892-02-05
FIVE QUESTIONS ANSWERED
By MIR. Z. HARDIN, OF HARRODs'
BURG KENTUCKY.

BURG KENTUCKY.
He thinks it fortunate that Big Stone GAP
has not increased more rapidly in popu-
lation and that the outlook is good all
along the line.
SIS Big Stone Gap deadY"
why has not Big Stone Gap increased
her population more rapidly?"
"What are you doing to make town.
"Why has not the Virginia Goa, and
Iron Co. started workY"
"Why does fhruaton bring those suits"
These are questions asked me every das.
I will try and answer some of these in
quiries, which seem to be agitating the
minds of o good many of our kentucky
friends.
From some reports out here you would
think it the sacred duty Of the Big Stone
improvement Co. to donate all funds col
lccted from the sale Of lots to the erection
of an Eleemosynsry Institution on Poplar
Hill for the benefit of the poor made
by their Interpretations, DC. Ii these
fellows could have taken stroll TO the
top of Walkers Mountain three years ago,
and looked down into the Valley, 'hcy
would have seen nothing but old sage
fields, two or three houses scattered abont
and a country store. Now, let them step
up and peep over. What do they see!
Handsome residences, school houses.
churches, Blast Furnaces, Brick Plants,
Plaining Mills, Railroads, &c.
No, Big Stone Gap is not dead
1t seems to me very apparent why Big
Stone Gap has not increased more rapidly
We have added more than Eight Hundred
People to it in the past two years, and
think it exceedingly fortunate for US that
il has not increased more. Had it done
SO, We should have had an over population
with nothing to support it. Middlcsbor-
rough is good example of this. Her Rail
road was year in advance OF ours, and
her prosperity dates from the rise OF the
speculative fever in the South. None.
was easy and abundent and her growth
was wonderful. In two years she increased
her population from half dozen people
to six thousand Lots went from ten dol
lars per front foot to three hundred and
fifty. What has been the result? An
over populated city. The great financial
troubles came like a cyclone over all the
country. Capital went out of the banks
into the stockings of the old women.
English capital hesitated and then stop
ped. Her enterprises ruspended-build-
inc ceased and Middlesborrongh had abb
solutcly nothing TO support one third OF
her people. Artisans end laborers left,
merchants followed until now you can find
hundreds Of vacant houses. ] do not de-
tract from Middlesborough. ! have much
confidence in her future. believe in a
short time she will finish her great plants,
some of which are nearly completed and
at some near day she will be fourishne
manufacturing city. ] could point to a
number of towns around us burdened in
the same way with ovor population, which
will have TO secure plant after plant to
support their increase. Big Stone Gap :
first locomotive came in sight with the
first faint whisperings Of the money panic
and instead of O crazy building Boom and
influx Of people, our town has gradually
crown as the necessity of the case de-
manded, With good class of people shc
need no charitable institutions to keel
them up, but are making comfortable
living and waiting the completion Of ouI
enterprises to increase our population ano
thus make demand for lots. Our popu-
lation will not have TO increase to an!
great extent to bring lots back to tht
speculative prices of two yenrs ego.
Our people should congratulate them
selves that they did not have Railroad
until the Boom had about rubsided. Now
we will build new houses for the influx O
TINT will come, while other towns vii
have trouble 10 fill their boom houses
Now let Us see what weare doing 10 make
| town.
think it hardly necessary to give de.
tailed account Of our resources. You
readers should by this time he fully CON
yinced that our resources for the manu-
factory of iron. steel and woods of al
kinds are unsurpassed. say without fea'
Of contradiction that there is no point OF
| the American Continent where the raw
material for the manufnctory OF irou ant
| steel are closer together or can be minet
cheaper. Our timber cannot he excellet
| in the South. Our location heautiisi ant
picturesque and large enough to locate a
city of One Hundred Thousand convent
emily. The elevation is Seventeen Humid
red feet above the Sea level. Doctors are
the only people who cannot live among us
unless they own real estate. We think
with these advantages and resources W.
are not compelled 40 do ANYTHING to make
city, but that the city will come to Us
lust as the great mlliouare Liesenrine
did when he and his two sisters rode sixt,
miles over the toughest road in Virgins
to see and buy One Hundred Thousand
acres of the finest coal and timber land il
America, coal that measures from 6 tt
Id feet in thickness and contains 94.5-i(
pure carbon when cooked. This tract Of
| land carries more coal than the whole o.
the Conceivable region and the develop
ment of that district made o population Of
Two Hundred Thousand people. Wher