The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-09-27
Talk of an Electric Line, but
There Are Those Who Object
.DON'TLIKE STEM WHISTLES
Lamplghter Who Resigned Because
Lights Must Be Kept Up After Ten
Stories OF General Ammon, Who
was a Native.

in one respect at least-lt Is slow and
ont of the line of progress and doesn't
mind. A man can live here week. and
Mt the end of the time persuade himself
that there Is no big world where work
claims every waking hour. and those
suent in bed are filed with dreams OF
work is done and to do.
Fincastle is six miles from the near
est railroad station, and doesn't nihu.
,rnat is. some OF the people say they
do not want a railroad. In the imme-
diato Vicinity are two roadbeds more
than half completed. No work has been
done on either for years, and It Is pretty
certain that none will ever be done on
one Of them. One OF these Is the Old
Valley Road. which was to extend from
Harpers Ferry to Salem. 1t stopped
at Lexington. The other Is an electric
line TO Cloverdale, ten miles off
This proposed electric line Is ready for
ties and rails. It has been ready for
several years. Tho road was projected
In the boom days in the early ninetles.
The work was advanced as far as track
laying, when the money gave out, and
the graded right of way has remained
as a reminder of the days when every
Virginia farmer was in danger of having
his cornfield laid off into twon lots,
AN ELECTRIC LINE.
Recently there has been q revival Of
talk Of completing the road. 1t Is un-
derstood that new company has Sc
cured the right Of the old and contem-
plates finishing the work begun ten years
ago. The town Of Fincastlee voted 5000
to the capital stock before the road was
begun, and it Is said that II the town
will give the new company the stock
held by the municipality the completion
Of the road Is assured.
But there is strong objection to hay
ing the road built. Some Of the ner-
chants of Fincaste say 1t will mean the
Death OF the trade OF the town. as the
citizens of F'incastle and the country
through which the road will run do all
their buying in Roanoke Instead of at
home.
There is a part In the town also which
objects to having railroad. because 1t
will destroy the quiet of the town-its
chief charm, many of the older citizens
are proud. Representatives of this class
recently endeavored to have the Town
Council prohibit the blowing of the whis-
tie at canning factory In the town. on
the ground that it broke the early morn
ing rest of the inhabitants. The Council
determined not to undertake such leg
islation.
Tho advocates OF the railroad think
that with an electrict line to Cloverdale
many people would reside here and do
business In Roanoke. eighteen miles dis
tant. The town has wide reputation
as health resort, and would be an at
tractiye place of residence for the city
man. Taxable values would greatly In
crease, and electric lights and water
works would probably be possible. 1t is
also argued. with show of truth. that
tho trade of local merchants would In
crease with increase of population. even
If the city of Roanoke were brought In
easier reach. Accessibility to market
with an electric line practically to Roa-
ncke seems to be an advantage over
locked by the merchants
RAILROAD NEEDED.
Fincastle needs q railroad. 1t is about
six miles to Troutville. on the Norfolk
and Western, and eight miles or more
to Springwood, on the Chesapeake and
Ohio. All freight to and from the town
has to be hauled in wagons A great
many summer visitors from Eastern Vr-
ginia and the far South are entertained
al tho three hotels here every season.
The quetude Of the place, and not its
inaccessibility. Is the attraction, a drive
of six or eight miles through mud as
many inches deep is not pleasant to a
man used to- granoithic sidewalks and
street cars.
I have not seen such heavy apple crop
In any county in Virginia this year as
! saw In Botetourt as l drove over from
Troutville the other day. Tho crop out
In the Amsterdam section of the county
is said to be even heavier. Yet the
prices the farmer will receive will be
reduced by just SO much as 1t costs to
get the apples to market. A railroad
penetrating that section should be thing
Il f1x, ic1, fn, I,,,tI
and farmers.
! shall watch with deep interest to see
the outcome of the fight which some of
the people of F1ncastle will make to get
railroad It Will probably be a long
fight, but may be successful one.
The man who spends few days In Fla
castle at this season has feeling that
Is distinctly last rose of summersh. He
meets only inhabitants. with an occa-
sional drummer thrown in. Tho visitors
from Eastern Virginia have flown. The
three hotels are deserted, save for
few habitues Of all the year round. The
town is back IN the old and we'll worn
ruts of long years, waiting for tho fair.
.a BOTETOURT FAIR,
For Fincastle still has fair, one Of those
old-fashloned county fairs, which In other
days We're the glory Of agricultural Vlr-
ginia. exhibitions where premiums were
UllS!cu W. SNSiStNiilS Will WHICH tHb IdT-
mer and county housewife has to do from
shorthorn bulls to pickles and fancy
work, i have just been reading the pro-
MUM list of the fair Fncastle is to have
October 6th-9th and I find that old tradl-
lions are still adhered to most closely
The premiums will make the farmers and
their folk long to excel, And then there
are to be races. some In which all but
gotetourt horses are to be barred, some
open to all, Merchants at homo and
from neighboring cities offer many of tho
prizes. though tho association and citi-
Gems Of the county will donate many of
them.
For Instance, c, B. Brecknridge
of the Herald. offers prize OF So for the
best bale of timothy hay; Colonel
Cary Breckenridge is interested in
spring oats and offers to give
$3.50 to the farmer who exhibits
the best half-bushel; w. r. Noffsnger
wants to encourage the cultivation Of
clover and will give a case OF canned
tomatoes to the farmer who brings in
the finest half-bushel of clover seed; ].
H. Wilkinson, of Roanoke, Will give a
cedar tub as a premium to the grower