The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-06-25
WESTMINSTER TO ROANOKE.
A Trip Through Grand Section to the Magic
City.


thence via the Norfolk l. Western, to Roam
oke, Virginia. The route lays through Car
roll, Frederick and Washington counties in
Maryland, the three most productive and
highly improved counties of the state; through
Jefferson county, West Virginia; Clark, War
rem, Page, Rockingham, Augusta, Rock
bridge, Botetourt and Roanoke counties,
Virginia. There is no section on the face OF
the earth more productive, more beautiful,
more healthful or more prosperous. Good
farm buildings, sleek, fat cattle, fine horses
and well-tilled farms attest the condition OF
the agrculturists, while all along the route
there is abundant evidence of manufacturing
and mining prosperity. The scenery is I'M
surpassed, ever changing, ever charming, ever
new. After crossing the Potomac the route
is fanked on either side by mountain chains,
and here and there lofty spurs rear their forms
from the comparative level stretches. Rivers
wind their course through the valley, some
times clear, sometimes muddy, sometimes
flowing placidly, and sometimes rushing wild
ly over rocks and boulders.
Charlestown, in the lower valley, and Ro-
anoke, in the upper, are the substantial towns
of that section. The former has made won
derful growth, steady and sure, developed by
the establishment of industries that have
weathered the past eighteen months of de-
preston. The latter-Roanoke- made
the most wonderful growth of recent times.
Front Royal. Riverton is another place that
has made substantial growth, but going on up
the valley, one is struck with the vastness of
the conceptions of those who have started
cities. At Shenandoah, Elkton, Shendun,
Basic City, Glasgow and Buena Vista vast
tracts of land have been laid off into streets
and avenues, and lots sold. Hotels of large
proportions, of handsome architecture, and
all modern improvements, are to be seen at
every place. Buildings for manufactures,
large and substantial, are monuments of the
energy, enthusiasm and confidence of their
builders. Large business blocks, in the most
modern style of architecture, stand scattered
about upon what were to be corner lots in
busy cities. Uncompleted foundations Tor
manufactures and business houses, and naked
frames for residences show the suddenness OF
the collapse Of the booms. 1t is safe, we
think, to say that not less than ten millions OF
dollars have been spent on these new towns,
between Luray and Roanoke, two-thirds of
which now seem lost.
There is a considerable population at each
of these towns, some industries are in opera
ton and considerable business is done. The
Shenandoah Valley Railroad, now incorporat-
ed in the Norfolk & Western, have kept pace
with the march of improvement, and have
erected substantial and handsome stone depots
at every embryo city.
1t is plainly TO be observed that the con-
ceptions of the city builders were too vast.
The plans were too broad, and the business
was largely overdone. Water, gas and cleo
tric light plants were put in, and at one place
a street railway was built. But all oil these
towns will be built. Within ten years each
will be a scene of industry, with populations
= nnH-narbanS
The Valley of Virginia is one of the richest
sections in the world. Coal, iron, timber,
limestone, clays and all raw materials for
manufactures are at hand, and the agricultural
lands are rich and capable of sustalnng vast
nopulation. The depression which has ex-
listed for the past eighteen months, Is ABOUT
over. The bottom has been reached, ana the
wheels of progress must soon move forward.
That section must prosper, and now that the
foundation has been laid, the progress wall be
rand and it will be substantial and solid.
The DAYS of speculative values are gone, and
hereafter real values will prevail
But it is particularly of Roanoke we wish
to speak. That was the objective point OF the
ADVOCATE representative, IN response 10 an
invitation from the committee OF that progress
sive city 10 charge Gifts decennial celebration
1t was our first visit to the magic city, and we
had no conception of its solldlty. len years
ago il was called Big Lick, with population
Of about 600. Today it is busy, busting city
of %, 900, and it has struck big hex IN
reality. Its progressive citizens, among
whom is Mr.. James S. Simmons, who seems TO
he a king in the city, claim that Roanoke was
never a boom town, but that its growth has
been steady from the beginning, and contln'
mes TO-DAY. During all the depression since
the fall Of 1890, Roanoke has steadily grown,
and at the .present time business houses and
residences are going up in all parts OF the
citv The STYLE of architecture there IS the
bandsomest we have seen. There are some
business blocks that would be credit to cities
many times larger, and $25, 900 residences
are 10 be seen in every part OF the city; .,
Roanoke is laid out on large scale, anu
enough territory is included in her limits for
a city of 100000 people. No more VIII De
added during the next ten years; Inc eX
tension business has ended, and the develop
ment eompanies are now bending their ener-
gies. not to sell lots, but to locating new in-
dustries, while the city authorities are grading
and paving the streets. They have made good
progress already, and the officials recently
elected are expected to carry the work Tor
ward more rapidly.
The city has many extensive manufactures,
the chief of which is the Roanoke Machine
Works, employing 1900 persons. This estab-
lisbment has orders ahead all the tina, one
of the recent ones being for 500 freight cars
for the Pennsylvania Railroad. The Com
many maintains first.cla band among its
employees, and during the great industrial
parade last Saturday placed about HOO uni
formed men in line, furnishing the men with
the uniforms. Among their employees are
William Stevenson, Michael Driscoll and
George Ham, of Westminster, the former of
whom has just been electeu ihe'hper Vi inc
City Council.
Roanoke has two morning and two after
noon dailies, and another afternoon daily is
soon to be issued The hotels are far above
those ordinarily found in cities the size OF
Roanoke, the chief of which are the Ponce
de Leon and Hotel Roanoke. The latter is
the leading one and stands on an eminence,
and the two acres of ground attached are en-
closed by an ornamental stone fence thai cost
about $20,O00 The grounds are beautiful
and well kept and the building is handsome
structure with frontage of about $50 feet.
1t has all the modern improvements and Is
well managed.
The celebration began on Friday, and open,
ed with a grand CONCERT by 200 voices and
two soloists, an orchestra of sixteen pieces
and the Machine Works Band, of twenty eight
pieces. The concert was given in the taber'
nacIe built for the accommodation OF Sam
Jones, the revivalist, which seats 1000 per
sons. The tabernacle was packed, and the
concert was a grand success. The musical
program was divided into two parts. Between
the first and second, Mr. James S. Simmons,
master Of ceremonies, made an address of
welcome, Col. John E. Penn gave a histori-
cal sketch of Roanoke, and Col. II. kyd
Douglas, of Hagerstown, delivered an Grafton;
Saturday morning there was military and
industrial parade, about 5000 persons being
in line. The military included three regi-
menta, the Virginia Military Institute batal
lion, and four or FIVE Independent artillery and
infantry companies. The floats of the bust
ness establishments were handsome, suggestive
of energy and enterprise, and gave very fair
representation of the variety and magnitude
of the business enterprise of the city.
Late in the afternoon sham battle was
fought in the southwestern part of the city,
and was witnessed by many thousands of per
sons. The spot selected was admirably
adapted for the battle. There was level
bottom of about one hundred acres: On one
10. thar