Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-08-08
THE R. S. & G.
Prosperous and Promising Railroad
Interesting Points.


| shown in the case of the Ravenswood,
| Spencer 81 Chenille standard guage
road, which runs from Ravenswood
through Jackson and Roane counties TO
Spencer, distance of 80 miles. To the
energy Of Ex-senator VIM. woodward,
Of Spencer, who is president OF the
road, its construction is due, though 1t
was built as portion Of the OHIO
River railroad system, its general Off
GERS being about the same as those or
the Ohio River railroad, and the bonds
for its construction being guaranteed
and sold by the Ohio River Railroad
Company, Being short line, and not
overburdened with business, the oper-
ating expenses Of the road are small,
aud the profits spondingly large.
Since the completion business along the
line has constantly increased, and now
passenger train makes two trips a day
each way over the road, and local
freight one trip each way. The crews
for these trains are not large, the wear
on the track is small and does not ne
cessitate large forces Of section hands;
with few trains the road is operated
without telegraph line, and the equip
ments required for the road are few.
On the other hand the passengers han
died are numerous, and good deal Of
local freight is hauled daily
besides considerable through freight
and frequent car loads. Not only does
this road do large business, but 1t
turns it all over to the Ohio River road,
making it very profitable feeder for
that road. The Ripley 81 Mill Creek
Valley road, running from Milwood to
Ripley, in jackson county, is another
example of the same kind. As indi-
Gated by its name, it was the original
intention of the RavenSwood, Spencer
81 Chenille road to extend it on to
Chenille, Gilmer county, and that idea
has never been abandoned. Thus eX-
tended, the road wOuld tap the timber
lands OF Calhoun and Gilmer counties,
and would open the rich coal fields in
the southern portion of Gilmer. Since
the projectors Of the Little kanawha
Valley road have been talking up their
road the R., S. & G. people have begun
to think seriously Of extending.
valuable country is lying there await
ing development, and the first road in
will reap a rich reward.
The freight business Of the r. ). 81
G. consists principally of timber, slaves,
tanbark, chickens and eggs and farm
products. Roane county particularly
is a fine farming county. The surface
is rolling, not mountainous, except
slightly In the southern portion. Per-
haps one-5alf the county is still we'll
timbered, though the greater part Of
available poplar and nearly all the wal
nut have been removed. Still there are
large tracts of timber that have never
been touched, and great forests Of oak,
covering half the county, remain. Coal
is found IN all parts Of the county.
Most of it is In small veins Of two or
three feet, worked only for local use,
but in the eastern and southern portions
veins are found from eight to ten feet
thick. This IS a portion Of the Clay
county coal field, where some of the
finest coal In the State, in perhaps the
thickeSt seams, is found, and awaits
railroad to take it out.
In Jackson the coal seams dip and
are deep under ground. Opposite Pom
eroy, o., in Mason county, the coal
crops out, and also in Roane, but when
Jackson is reached there is none above
the surface Of the earth. In boring for
oil some years ago, near RavenswOod, o
fine vein of coal, ranging from seven TO
ten feet, was found 1870 feet below the
surface. The timber has been pretty
we'll removed from Jackson, only about
a fifth Of the county remaining timber
ed, and this principally with oak.
Three large streams flow through the
county into the Ohio, ana 10 has been
so easy to get the timber out that it has
nearly all been removed, though con-
siderable is still being taken out. In
the southern part of the county on the
Kanawha side Of the divide there is
still a large portion of the timber uncut.
A few years ago the stave business at
Ravenswood was a tremendous one.
Acres after acres of land here were
covered with piles of slaves as high as
n two-story house, and from fifty to
sixty wagon loads of slaves were
brought in every day, but this business
is decreasing with the taking off of the
lumber. There are some excellent farms
in jackson and fine grazing land. The
country is not very billy and there is no
land anywhere in the county that would
not make good pasture land. Cattle
are raised in large numbers great,
sleek, fat fellows they are too, and
great deal Of attention is given TO sheep
raising, but not as much as might be.
1t is a very profitable business and is
growing TO be more engaged in than
heretofore.
One man came to this county few
years ago without a cent. He saved a
little, rented farm and began to raise
few sheep. To-day he owns five hun
bred acres Of the best land ia the COun-
ty and several large hocks Of sheep,
lives nicely and mas n good bank ac-
count. Roane county is also a fine graz
ing county. More cattle are raised in
Roane than in any other county in the
State. At least the people Of the coun-
ty say so. Sheep and hog raising are
also notable industries.
Essentially forming counties, the F.
NJ. b, A. and the Alliance have strong
footh0ldS in these two, particularly IN
Roane where newspaper is published
in the interest OF these organizations In
this county rested the principal danger
TO Democracy from third party move
ment, but since the Democratic ticket
was nominated and the farmers given
representation on nearly half the ticket
that danger has passed. The farmers
of Roane are satisfied with the ticket
More than that, they are delighted, just
as people all are over this end of the
State seem to be, and in conversation
with some I learned that
they would all support the
Democratic ticket. Especially will
they do so since the Republican party