The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-11-27

New Railway Into the Heart Of a
PrimevaI Section,
RUGGED AND ROMANTIC COUNTRY
viii Bring to Markc, Great Wealth
OF Hum Der and Mineral orcs-Yhe
Isa.lroad Is BuAIl III the Best
and Most Substantial Way.
fspscial Dispatch TO The Times.

ABINGDON, Va, Nov. 26.-The Virginia
and Carolina Railroad, located from
Abingdon through The Iron Mountain Gap,
at Damascus, near the Virginid and Ten
timber field OF White Top Mountain, in
Virginia, and the white pine helds Of
Shady Valley in Tennessee has been
conlpteted as far as Holston River, in this
county. the bridge over which is now
nearing completion, and which is distant
from the Norfolk and Western, at Abing-
don eight and half miles, just half way
to Damascus, winch VIII De the point OF
ofurcation for reaching the White Top
timber to the east, and the Shady Valley
timber to the west.
HISTORIC POINT.
Tbs crossing Of the Holston will be at
historic point. One standing on the pic
turesque steel bridge. tifty-nve feet above
low water, can see through the tree tops,
some quarter of q mile distant, the narrow
strip of land called Carrick Fergus, which,
more than century ago was selected and
adopted for the site OF the courthouse Of
the then territorial expanse calIed Wash
ngton county. l doubt if, in the Klondike,
on the lonely Yukon, there can be seen a
more secluded and pristine locality. Save
this improvement and the slight view
from the bridge. above alluded to- there is
TO evidence that the hand Of man has ever
been or it.
Ii.e eternal woods from the apex of
each Of three triang.es. close in on that
lonely conveyance OF the two Holstons,
their steepness reaching to the very wa
rers edge everywhere. This point is some
three hundred feet below the levels of
Abingdon and Damascus, which are nearly
the same, or some 2,C50 feet above tide
water.
THE STOCKHOLDERS.
The principal stockholders in this much
unknown enterprise are the Empire Lum-
Der Company, of Philadelphia; the Sclleaf-
Ter estate OF Pottsville, Pa, the Douglas
Company of NEW York, and r. t. Wilson
& Company, of New York.
Before its recent purchase the founders
Of the enterprise had expended S165O00 in
partially grading the first seventeen miles
to Damascus. Your correspondent has,
through the courtesy of it's president, Mr..
w Z. Mingea, and its secretary, Mr.. f.
3. Hurt been afforded a trip OF inspection
over the completed portion of the line, and
was surprised at the costly and excellent
character Of the work, occasioned and
made unavoidable by the rugged and beau
.ifuly romantic country trayersed by it.
MAGNIFICENT SCENERY.
The scenery cannot, L believed, be
equalled anywhere within the same easy
reach of any Of the trunk lines in Virginia.
Midway between Abingdon a2d Carricll
Fergus, which | presume will be the name
of the river station, and in the little val
ley between the two KNOBS" through
which the road is located the first station
mas been located. and from the crossing of
the old Watauga wagon road, has been
named Watauga. The trestles range in
length from 80 to 900 feet and from 20
to 20 feet in height The maximum grade
is 10 feet, or less than one and one-half
per cent.
The value Of this feeder to the Norfolk
and Western Railway is so little known
and is being so quietly pushed ahead that
it is not appreciated. but it will unload
into distant markets an untold amount OF
wealth of both timber and ores, and will
| be sought by seekers of nature in its most
secluded and romantic characteristics who
have never before known of it.
In a few more days the great 425-foot
bride at the river will have been passed
and the work beyond that point will be
surprisingly rapid.