Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-17
SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA.
The Highest Award for Coal and Coke at
the Worlds Fair.
Chance Lost to Washfngtonfans-A
Town Noted for Its Schools and
CoIlege-Glimpse ut Politics.


cbrrespondenee Of The Evening star
ABINGDON, Va. October Is. 1888.
While no place in the United States was
hlsssed with more fattsring prospects for
the future than southwest Virginia prior to
the present financial stringency. probably
no section has felt more kesnIy Its baneful
snects. This Is largely due to the fact that
the industries concerned In the development
OF Ike wealth OF mineral resources and its
great number Of manufacturing enterprises
were dependent. in q great degree, upon
eastern and foreign capital. These in
vestors were the first to foresee and feel the
elects OF the coming panic; consequently
socn investments were the first to be at
fected BY the depression, but viii doubtless
be among the first to respond to the revival
Ok commercial conditions. Whilst. however.
money Is very scarce and the business
SITUATION here becalmed to a depressing de-
gree. there Is evidently a slow and steady
trend OF trade throughout this whole Sec
ton toward former activity. 1t may. and
WILL no doubt, be many months before
present indications Will be fully justified
put with Its coal. iron, cattle and tobacco
reaching out In every direction and into
new ana profitable markets and fields, with
oaiiy additional attractions to the capitalist
ana investors developing here and there
the result Is certain and inevitable
The Finest Coal In the World.
The people Of this part of the state have
much to be proud over in the fact that
samples OF southwest Virginia coal and
coke were awarded the highest premium at
the worlds fair. This will doubtless bs
news n the award has not yet been off,
ciaiiy promulgated, and an unpleasant sur
prise to many others concerned in coal in
- rTf@
the award OF coal was made was taken
from the Kelley field at Big Stone Gap.
Lee county, and was passed upon by Mr.
Jno. B. West Of Birmingham, to whom
this exhibit was referred, and who is him
self largely interested In the coal produc-
ton Of Alabama and its exhibit at the
fair. Ills report attracted attention at
once. and It's accuracy was evidently ques-
made personal Inspections. and the full
board then unanimously signed the report.
The analysis showed only a fraction over
IL per cent ash and IL per cent sulphur,
the balance being combustible matter. The
mine has been worked for several years.
and 10 one of the finest In location and most
promising In output In the state. Coal in
this particular locality was discovered some
twelve or fourteen years ago BY Gen. J. D.
lmboden, Q native Of Augusta county, this
state. who has for many years been active
IN locating and developing coal and iron de-
postts ~ well a. instrumental in attracting
capital 70 this part Of the state He was
one Of the judges of award In the depart
ment OF mines and mining at the worlds
i ,a N Cnieago. and Il now a candidate for
the Legislature for this county. He had
great dimeulty In inducing eastern capital
lists to even listen to his oft-repeated rep
resentAdons Of the new Eldorado. but after
succeeded In inducing q company to send
an expert to Investigate. The gentleman
IN question announced, upon his arrival at
TIE rssfdence Of the general, and after TAX
q M ha lApf
and mountain peaks around him, that he
believed he had come upon "a FOOLS err
rand. Judging from surface Indications
however, he took on his hat to his host
asserting that he bad never seen finer speci-
mems or brighter prospects, and today
samples from that section have practically
been pronounced the finest in the world
Since then there has sprung up a young
city OF no mean proportions, with the facili-
ties OF three railroads, where a few years
products south and east to the markets
A Chance Lest to Washington.
Concerning the Kelley mine, from which
the specimen was taken that received the
highest award at the fair. there is a story
interesting to a number Of Washington
gentlemen The land upon which the de-
postt was found was handicapped by a
suit at law, which terminated by a sale
being ordered gentleman Of this town,
cognizant Of the circumstances and of the
Immense value Of the property. endeavored
through friends to form q syndicate some
three years ago In Washington. to be CAPT.
talized at 500. 1000 to purchase the property.
but the Washingtonians were not sufficient-
" enan,ored Of the scheme to invest, and
the attempt proved q failure. Today the
same interests are worth hardly less than a
cool million. though IL was bought a few
months later for but little more than
enough to satisfy the judsment and costs.
amounting to less than $4,000.
Southwest Virginia Proper.
A great many have indefinite ideas of lust
what portion Of the state constitutes what
Is called southwest Virginia, often con-
founding IL with the valley Of Virginia and
West Virginia The great valley does ex-
tend into the southwest. but what is proper
ly known As southwest Virginia comprises
that portion lying between North Carolina,
Tennessee. Kentucky and West Virginia,
and extends from Montgomery and Roanoke
counties on the east 10 Lee and Wise on
the west, embracing some fifteen counties
The area Is about 80 square miles, and is
an empire In all the national resources that
any section could or ought to desire to make
II Independent and prosperous. Every county
In this limit has coal and iron, some of
them In fnexhaustiole beds, and most of
them a great variety Of other valuable de-
posits. Though mountainous in the main.
beautiful and fertile valleys spread over
great areas and follow the numerous water
cOorses which, in turn, could furnish power
sufficient to propel all the machinery the
New England states could rake and scrape
Powell, Clinch and the valleys of the Hol-
ston course southwark parallel with each
other into Tennessee, and to and along the
Tennessee river, while the New River valley
takes an opposite direction, dividing the
eastern section with the valley of the Roa-
oke. Coves reach out from the valleys into
the mountains. facilitating access to the
vast deposits Of minerals of various kinds
with which the spurs and ranges teem
Possibly no similar area In the United
States Is 50 rich In abundance. quality and
variety Of valuable mineral lands. The gov
eminent requires the tests Of the new
cruisers to be made, I have seen stated
with coal from the Pocahontas mines in
Tazewell county, which adjoins this-W ash
tngton county.
Washington County and Damascus.
Washington county il one Of the largest
and most populous IN the southwest, and
has the honor Of being the first place Of
any kind named for the father of his coun-
Try, at which time 1t embraced a large part
Of Virginia and q portion Of Tennessee, and
was known as West Augusta title well
known In the history Of the American rev.
olution 1t was from West Augusta that
Gen. VIM. Campbell. who married a sister
of Patrick Henry, recruited and marched
hi, dauntless but badly equipped troops to
Kings noun tain, and gained a victory that
largely decided the fortunes OF the contest
for liberty and Independence. Washington
<-opptv 10 heItA5 from ne North Caro1iua