The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1905-09-22

1f his line TO attract the attention
Of the world 70 his coal, and, being
satisfied to let go and let some
body else do ii, he h not kicking.
The man who is most saddened is The
man whose attention was called 10
opportunities here five years ago,
and whose imagination could not
clear the way to now. The tide has
risen and passed him.
Three years ago attention was call
sd in the Courier-Journal 10 the ex-
traordinary operations in undevel-
oped coal in the mountain counties
about here. In a series OF articles
the coal fields were described, and
the measurements. quality and ana
lysis of the coal of each seam given.
at that time it was shown how much
Of the land was held by options in
the hands of weak parties. and that
while prices had risen above the op-
tion price, much land was still un-
taken, and exchange values of larga
acreage were low. 1t was predicted
in one OF these articles that lands
in the wilderness hereabouts would
advance mors in value with the years
than city real estate. How true thai
was is now seen Out side OF the
ElkhOrn district s. was fancy
price for coal acreage thrse years
ago. Much of the Elkhorn oeal was
taken after that time as low as So
an acre 1t is since then that much
: of the best coal in Knott county
! has besn bought 1t Is since then
: that the major part of the coal
: lands Of Perry and Leslie counties
4 have been taken, first buyers get
e ting acreage as low as 81 from op-
: ton holders, and large acreages wert
|, obtained from owners a 50 an acre
ie Very little Of it sold above S in tbs
Il beginning of the movement.
i Even at that late day the compel
5. ition that started values up was no
in substantial one Many mounril
L men started out taking options with
u out definite purpose. some Of ther
n without knowing why they were de
Ii ing it. Somehow. they though
is there was 10; Of MONEY in it be
y cause they saw some goodm en- :
n their procession
ne The late Vincent Boreing was on
n II the very few Kentucky men VIII
Il Jumped in before things got VAR
'S md got a boundary Of 25,ce0 acre
al IN Black Mountain. Harlan county
Is. Il had much difficulty in cOnvinc
de ng some rich Washington and Ne'
ns York men that it was gaod invest
id nsnt. When large investors begal
n rsully wake up thres years agC
in Mr.. BOreing and has associates sol
4 10 the Deering Harvester people o
h --.cago one-third Of their possession
oi tor more than they had pad for all
ihe Deering Harvester people 20
se lOO OCo or I5.O0e acres more afteEwar'
in from small spectators at an aver
NJ ,rage of from sls 10 SIS an acre
II which was looked upon then as fab
At ulous It does not seem So big now
N In the retrospect OF oAly a fev
" years the number Of men who count
ls I'd ahead what is kaown to-day d
y not seem to have been many. Thous
o ands were called and only
n few came in.
Of Il Is a question now how many cal
81 see what the future viii bring t.
In this back mounsaln country. \ fey
ys there are who can look forward tel
L years and see within that time, per
rs haps sooner. population In tn
z mountains eQualiug that @
the bluegrass commercial product
& oi tho mountains exccedlnI
~ In vaAe thosc Of the RlaegNss. an
Nd clties In the mountains eunllng q,
~ le Of tho nlnegvass Therein ma
" HE rsva,cs opportunities In IN
4 mountains than those that have gonr
y IIoward Flauawn.