Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1903-11-20
A. Chapter Of Development
and Vast Enterprises.

and Vast Enterprises.
Town Building and Money Making Along a
New Railway Llne..-Mhat Two Men Of
Money have done and are doing.--Ele.
CANT and Handsome Homes, Etc.
(Staff Correspondence of the Spectator.)
A journey over the new Coal and
Iron road between Durbin and Elkins
in West Virginia ia, TO any lover Of the
beautiful in nature. most enjoyable. es-
peciaIly 80 at that season of the year,
when mountain and valley are glo owing
in richest autumn tints. From scenic
point of view there is boundless var
iety, and every prospect pleases. Ini's
short course OF forty seven miles, the
road climbs two mountain ranges and
taverses three valleys-the whole face
of the county grown close with wild
erness OF the finest timber. One of
these valleys is the famous Cheat,
where the railway follows the river of
that name in its tOrtuous and precipit
GUS course between steep mountain
ranges that crowd in upoa the narrow
valley. From the mouth of the tun-
mel, high on the mountain side, the
rail way in it's effort to reach lower
levels exhibits engineering skill of the
highest order. especially in the great
loup, that is said to be equal to the
famous Horse Shoe" bend near Ashe-
vile, N. g. At points the track dou-
bles back SO closely that stone may
be tossed from one to the other far blow.
Along the more lofty turns of the road,
the sweep of scenery is, in its wild
grandure, compared to that of Swltzer-
land. From mountain to valley and
from valley to mountain again as far as
the eye can reach is seen an unbrok-
en- expanse of forest in its primeval
existence. When I viewed this land
scape it was brilliant in the richest fall
tints and colorings-a sea of soft wav-
ing tops. in red and yellow and brown
and amid it the most vivid silver green
"a vast. many colored bouquet, the
beauty of which I have never seen
equaled. So much for the aesthetic.
From a business point of view tho
great forest represents vast unde-
veloped wealth in lumber, district
into which large capital and hundreds
of woodmen are hurrying.
DEVELOPMENT WITH A RUSH.
Just fifteen weeks ago the road
was completed and the first train
passed over it's track on schedule
time. Since then develop
ment has begun that is exceeding any
thing in the history of West Virginia
numbering. Nearly dozen towns are
locating along the route, six OF which
bid fair to become considerable settle.
ments. These are Burner, Oxley
Gladly, Fishing Hawk. Pond Lick and
Faulkner, where capital is establishing
large enterprises. Throughout the ter
ritory tributary to the railroad, camps
and settlements are going up as fast
as the axe and saw can make ready fol
them. From Durbin, the first sixteen
miles out, the road plunges through q
wilderness dark with finely grown
Hemlock, while on higher levels in the
same district is the best of Spruce
Near Oxley is found some of the finest
cherry in that portion of West Virgin
ia Beyond this are extensive Arrears
Of oak, with liberal admixture of Ash
Birch, Maple, etc. In Cheat valley
the conditions of Hemlock and Spruce
are again encountered, which finds are
largest in the mountain holloWs that
run back from the river. Prospectors
have also come upon a vein of good
steaming and coking coal of the New
River series in workable seams, which
is of undoubted value. Through the tun'
mel OF Cheat mountain the train
PUSHES down the head Of Tygart's Val
ley near which is located the little city
of Elkins. Here found myself within the
domain of the Davis-Elkins interests,
whose "Sphere of Influence" embrac
es a large section of the state extending
through it from North East to South
West. Throughout that section the
allied interests have built railroads,
established towns, financed nam
moth coal operations, endowed
public charities and in many ways
assisted in the material building
of country vast in resource aud ma
tnral wealth. Few States of the South
have such public spirited citizens, such
intrepid promoters of vast enterprises
as has West Virginia in Ex-senator
Henry G.. Davis and his son-in-law,
Senator Steven B. Elklns. They are
to their State what Henry M. Flagler
is to Florida. The enterprises of their
promotion are everywhere in evidence.
When 1 admired the city park at Elkins
they told me it was Mr.. Davis gift,
when 1 passed the beautiful Presby-