The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-09-25
Gated for the factory than any in the Uni

1t is easily accessible to the seaboard
country, and. in the matter OF defense
from a foreign foe, could at compare
lively small CT st and with few thou
sand men be rendered absolutely impreg-
nable. Then, again, it. is the metropolis
of a region rich in iron, coal, limestone
and al the materials for making steel,
which once begun might be indefinitely
extended. No city on the lakes or near
the coast should be selected as site for
the factory, because modern warships are
so formidable and the liability of such
plant to attack in case of war so certain
that it might fall into the enemy's hands
at the commencement of hostilities, and
be promptly and thoroughly destroyed,
while the country at large would be sub
ject to irreparable damage. With an ar
NOR plate factory at Roanoke, works for
constructing locomotives, along with
snip-building and other industries 8, would
be greatly promoted at Richmond, New
port News and Norfolk; therefore it is
evidently to tie interest of those cities
to favor this place as the site for the fac
tory and do all they can to induce the
government to locate it here.
The people of New Orleans. with a
similar purpose in view, are strongly in
favor of Birmingham, Ala, as the loca-
ton of the armor plate factory, because,
as the newspapers there urge, it will
tend greatly to the promotion of the ship
building interests i'll that and other cities
near or on the gulf coast. If the people
of New Orleans can see how their inter-
ests will be promoted by an armor plate
plant as far away as Birmingham surely
Baltimore, Norfolk aud other cities along
the Middle Atlantic coast might take "a
similar view OF the situation in regard to
Roanoke, and, since they cannot ge; the
factory, do all they can to advance the
Gains of the Magic City.
Not only is iron ore of the requisite
quality easily obtainable here, but in the
matter of coke it is we'll known that Pc
cahontas coal, which is an inexhaustible
product of this sect on, makes the best
for iron and steel making the location of
Roanoke, as the gateway of two of the
richest valleys in the country, insures an
abundance of food to an immense popula-
tion at prices as moderate as anywhere
else in the Union, while, with increasing
facilities, trade and industries would be
developed on scale commensurate with
their diversified needs and occupations
AS far back az 1885 Colonel S. S.
Brooke, now clerk of the corporation
Hon. II. S. Trout, who was then mem
Der of the State senate, secured the intro
duction of bill in the Virginia legisla-
ture authorizing the United States gov
ernment to acquire any quantity of land
needed for the erection of gun factory
In or near this city; and though before it's
final passage the act was changed so as
to allow the location .of the factory in
| any part OF the Old Dominion, it still
stands and can be applied to an armor
plate factory here AS this armor plate
factory is n matter of great importance
TO the future growth of the city that gets
the site it should not be allowed to rest
until the question of location shall have
been determined one way or the other.
The board appointed by Congress to in
vestigate this subject, after visiting
points in the North and East, will come
South to examine the adv antages claimed
by some Of the cities OF this section. and
no effort should be spared.by the people
of Roanoke to have the members come
here and confer with those of our citizens
best acquainted with the resources of this
city and section, both rs to it's mineral
and other products. In matters of this
kind everything depends upon the proper
presentation of the case, and that Roa-
noke has citizens able and willing to
fully present her claims in all respects
goes without saying. 1t only remains
then for our people to take hold of the
matter with their accustomed energy
ami resolution, and il they do not sue.
coed in securing the armor plate plant
for this city it can be stated with GER
tainty in advance that it will be through
no fault of theirs. AT any rate the object
is worthy OF our best efforts and let us
by all means go to work with might and
main.