The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-07-19
.ROAA0KEE''ss TIDE
o. d. F|P||;.R|:|I0||s| 5
The People Will Not Allow
Ito Be Called .
a Boom
STEEL AND STONE AND BRICK
Give Solidity and Remove all
Doubt Of Mushroom
Growth.

them have denied the accusation with
promptness and energy when haye
made It. Odor citizens recall tho days
OF ton or fifteen years ago, when Blooms
were Of frequent occurrence III Roanoke.
a new reason for the continued, normal,
healthy growth OF the town would be
exaggerated by spectators, values would
jump skyward over night. and for O few
weeks or months the real estate market
would be at q dizzy height Then would
como the slumps-"the cold, gray dawn
Of the morning AFTER And the last es-
tate OF that town would be similar to
that OF the certain young man Of the
biblical story who essayed TO change
his mode Of living.
SO r will not say Roanoke is booming
I do say that IL Ia prospecting beyond
what 1t has done In years. 1t would be
hard to flnd city OF thirty thousand
people In tho South or In the country
Z for that matter, which shows evidence
OF greater business activity, energy, on.
terprise and progress. Ten years ago,
evcn5ave years ago. there was about the
city an evidence OF newness which In
variably suggests Enthusiastically. or, at
least, doubts as to the future. To-day
1t Is different. The town is beginning TO
look old. Steel and stone and brick have
been used In the erection OF many tinc
business buildings. which one never as
socIates with the Idea OF a new town. II
The buildings In progress Is the lrst
evidence Of the growth OF Roa noke that
impress itself on the visitor. There Is
scarcely block In the business section
OF the city In which some large structure
Is not In course Of erection. A leading
firm of merchants has just awarded the
contract for the erection OF an enormous
building, which It win occupy when COM
6pleted The contemplated cost OF the
building is not stated. The lot on which
It will stand was purchased alta, cost
E OF $4,000 That fact would indicate that
& tho building Is to be a costly one. It
also evidences tho fine prices at which
Roanoke real estate is selling. Such
price would not be a bad one for blsl-
ness lot in a much larger city,
Many New Buildings.
# city Engineer W1ngate informs me that
there were Issued last year permits for
the erection OF 4ls dwelling houses. cost
Ing $4,000. and IS business houses, cost
Ing s257, 600 Over 10000 worth OF new
buildings In a single year seems pretty
good for a. city OF Roanoke's size. but
4 was informed that the permits for
buildings granted this year passed the.
total value for last year some time N
April. It must not be overlooked that
the Norfolk and Western Railway Com q
pany expended at Roanoke last year over
100000 in new buildings and improve
ments or various kinds. including 70
ceiving yard 5000 feet long at West Roa-
noke. costing $4,000: Improvement OF
yards at West Roanoke round-house,
5000 a new round house. costing go
OtO. and various other work Tho eye
OF the visitor is attracted Mt once by the
handsome railway station, barely COM
lplcted
Roanoke is a Norfolk & Western town
in every sense OF the word. The rail-
road has been the chief faction IN the
5deye,onment OF this flourishlng manu-
featuring city from the little village o.
B,p Lick. which was just large enough.
3tdSe Incorporated In 1874, Old Lick was
4 Stage station on the Lynchburg ana
salem Turnpike In stnge-coach days: IN
1870 the town contained only mlli.
stage station. three churches. probably
three stores, and fifteen dwellings. me
old Virginia & Tennessee Railroad ~
1852 established a station three quarters
OF mile from Gainsboroush, "n, , "aa
frequently known as OLD LICK. ne ne"
station was called Big LICK.
Thn Virginia and Tennessee became the
Atlantic, mississippi and Ohio and there
were still no signs OF city nj BIC LICK:
TIC road then became the Norfolk and
Western. Tho policy Of the company 70
build up the country through wnich ~
passes was manifested at that early
date. Big Lick begun to thrive. But
town, handicapped by such name. could
never become a big city, 80 the citizens
hestIrred themselves in 1882, and pro-
cured the passage Of bill by the GEN
eral Assembly, changing Big Lick 70
Roanoke.
The Boom Days.
About five months later the Shenandoah
Valley Railroad. running from Hagers-
town to Roanoke. was completed Then
the town began to boom. The citizens
were proud to apply the term then, In
two years 1t had the necessary 5000 IN
habitants, and city charter was granted
II January 81, 1884. The Norfolk and
Western had established large machine
works and repair shops there In 1852,
Ihis attracted hundreds Of mechanics
and their families, The great influx
of artisans attracted merchants. The
demand for houses was very greatly IN
excess Of the supply. In several instances
people tlwelt in tents while their houses
were building, They were afraid to de-
lay coming. Golden opportunities were
Shipping by every day. The real estate
speculator arrived at an early date, The
most numerous class of buildings were
the Offices OF these land speculatoFs
most frequently little one-story affairs,
each with a sign which covered the entire
front. The enormous prices at when
Roanoke realty was selling speedllyi pc,
came the talk Of dealers all oyer the
country. It was. at about this time tnat
birmingham and. Sheffield and Florence
were beginning to grow. ana the four
towns did grow faster for while man
any in the United states,
OF course, there was 9 reaction; Inoss
who we're pesaimistically inclined, feared
tho effort to make Roanoke city nag
failed for good. But while there nag
been great Initiation Of values anq
rank mushroom growth. great number
Of solid enterprises had been located y
ons had ssan ,ts nyesfeee on aaa
e eaim.H, tI Roanoke continued 10 Thrive,
uus Blooms" were Of frequent occur
renee UP to about the time t ne :, t9w "
=, r,,, ninatiass Roanoke did not pOOIIl