The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1905-08-31
Road Will Tap Coal Fields Of
West Virginia Passing
Through Roanoke.
Roanoke WILDE Largest City on Line
rldsxater and Ds,pxstsr Omeials
Hare hot Called Oh Public 10
Contribute a Cent--ROad
TO Cost $4,000 900.

-nle scope Of vbat is kuovn as the Dee,-
Na'er-Iide~ster systems Of rauwAys. de-
s'ined TO connect the Great Lake. andthe
virginia ssabosrd BY way OF the coal re-
g'ons Of West Virgins, ia made in this
seeks issue IKE Manufacturer Record
"a special corrssp0ndsnee from Charles
ton' W Va. Significant facts about the
undertaking sre that il ia being built tor
80 entire length of about 5uu miles. With
total lift Of 1000 feet and mstimu-.
ruling gradient Of trenty-6ve feet. in the
pr@ary purpose Of bringing vast coal
helds into touch sith ocean tr.nsport.-
uon' that though costing something Ike
sSJ 200 .OoO' not single security has been
offered 10 the public, and that its con-
ftruetion and operation NAV possibl, he
an Important phase 10 railroad msnsuver-
ings affecting sidely separated points OF
the country. On these points the CORES
Pondenoe says:
No'hing ever undertaken 10 the wsv
Of railroad construction is more novel or
unique in its methods aud in lis history.
OF more loaded -'th possible effect. on
tue development OF section. than 10 the
Dscpw system OF ran~a,s.
nos practically andsr contract bet~een
the town OF Deep~Eter, " N.. aud the
udevater Of Hampton Roads Wa dis.
tancs OF 500 miles. Prom soms-h.re
along the lins an oashoo. will ultimatel,
appear, headed FOR some point ON one Of
the Great Lakes OF tae Nofth Wherever
it may land. the total length OF the main
line can hardly exceed .O00 miles. Ii
Lake Erie is selected. il will be much less
than ! 900 miles, all told But thst short
trunk line ~ill 60 through the heart Of
the best cosiug aud steam coal felds oil
west Nirginta--a deid nowhere surpassed
in richness on the globs-and il will he
built to such grade aud provided With
such equipment a. will enable IL 10 haul
coal 20 either lake or ude~atsr It
cheaper rate than "a rossihls ~ aLy 81
istins line
Thea the enterprise i- novel and unique
iu that Tor the frst time in this country.
At least, it 10 being built as whole from
the starting point 60 destinatiou, without
snv reference to tue local business OF iu
terror points. This 10 the frst tiderater
road - he built from the vsst to the east.
and IL is the drst truuk line to be con.
ttruetsd with cash in hand, without one
dellar's worth Of stock or bonds ever hsy-
ing been ohered to the public Il ~il be !
the 6rst realization OF a. old. old dream
isr railroad through the West Virginia /
coal delds from the lakes 20 the sea. and
it will be along the only possible route
left unoccupied. When il 10 built il viii I
will stand forth Niuerya-nke, complete l
aud perfect, there will not be dollars !
worth OF equipment that will not repre- !
sent the very highest standard. kRo~n to |
the railroad world today
1T is the expectation that entirely ue~ /
markets will be opened by the pew road I
No~ York is At present almost clSnorinc /
for the smoksiess Goals Of the New River /
Poc4hontAs fields, and vet it ia practically /
impossible for those eOals to get into Ne~ /
York in any considerable lots Ne~ York I
takes for consumption and distribution /
about II, ,O0O, 900 tons Of steam coal in = /
year. New England, which takes about 1
5.OOO 900 tons Of smokelrss bitumiuuus Z
coal in year is the principsl market tor
the Goals delivered at tidsvater by tue
Cbesapeske and Ohio aud the Norfolk and /
Western roads. The Deepwater-T Tidewa ater
system proposes TO get into New York,
and Wni make 10 fght for the New
England trade. At SssAns Point, on
Hampton Roads, the railroad owns $40
acres of land, ~ith 1900 feet OF deep
water front. Ii wih have thiriy-six feet
water at the head Of its piers, aud it il
declared that in completeness, convent
snee, aud the use Of the latest devices aaa
the most modsrR machinery, NO terminals
III the world vii surpsss them.
The work under CONSTRUCTION will cost
AbO1t s36, 900, 900. With the line 10 the
lakes the entire enterprise. including
everything except rolling stock aud the
lake terminals. will cost some Sc, 900 zoe.
And yet tue comp.Hies doing this saor-
nous wor1 are capitalized at only sI75,-
900, and have paid every bill without ask
ing the public for one dollar"
Bearing upon the possibilities the rOsd
furnishes for = eonsammsti0a Of Goaid
plans la West Virginia, the correspond
ence says:
just nov there is much public com
ment as to the significance OF the presence
in West Virgihia OF Mr.. J. n. Shoon-
maker. president Of The Pittsburg aud
Lake Erie Railroad. and a maa esos 10
eosnssls Of the vsndsreiits. IL - even
Csniiaa~H on psge =.