Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-10-16
Written for the Staunton SPECTATOR.

Grades.
Written for the Staunton SPEcTAToR.]
RIVERSIDE, ROCKBRIDGE Co., VA,
Oct. 10, 1895.-The Glasgow Develop
ment Company organized principally
by Norfolk capitalists in 1890, pur-
chased large tracts of land on the east
side of the North river opposite the
town of Glasgow, in Rockbridge county.
The Lexington branch of the Chesa-
peake and Ohio Railway courses
through these possessions. The com
pany is strong one. They erected a
splendid iron bridge connecting their
possessions with the town and the Nor
folk and Western Railroad, which
bridge is also a public highway. Apart
from the general public service which,
by the erection of this bridge, has been
secured to that section of Rockbridge
county their schemes are well planned
for perfecting large growth of indus
trial interests which better time will
bring about.
Not only upon this inviting field did
the Glasgow Development Company
become the leading auxiliary of the
Rockbridge Company, the present in
stitution, and the founder of Glasgow,
but through their financial ability and
sagacity, they wisely surveyed the field
northward, along the South River
country, well known from the first
settlement of the Valley of Virginia to
this day as the Iron Valley.n The
Shenandoah Valley branch of the Nor
folk and Western Railroad chose this
South River route for that improved
highway of traffic and travel, and thus
the necessary faculties of transporta-
ton were there inviting enterprise
talent, and capital to hitherto and only
partially developed resources of the
richest of iron ores.
After due and careful investigation
near the first seat of iron production in
Dougherty, on Irish Creek during the
last years of the Revolutionary War
this company became the purchasers of
well known property to the extent of
three hundred acres Astounding in iron
ore resources of great value. The loca-
ton of this property is one mile South
of Midvale Station, and nine North of
Buena Vista on the Shenandoah
branch of the Norfolk and Western
Railroad.
The commercial stagnation that
commenced in 1891 as it affected indus
trial progress throughout the world,
spared not the plans of the company
referred to at Glasgow. Then, with
will and energy, their attention was
directed to their iron ore property in
opening the way for its development in
the future. The faith and tae pluck
of this company based it's action on the
hopes of the future, realizing that in
the natural order of events a brighter
day would dawn.
All through these dreary years, from
1891 to 1895, the Glasgow Development
Company maintained it's organization
in thorough efficiency. The President,
Captain James w. Gerow, whom the
language adopted by the stockholders
at the first annual meeting which was
held in 1S91-"Was known to be man
of the best qualifications, Of large eX-
perience, of irreprochable character,
and of Indomitable energy''-was also
appointed General Manager, and as
signed to manage these large and val
liable interests through the dark days
of adversely, and to be ready, as the
dawn of prosperity should arrive, to be
in at the early morning equipped and
prepared to forge ahead.
The route of the railroad from
Hagerstown to Roanoke is through a
rich and picturesque country. Early,
intervening, and latter day histories
sketch the fairness and the celebrity of
the land. The line passes along the
vale where Morgan enrolled and mus
tered his continental Rifiemen" for
the march to Canada. and a little way
North touches the good old seat of early
commerce. Shepherdstown, that graces
the banks of the Potomac river. Here
Rumsey was the first to apply steam
power to navigation, and down to these
times when we are realizing that new
and interior cities thrive with magic
power, and mighty streams of wealth
bless the country through the instru-
mentality and association of the Nor
folk and Western Railroad influences.
The central watershed of the Valley
of Virginia over which the railroad
lies, is section which arrests the eye
and on which the mind dwells with
lingering fondness as it's features and
history are viewed. The wide open
plains on the North where the Delta
like formation exists are the opposite
as the south side appears on the face
of nature. The South River Valley of
the North or Shenandoah, is the ex-
IRENE opposite in its wide extent to the
rugged trough-like South River Valley
of the James River. Along the sources
are walnut Grove" "Vesuvius," and
"Cotopaxi" where Mccormick strug-
gled from 1929 through ten years of toll
to 1889 to perfect his grain reaper
when he announced through the
Staunton Spectator that his success
was accomplishment it was true.
1.-THE GRAVITY INCLINE RAILROAD"
Six miles South of Vesuyius is Mid
vale station on the railroad. The Me-
Cormicks once owned the place. 1t
now belongs to the estate of Samuel P.
Campbell, deceased. The McCormicks,
before and during the efforts to pro-
duce the reaper, long tried to produce
an iron-turning pillow, but the Averys
and Bradley came from New York
State into the Valley and established,
mile North of Riverside Station, a
factory for the first pillow of that order.
known as the Livingston pillow, the
manufacture of which is still prose
cuted by H. F. Lyle and VIM. A.
HUMPHREYS near Vesuvius.
One mile south of Midvale the eye of
Gllc passenger VII luo CdTS Will dlluOSt
certainly be attracted by a straight
cut line from the bottom to the top of
the mountain on the eastern side of
the narrow valley. Singularly enough
it appears, and what does it mean, is
the natural enquiry? 1t is the route
of narrow-gauge railroad. The length
is six thousand feet. The elevation
from the valley of the river and the
track of the Norfolk and Wasterp Rail
road;to the summit Of the mountain,
which is the terminus of the tiny rail
road, is twelve hundred feet. The as
cent is continuous, but not of uniform
grade-at some places sleeper than
others, but, as stated, is continuous
1t is laid with rails about the size of
the ordinary street railway on firmly
laid ties, on which, at short intervals,
are wooden rollers and iron pulleys,
over which 81 inch endless steel iron
&c Ioid