The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1905-07-27
CONSTRUCTION
OF RAILROADS.
-Four Millions Being Spent on
a Road Seventy-six Miles
Long to Get Into Coal
Fields.

Baltimore, Md, July IA. Energies
centering upon railroad construction
and development of coal and timber in
Eastern Kentucky likely to have far
reaching effect upon industry in the
south and in other parts of the coun-
try, are described in special CORES
pondence by Mr.. Albert Phenis in this
weeks issue of the Manufacturers
Record. Writing from Pikeville, KY,
he says:
"By the extension of the Chesapeake
& Ohio railroad from White House to
Elkhorn City there has been opened to
development an entirely new and vast
field of tine best steam and coking coal
unsurpassed in Pennsylvania or any
where aud there has also been made
possible all the activities which usual
ly accompany railroad construction in
to country heretofore isolated and
undeyeloped, but rich in timber and
other resources. The conditions here
are of large commercial significance
and are interesting from every point of
view. With the worlds consumption
of coal so enormous to-day that even
cool headed statisticians are startled
and well-nigh bewildered by the mar
velous showing; with the United States
producing just trife under 1000, 600
tons of coal every one of the 36j days
of the year leading all the nations of
the earth in output as well as eonsump
ton of this king of power and wealth
producers; with demand increasing
by such giant leaps that an annual
production in this country of 100000,
E000 tons is an imminent possibility,
aud even 1000, 600, 600 tons a conceiva-
ble future possibility, there is evidence
everywhere Of such an awakened real
ization Of the value and importance OF
coal fields as has never been known
before in the history of the world,
In the remarkably accelerated de
velopment of the West Virginia Goa
fields there has been notable railway
construction, both of branch roads anC
new lines; here In this section there il
seen the more extraordinary spectacle
of S4, 900, 900 being spent on road bu
rs miles in length, whose construction
at this time was brought about almos
solely as ateature of the development
of coal field from which not one
pound of coal has ever yet been ship
ped. Such an expenditure would havI
been impossible few years ago; il
fact, projectors of system of which
this road would have been link spen
themselves and their substance in
vain effort to interest capital in the en-
terprise.
st is easy to believe that all tn
roads OF the south would like to get in
to the Elkhorn coal fields, and there i
plausibility in the projects announces
having that end in view. Without no1
taking up each case separately and il
detail, it may be stated as altogethe
in keeping with the logic of the situa
ton and in harmony with surface indi
cations that the syndicate which ha
, bought the Carter interests in tn
South & Western road, in operatio
between johnson City, Tenn, an
Spruce Pine, n. c., together with tn
Clinchfeld coal properties, will carr
out the Carter plans of building O
through the breaks OF the Sandy in on
direction, and in the other to conneC
tion with the Seaboard Air Line 8
some point in North Carolina. Thu
there would be secured TO the Seaboar
the great advantage of access to th
o Flkhorn coal fields and to the cities {
the north. and through connection
with the @. H. & D., Detroit, Toled
& Ironton formerly Detroit Southern
, Erie and Big Four roads a new an
most direct trunk line would be sstal
lished between Cincinnati, Chicago
Cleveland, Pittsburg and other citiC
of the middle west and the Carolina'
I Georgia aud Florida.
1.-The activities of the various inte
ests which promise at least coaslde
able construction of road to develC
/ not only the Elkhorn fields, but tho
!; of Wise, Dickinson, Buchanan al
, other counties across the borderin in vi
ginia. are significant as showing Il
wide extent of the present interest
southern coal lands.
"In connection with the tremendo
development which ascertain to spec
lily come to the valley Of the SAM
through coal and coke production
there is wealth Of timber resourc
here which is full Of promise in t
Shake Into Yonr shoes
D