Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1905-01-06
VALLEY OF
THE GRffNbRIfR.
Thej Progress it Has Made and Is
Making = Prosperous Towns
STOCK and Agriculture, etc., etc.


i STOCK and Agriculture, etc., etc
| tstan Correspondence of the spectator.)
| l ihave made the trip before, but each
SUCCEEDING journey there are In store
new joys and fresh pleasure. From
Ronlceverte up the Greenbrier valley to
itsrh cad near Barlow, stretches hun
dred miles of panoramic scenery the
heaut of which changes with the sea-
sons. IN on business as l happened to
be, there lis good profit to be bad in this
new and progressive country and, if
on pleasure bent, there is the ever
changing Scenes that forest, stream
aud mountain present.
From an Industrial point of view the
Tree nbrier is\ attracting wide atten-
lion and capital is flowing there. where
those before them have found profita
| ole investment. 1t was believed when
the territory was first opened by the
c. so people that the nanufactureand
marketing of lumber, and timber pro-
iucts would he the main stay OF the
railway company, and Its principal
source of revenue. While this expecta-
ton is largely true, there are other
lines of industry that act as powerful
feeders. Where timber tracts nave
been stripped, the best of grazing LANDS
appear and realty owners are quick TO
1 ~ 1.
tie, and sheep and horses. as they Will
support. In years past, by reason OF
Door market facilities much OF the ma
| tural sod lands and agricultural lands
| we're idle or indifferentiy cropped, now
| the reverse of this is seen throughout
the entire section tributary to the rail-
way. Many stock and grain and nay
cars are daily seen in the make-ups OF
the great trains that come out from
the Greenbrier. The rapidly increas-
ing population of the district too, mas
naturally added greatly to its COM
merce, so that the up.river trains in
stead of carrying a load of "empties,
have many heavily laden cars OF mer-l
chandise for the merchants and other
dealers of the prosperous and growing
towns along the line. OF the thrifty
points that attract attention by their |
steady growth are Renick, Seebert,
Marlinton, Glover Lick, Cass and Dur |
bin. ALI of them are building sub
stantially-some of them handsomely.
Marlinton the county seat of Poca-
hontas is putting up buildings both
for residence and business purposes that
would do credit to any town. The
bank buildings of the place, the enor-
nous plant of the United States Leath
er Co., the Court house, the residence
of MI. E. NJ. Arbogast, Capt. A. e.
Smith and others. are striking instan-
ces of this.
At Marlinton, since May last. the
Campbell Lumber Co., an entirely new
enterprise, has purchased the Levi
Gay farm just on the opposite side of
of the Greenbrier from the town prop. |
er and have erected mill said to be
larger even than the great Cass mill.
has built nine miles of good, substan- |
tial railroad to the head of Williams
river, has put up standard steel bridge
of three spans across Greenbrier river,
laid out and arranged with suitable
tracks and other necessary equipment
its large lumber yard, has built town
of twenty or more houses, has several
saw mills running from which its ties,
tressel timber and building material
are gotten, has put in a system OF wa
ter pipes, and by March 1st expects to
be manufacturing lumber in real up.
to date fashion.
At Cass the town is always growing
each succeeding visit shows num-
Der of new buildings and an increased
output for the great lumber mills,
which up to now are the largest on the
Greenbrier, with the most valuable
timber holdings, especially in spruce.
In fact their spruce tract on Cheat
Mountain is considered by competent
judges to be the finest in America.
Another Improvement ia the town is
the marked change for the better in the
management of the company's hotel.
Since Mr.. J. A. Klrkptrick, a Rock
bridge, Va, man has taken charge OF
1.-THE hotel is pleasant stop over
point for the travelling public. 1t has
often been said-and truly too-that a
strangers impressions of place. are
usually formed by the hotel treatment
be receives If this be so then, Cass now
has her inning with the public and will
profit thereby.
At Durbin the town is scattered and
has too stopping places for trains over
| the g. & O. road, but it is growing
from both ends. The next whistle blow
from Durbin and but two miles distant
is the map town of Barlow, formerly
Travellers Repose. Here there is nice
depot store and several buildings.
! But Barlow has future. 1t is the
nearest point TO the H1ghland trade
and will get much of that which Dur
bin had just begun to enjoy. The loca-
ton of the place is ideal and many lots
and streets are there laid off, mostly
npou the properties of E. M. ArbOgast
and w. A. Bratton both of Marlinton
and progressive men of means. This is
the point from which 1t seems prob
able the railroad will be extended to
connect with the Dry Fork road and
thence to direct Northern outlet.
No through trains are yet run by the
G. & o. in conjunction with the Coal
& Iron road, but the connection is
good at Durbin, and much travel to
and from Grafton, Cumberland and
evan Pittsburg. is coming that way.