The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-02-23

proposition you VIII sec that it Is the
chesapeake and Ohio first, last and all
tho time. You will see that tho first
mortgage bonds carry absolute control.
Ihefc Is not . scintilla Of chance for
any other road to get control. ZAP
plause) You will pardon the
self allusion, but have care,
fully considered every proposition.
paramount over everything else has
Deen the idea OF keeping any other road
from getting possession of this proposed
limo. SO far as legal ability and bust
ness Judgment can guard no other road
can get possession. II the Chesapeake
and Ohio should go into bankruptcy
that IS matter OF the future, but it is
owned and controlled by the Wander
bllts. You have seen their power re-
Gently shown in crushing the Reading
deal. If the Chesapeake and Ohio
comes to Roanoke it will undoubtedly
be extended west ana south, perhaps
In both directions. But there is no
other railroad in it. 1t is strictly q
matter between Roanoke and the Ches.
apeake and Ohio company"
Mr.. N. B. Johnston followed. Said he:
After threo years residence in Roa-
noke have seen nothing Of moro vital
Importance or involving more OF inter
est TO this community than this railroad
matter Certainly nothing has ever
como before this board of more import
ance TO every member OF it. Railroads
are OF paramount Importance to every
community. You cannot have town
without them. Even towns on navi-
gable streams need them. l never heard
Oh town having too many railroads.
Then If railroads are of such vital i'm
portance to tho existence of towns,
should NOT thn hol
pay for thom?
The first question asked by any now
industries seeking q location is: What
are your railroad facilitiesa And if Won
say you have no competing lines, it is
often fatal to securing that industry
yield to no one in acknowledging our
obligations to the Norfolk and Western,
but are we always to JIG in the cradle?
Are wc mover 10 walk alone, and 10
learn TO Iaho care OF ourselves? Ii we
can by having competing lines grow to
be u city OF 40, 900 people will not the
Norfolk and Western be greatly bone
fitted?
England can make pig iron for IS 30
ton. 1t is said 1t can be made in Vir-
ginia for IS. If so we can make pig
iron cheaper than any other community
in tho world. There are not enough
ores along the line OF tho Norfolk and
Western to supply our furnaces, and it
Is a matter Of necessity that we 90 into
the rich ore country tributary to tho
Chesapeake and Ohio for further sup
plies. offer the following:
Resolved by the board of trade of
Roanoke, That a committee of ten
members of the board of trade be an
pointed by the president to prepare
and present to the City Council q
memorial requesting it to pass an ordi-
nance providing for vote of the people
OF Roanoke Upon tho subscription OF
500, 0C0 to the capital stock OF the Roa-
noke, Fincastle and Clifton Forge Rail-
road Company for the purpo $50 of aiding
in the construction OF said road as set
forth in tho report Of the special rail
road commute just read"
The resolution was seconded by Col.
Thomas Lewis and unanimously
adopted. The chair then appointed
the following committee:
Thomas Lewis, n. B Johnston.
James S Simmons, y. =. Foard,
). e. Penn, JAS. e. Porter,
c. c. w .lson, Jos. A. Gale.
s. S. Brooke, w. 5. Gooch.
The committees, or as many as were
present, retired for deliberation, and
during their absence strong speeches
were made by JOS. II. Engleby, c. II.
Vines, W. h Andrews, Judge John w.
Woods and others.
tho Roanoke, Fincastle and Clifton
Forge Railroad Company. This posi-
ton, he said, twas urged upon me and
| would not havo taken it had / not
been promised active support We can
carry this project through if SO can get
the support of tho citizens of Il .anokc.
We have been working two years on
this matter and six o us put up money
to make preliminary survey
long time ago to this very end. Roa.
noke Will have no trouble in floating the
bonds il they are voted. 1t will only
cost $4,000 year. An increase of
Sis0,000 in ratable values will cover
that, and tho road will give us three
times that in six months | do not
think the City Council can afford to rc-
fuse to submit the matter 10 the pooplo
for q vote"
G. II. Vines, formerly of Fincastle,
now of Roanoke, followed in strong
speech, in which he declared the posi-.
ton OF the people of Botetourt county.
Their trade now went largely to Lynch.
burg. but it only needed this connec ton
to bring it to Roanoke. With this road
Roanoke ought to have so, 200 people by
1899. Lot the citizens of Roanoke take
hold OF this in earnest and the trains of
the Chesapeake and Ohio will be run.
ming into Roanoke within twelve
months.
The committee then subraitted the
following report and resolution which
was unanimously adopted; and on mo.
ton of Lucian Cooke, Esq, the same
committee was requested to lay the
matter before Council:
To TIE BOARD OF TRADE: Your COM
mittaa anpniutad for ,nr,ooo