The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-11-24


of eiioiting news In. reference to the
project on hand to build the road to
connect with the Chesapeake and Ohio
or Baltimore and Ohto,railroads.
In reply to a question Mr.. Vines said:
"Hes, am very much,interested in the
new scheme and am in. hearty sympathy
with, the officers" In. answer to uues-
ton as to what arrangements, IL any,
had the new construction, company made
with his road? Mr.. Vines replied: "None
whatever" and ne could'not say whether
any would be made.
Several OF the directors are closely
identified. with the Central Land Com
pany OF Buchanan and. It was asked If
this does not mean that an effort will
be made to take the road to that point.
Mr.. Vines replied: Doubtless some of
the directors have invested quite largely
in Buchanan and personally would like
TO see the road go there, and possibly a
strong effort will be made'in that direc-
ton. The majority, however, will work
for the best interest Of Roanoke at the
sacrifice Of personal interests. But at
any rate Irely on the good sense OF the
Roanoke people not to permit anybody
TO influence this road to be built paral-
lei with the Shenandoah road when,
with the some money, they can open up
new. and very valuable territory by
going via Fincastle"
Would the road running to Buch-
anan add anything to the merchants
and tradespeople generally of Roa-
noke?' was asked. mot a single
dollar in my Judgment" replied Mr..
Vines. lin the first place the Buch-
anan people trade at Lynch burg. This
any retail merchant here will tell you.
Then for tho fnrther reason that as the
new road would run, parallel with the
Shenandoah Valley no greater facilities
could be give TO get to Roanoke than
| they now have"
Then do you think the retail mer-
chants should contribute to the road to
20 to buchanan with a,view of helping
| their trade?"
"Oh, as to that they must be the
judge
1--WE have graded on, the Fincastle
road over fifty thousand, dollars worth
and the greater portion of this money
was raised at Fincastle. The people
there have made every effort to identity
themselves and their interest with Roa-
noke, but have ut all times met with
but poor encouragement. This money
was raised at great personal sacrifice
and spent in good faith, believing that
at the proper time Roanoke would lend
a helping hand and assist in the con-
struotion of this road"
Mr.. Vines believed that the building
OF this road through tho country by
Fincastle would help the business in.
terests OF Roanoke very materially.
"Fincastle and all of its surroundings
greatly prefer" he said, trading at
Roanoke rather than Lynchburg If they
only had some way to get here. AS the
road is now projected it would bring
Roanoke in close touch with nearly
he ~ HA
tourt, embracing population of more
than ten thousand people. All of this
trade Roanoke would get by this route,
and beside, as the road would doubtless
connect with the Craig Mineral at
Bessamer or Eagle Rock, there is no
reason why Craig people should not
come here rather than so to Lynchburg.
1t would be just as near"
| "Bo.etourt is in many aspects one Of
tho best counties in the State and that
part throu n which this road runs, bang
some twentysiM miles. the very heart
OF the county. The people are we'll TO
do, out Of debt and making money, iust
such class OF people as Roanoke needs-
just now II this road should go that
route every merchant in this city could
give most literally toward it's compile
| oion.
Moreover, the construction would be.
cheaper and we would gladly contribute
large per cent. OF the work done on,
| the road to the new construction COM.
pany. thereby saving many thousand
dollars to this city. Then again as
| Roanoke iS necessarily a manufacturing
city and needs cheaper coal, the nearer,
we get to the West Virginia coal fields
the cheaper our coal will be, and as we.
will tap the Chesapeake and Ohio road.
| some twenty miles west OF, Buchanan,
tt necessarily follows that this extra
haul, though of but little Importance to,
one carload, yet for hundreds of, cars
daily would be an item Of confederation
In abe course Of years.
but what look upon as the greatest
reason Is that by this. routs the soaa
would run through and devslop la1gS
and very valuable deposits of iron ore.
This is o continuation Of the RichEasch
Oriskaney ores, which is brown hema-
lite, rich in me.allia iron and very loa
in phosphorus, analy xing about ca phos-
phorus and 80 500 metallic iron. These
new ore beds would be OF great value to
the iron interests,of Roanoke. Beside
tho rich deposits along the limo OF the
Craig mineral road could DO brought
at q nominal cost, being only distance
OF soms thirty miles,
In answer to question Ii he Thought
the road would DO built In the near lG-
ture Mr.. Vines replied; Eyes, have
no sort OF doubt, IL the people OF Roa.
noke will do their duty, and as Roanoke
is so justly celebrated for It's eaergy
and push, cannot conceive how they
would let such an opportunity escape TO
add so greatly to their local arade, and
,N &N,nu