The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-16
SOUTHERN PROGRESS
ALABAMA AND WEST VIRGINIA
 RUNNING RACE.
In Mining Activity and the Exte.a- sion of Railroads They Lead the Nation-Review by The
 Manufacturers Recori.

Baltimore, May l5.-(Special.) )-Activity in railroad extension and in coal mining at present is probably greater In West Virginia than in any other State in the Union, unless Alabama is able to match it.
 West Virginia is already mining two thirds as much bituminous coal as the United States mined in 1880. New roads to open up coal and timber lands, large deals in coal properties, and dozens of new mines being developed is the story from both States West Virginia's activ- ity Is indicated in the fact that one firm has within the last few years sold an aggregate of over 250,000 acres of coal land involving about s3.5o0.OOO. and is just now closing another deal involving 5000 acres of land and the building of a forty-three mile road to open 1t up. the money for the land and for the road having already been paid in.
 the Gauley river region, and is building seven mile railroad. Boston capitalists owning 1730O0 acres of coal land in Fay ette and Greenbrier counties have recently bought out the minority interests in or der to put the property in shape for large development operations. They are ncgo- tiating for the building of a railroad through this property to the Chesapeake and Ohio. This line will open up several hundred thousand acres of virgin coal and timber land estimated to contain 5O0. 900 tons or more of workable coal. Referring to this undertaking, MT. Harry Frazier. formerly chief engineer of the Chesapeake and ohio RaiWay long identified with writes The Manufacturers Record as fol- lows:
 For many years after the Chesapeake and Ohio was built down New river all of the coal mines In the territory were located on the east or north side of the river: hence by this time in most of the mines the coal has been cut for long distance back. and underground haulage has become expensive. In 1890 the Chesa- . peake and Ohio began the construction of a parallel line on the south or west side of the river, which has been extended from time to time until 1t Is now com plete from the mouth of Loup Creek at Thurmond tv the Hawks Nest bridge. where the main line crosses the New riv- CT to the south side. Many miles have been opened along this line, and several lateral lines have been built up the side streams that flow into the New river from the south side; in fact. almost all of the developments that have been made in the last few years in this field have been made on the south or west side of the New river. The time has now come for developing that extensively rich territory lying east of the New river. and 1t seems singular that this superior field. being nearest to the market, as it Is, was not opened first. The Meadow river. a tribu-
  gether with the New river, forms the Kanawha-flows parallel to the New river, and about thirty miles east of 1t, entire ly through this coal field south of Gau- ley, and those same seams of coal that have made the New river famous extend through to an outcrop along Meadow river. No developments have been made on this stream, because there have been no railway facilities for taking out the coal.
 Since the coal on the Meadow river, like that on the New river. would almost all go east, the natural and quick devel- ment would be bv a railway entering this new field from the East. These meadow river lands and vast tracts lying to the east are underlaid with the New river coals, and most of the surface is heavily timbered by virgin forest. The necessity for railway to develop these tracts Is apparent, and. since most of the coals and practically all of the lumber will go East 1t is now proposed to build rail- way from Ronceverte. on the Chesapeake and Ohio. and at the foot of Allegheny mountain. across the high bluegrass pat- eau of Greenbrier County to the head of Meadow river. and thence down the same to Rupert, thirty-five miles distant from Ronceverte. This line fs to be extended ultimately to a western connection with
 the Gauley branch of the Chesapeake and Ohio which was constructed in 1S9o up the Gauley river as far the mouth of twen- | ty-miie creek. Efforts are being made at l this time To arrange TOT the early con struction of forty miles of the road. which | would develop immediately about 100000 acres of coal and timber land.' It is also announced that ex-Senator | Henry c. Davis is devoting much of his | time to the construction of the Coal and Coke Railway from the Roaring Creek
 district near Elkins southward to june | tion with the Charleston. Clendenin and | sutton Railroad. which is extending
 northward, and that when this Is com l pleted he will have through line of | about 200 miles from the vicinity of FL l kins to Charleston running. most of the distance through coal land. Plans are
 making for the charterinG of railroad to be built from Demopolis. Ala. and Pen sacola, Fla. the primary object being U build between Demopolis and Linden. a distance of sixteen miles.
 Another road to extend 300 miles Is planned to extend from Poplar Bluffs, Mo, to Fayetteville. Ark. and to be op- | erated by electricity.