The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-05-28


as the Roanoke Gas and Water Com
pany, yet little is known by the public
concerning the affairs or the workings
of the company.
1t is supposed by large majority of
the people that this is giant octopus
whose arms extend to the remotest bor-
ders of the corporate limits and clasp
in its embrace everything it touches.
Such is not the case. For many years
the expenditures of the company
greatly exceeded the profits and no div
idend was paid to the stockholders.
So far the affairs of the company have
been an Investment rather than source
OF revenue. During the past two years
over S250.000 were expended by this
company in Improvements alone and
they will spend during this year 500, 900.
1t has placed gas and water pipes on
numerous streets where tho demand
does not begin to meet the expense of
laying the pipes owing to the sparsely
populated sections of the city that have
been supplied.
Among the valuable and extensive
improvements that have been recently
mado is tho grading and identifying of
twenty acres of park surrounding tho
spring at the foot of Mill Mountain,
which has been laid out in paths and
enclosed by neat fence. This will be
thrown open to the public. and the com
pany will derive no benefit from 1T ex-
cept indirectly, as it benefits the city.
In this park, in the immediate vicinity
OF the spring neat building is being
erected which will be used as a cafe and
restaurant for the accommodation of
guests walking or driving in the park.
Just above this on the summit of Mill
Mountain is the beautiful "Rockledge
HOTEL" now open to the reception of
GUESTS. A splendid drive has been
graded from the summit to the plane
below and is perfectly safe and easy to
ascend and is guarded by fence.
The improvements on Mill mountain
were made at an expenditure of S25, 900.
The grounds about the station have
been cleaned. neatly sloped and odded,
and tho drainage from tho mountain
and road so diverted as to prevent anv
injury to the spring.
The outlet from the spring was di-
veried, and by a small cascade now falls
into lake, adding to the beauty and of
the grounds.
The two iron bridges. one on the ex-
tension of Jefferson street and leading
to the pumping station, and the other
on Walnut street, both crossing the
Roanoke river and necessary for the de-
velopment of the property on the south
erly and easterly side of the river, have
been completed.
Eighteen thousand one hundred and
forty five lineal feet of streets. 40, so
and 60 fl ct wide, have been graded of
which BIAS feet have been mac adam
lied and 1000 feet have been graded
as roads 30 feet wide, 1000 feet of
which is known as the Prospect road
and leads to the summit of Mill noun
tain upon continuous grade of 10 feet
in the hundred
There were laid during the last year
ten miles of water mains, and one mile
OF small diameter mains insufficient for
fire service and other purposes were
taken up. The total length of water
mains now laid is thirty-fve miles.
The principal extensions were as fol-
main which laid dag onally through the
land of this company on Holiday
street, which had been condemned for
railroad purposes, and the extension of
t"e Holiday street line to replace it
through the yard of the Norfolk and
Western railroad, with branches to the
engine house of the latter company and
the cid system of mains in the Ma
chino Works yard, and tho placing of
meters upon the SUPP lies to both com
panies.
The extension by double l6.inch
main from the main near the pumping
works across the Roanoke river bridge
at Jefferson street, and thence west to
connection with II inch laid pre-
v1ously on Groves street to increase the
supply to the west and northwest Sec
tions and to provide for the extension
to the lands of the Roanoke Develop
ment Company.
system OF water mains through the
property of the Crystal Spring Land
Com pany.
The laying Of additional mains also
afforded the opportunity for placing
during the year twenty-five additional
fire-hydrants, making total of eighty
nine.
The following water extensions pro-
posed to the board of directors by the
manager, j. G. Rawn, at the beginning
OF the year are now in course of con-
struction:
From end OF G-inch main on Bullitt
street east to Border, and thence to
Valley street to increase the circula-
ton and provide water when the growth
of the city requires.
From Franklin road to King George
street. through the lands of the Janette
Land Company under guarantee of 10
per cent income to the company upon
the cost of the same.
On Luck street from end OF. main near
Grove street, east to Commerce street
to provide water and fire service in q
district which needs it.
Under guarantee of 10 per cent. in
come from the Belmont Land Company.
Under same conditions as above.