Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1903-12-18
TWO GROWING TOWNS.
Side bv Side, Each Spurs on the other.
What they have done and are doing
The Unchecked Impetus Of Steady
Growth. Etc,

(staff Correspondence of the Spectator.)
The traveller who stops at Clifton
Forge is sure to be favorably Impress
ed, not only with the busy surround
ings first encountered about the depot,
but by the town propers as be becomes
better acquainted with the locality.
II he is an admirer of the beauty in
nature, the eternal mountains that lift
their huge shoulders in a circle about
the place, and the winding river that
skirts the town and escapes the noun
tain confines through picturesque
water gap. all appeal to the finer in
stincts-if he is fond of the hurry and
hustle of life. the noisy clang and
clash of commercial traffic, it is to be
found in the great busy railway yards,
where scores of heavy trains are daily
made up and where the crews from
three divisions are constantly moving
on and off duty.
Contemplating this scene Of mingled
interest from the elevated portico at
Gladys Inn it was natural to indulge
in the retrospective-thoughts that
carry to the days when Clifton Forge
had no existence, time within the
easy memory of younger generation
Then the locomotive stopped down
the river at water tank underneath
which was kept small grocery store.
and opposite which was the old Viii
Hanson house. This was all there was
of the Clifton Forge of today. Then
1t was called Williamson, and was the
western terminus of the q. & o. In
those days the railroad tracks were
laid to the banks of jackson Rlver at
what is now West Clifton. but did not
CROSS the stream. Here connection
was made with the stage line for
White Sulphur and the west, and pas
sengers for Botetourt and Craig coun
ties, drove over the mountains in pri-
vate vehicles.
But day came when the railway
was extended west and following this
Improvement came the. building of the
Richmond and Allegheny railway and
the establishment of the G. q 0. round
house and shops, then came into exis-
tence the town of Clifton Forge, a
community that has taken on a con-
dition of steady growth and progress
from the start, maintaining it's advan-
tages and adding some improvement
even in the depressing years following
the collapse of the Virginia boom.
Today the community composes two
distinct corporate towns-CIifton
Forge and West Clifton Forge. Both
are progressive and growing more
rapidly now than at any previous Pc
Rod of their exlstnece. Within the
year both places have completed extern
sive public improvements. West Cliff
ton has laid many blocks of grauolith-
ic paving, while an improvement com
pany has constructed twenty five new
houses and q store room. With the
coming of spring weather thirty Eve
more houses are to be built. ALI are
modern in design and appointment,
and are provided with best sanitary
plumbing. Some rent as high as $17
per month, and all are readily taken
by families that seem ever on the alert
for houses. The company doing this
work is known as the Allegheny Con.
struction Co., with a capital of $780,
900, and differed by W. e. Mathews
as president, and Z. P. Nair. secretary
and treasurer.
The G. & O. is just completing ad-
ditions to their machine shops and
blacksmith shops, which, when mann.
ed with machinery now being placed,
will round up an expenditure of $780,
900. These last improvements are of
the most substantial character and it
is said will make the shops of West
Clifton the most complete and the best
EQUIPPED of any along the entire line
of the G. & o. road.
In Clifton Forge proper extensive
and recent improvements are every