Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1900-03-30

l
shop extensions, a movement is on foot
for the organization of company to
erect one hundred new houses.
In addition to the other industries
and advantages Clifton Forge has a
woolen mill, an excellent free stone
water supply that comes from the
mountains by gravity with 250 foot
fall, graded public school, churches
OF all denominations, an electric plant,
} and telephone system that reaches
out TO nearly every section Of the Val
ley of Virginia and to most Of the
mountain towns il this section of the
State. 1t is under the energetic and
competent management of Mr.. John
A. Sproul, an Augusta man, who To-
Gated here but few years since. He
is the pioneer in telephone service
here and has been in charge of the
company's interests since its organi-
zation.
Another valued institution here is
the big hotel, without mention OF
which, any resume OF the town would
be incomplete, for to it is due much of
the favorable impression Clifton Forge
has made on it's many visitors and
prospective home seekers. A town is
more often sized up by its hotel accom-
dations, or lack of them, chan from
any other one thing; so the railroad
people have seen to it that in this re-
spect the town shall be properly esti-
mated. The train stops right in front
of the building, for it serves the dou-
BILE purpose of hotel and depot. On
| the first floor is the ticket office, wait
ing rooms, restaurant, baggage room
and express Office. A broad stairway
leads to the hotel proper. where are the
Office, parlors, reading room, dining
room and guest chambers Gladys
Inn it is called, and though an Inn in
name is every whit a large and elegant
hotel of Go rooms with accommoda-
tions for 125 guests. On several occa-
siOns have been guest here and
have always found the table service
elegant, the walters polite and atten
tive, the rooms models of neatness and
comfort, and the entire building
scrupulously clean. This efficient
management is in the hands of Mr.. J.
H. Callahan, of New YORK, assisted by
Messrs. F. N. Schermerhom. If Mich
igan, and ]. A. Burgess, Jr., of Char
lottesville. the obliging and courteous
clerks. The latter gentleman, with his
father, were the lessees of Hotel
| Brunswick, at Waynesboro, last sum-
mer, and won for that resort quite an
enviabIe reputation.
RETROSPECTIVE.
Last night as l stood on the hotel
portico and looked out over the maze
of yard track, the many flashing
lights, the hundreds of shifting cars
and the sharp exhaust OF Il dozen loco
motives, could but indulge in a few
retrospective thoughts, what the town |
was and is, and that within the mem
DRY of young person. When l first
knew Clifton Forge in the latter sew
enties it was called Williamsons, a |
quiet mountain hamlet with scarce an |
event 10 break the mOnOtony save the |
arrival and departure of the few trains
which no W and then took on or let off |
a passenger. There were.a few scat
tered houses, a couple of small stores,
a post office and depot. The place was
hardly known beyond the bounds of |
Allegheny county. On THE SPECTA-
TORS list of subscribers here there
was preacher and doctor, and for
all the Office boys knew that was about |
the size of Williamsons. There was |
no through travel in those days and
passengers for points west of Hunt
ington transferred at that place to the
Ohio river boats. 1t was three days |
journey to Cincinnati. But bye and |
bye the G. & o. brought their round !
house and shops here, the R. s. A. road |
ran through the gap and made this
it's terminus. From that time the |
growth of the place has been steady
and rapid, until we have the Clifton
Forge of today. Who knows but that
the next two decades may make an
other Transformation as great.
sTAUNTON's PART.
As our readers may imagine Staun-
ton men and means have had their
part in this great development. L do
not over state it when cay there are
800 people here from Staunton and
Augusta county. They have grown up
with the place. and many of them are
| prominent in every walk of life. I
find them occupying positions of trust
and honor in business, in the municipal
Offices and in the churches. Capt. John
| Donovan is manager for the Clifton
Forge Grocery Co., wholesale house
enjoying large trade; one. of his trav-
cling statesmen is Mr.. G. u. Nimmo;
DIR. A. w. Woodward, a physician of
large practice; John Woodward, train
dispatcher; A. S. Fitch, dispatcher in
same Office; W. E. Trout and E. w.
Shelton, large dry goods and notion
heuse; W. M. Smith, proprietor of the
Racket Store; ]. 4. Hidy & Son. staple
and fancy groceries; P. D. Hidy. in
charge, of Craigsville; w. II. Davis,
town sergeant; M. A. Layton. foreman
; at round house; R. II. Davis, consta-
BILE; w. E. Yeager, baker: J. w.
Smith, conductor; J. R. Payne, pas
!, senger engineer; W. 5. Cochran, on
, police force; E. A. Dudley, commits
aioner of the revenue; L. F. Alley, J.
N. Sheets, John s. Woodward, Il. M.
Moseley. Ro. B. Paxton, G. E. Glass
l and W. F. Snapp, engineers; George
Baker and R. g. Gorman, machinists;
7. A, Plumb, butcher; L. Nj. REYNOLDS,