Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1901-04-05
Extension Of the G. & W. into
North River Gap.

ut looks now as II the long con-
templated Railway west from
Bridgewater into Highland and on
TO West Virginia might be built.
For. sometime there has beer a
gradual "A, quisition IF land ii North
River Gap and Driery Branch by
northern parties. More recently
there has been an effort to open up
Dora Coal mines
1t has been thought that the
company buying these North Riy-
er lands would extend the road
simply to reach them. This how
ever. seems now to be i'll founded.
The scheme is broader. The road
if built at all We learn, will go into
Highland. Va, Pendleton and ~
cahontas eounties.~W. w. ana INTO
the West Virginia coal and timbe,
fields. The present intention seems
to b. Judging from the course of
the surveys, to run down toward
Franklin in PendletOn county.
thence up Strait Greek through
Crabbottom and over at the Frost
Gap into Pocahontas. 1t is UNI
fortunate that Monterey, the coun-
ty seat of Highland will be sd.
but the parties connected with the
Railway to whom we have talked
say that Highladd county is so
much opposed to the building OF a
railroad through it, that if it is not
absolutely essential that the road
90 that way. that the big land
damages of Highland could be
avoided by not touching the conn-
tv at all. Pendleton has been lib
eral and it's public men have been
Offering various inducements to the
road.
The line beyond Bridgewater in
to North River Gap has been loca.
ted and let for IA miles. MeSsrs.
Carpenter / Wright, of Covington,
Va. are the contractors. and we are
informed bv Mr.. E. W. Jackson,
tn, Chief Engineer in charge Of
the construction, that work will
begin at once. MIR. Friend }. HAYS
Of Brjdyewater. and able and ex-
perienced contractor has the con
tract for piling and ties as well as
the lumb for depots &c.
The road leaves Bridgewater to
the left passing out to North River
thence around the western base of
A large hin just back of the town
up North River to Messy Creek, up
MESSY Greek to Mt. Scion, thence
right through Mt. Scion close to
the North River county road by
the old Samuel Dinkel farm around
Inv castle Hill and up North River
into the Gap. The grades are
said to be light, the work easy and
the line very satisfactory one.
There has we learn been but little
liberaIitv shown by many persons
whose properties will be greatly
benefited along Messy creek by
this line, and heavy damages are
asked. Others however, have been
liberal and given the road every en-
enlargement. Should there be any
DELAY in tie building or the line
changed we learn that the heavy
land damages will be the cansc OF
it. Lands not saleable at S2o.OC
per acre have suddenly jumped to
$500 and $500 per acre when the
compan, wished to buy right OF
way. Of course this is ridiculous
North River cobble' stones have al
SO Jumped up in value. The blue
thistle and sand over there have IN
creased from 81 80 per acre, the as
sessed value, to 800 per acre for
right of wav. A less costly line
can be built by following North
River from Bridgewater up leaving
Mossy Creek out in the cold. Ii
would be sad blow if 1t should be
adopted. 1t is said that Staunton'>
treatment of the Shenandoah Val
lev R. h. drove that road away
from our city and that Waynesborc
might have had it in her limits had
she not actually discouraged it by
the pnormity Of the damages asked
Those persons therefore who think
that railways can only pass throngf
their lands and who wait to sell
few acres for more than the farm
was originally worth wake W
sometimes to find themselves mis-
taken. II seems remarkable that
Highland should not make some
effort to haye the road by the coup
tv seat. Highland has it is true
had a sad lesson. but there may b'
a hope of retrieving her lost for,
tunes here. Certainly she has not
gotten t, that state Ct moss
backism where present conditions
are good enough.
The most serious feature of al
thisis the sad predicament of 5 taun
tom. The trade she has so Ions tx
clnsivplv enjoyed with Hi gillian
will be cut of and to say that tn
loss will not be felt is to say wha
is bv no means true. Could no
Stannton tap this Railway by
f,olisV line or a good TURNPIKE