Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1906-08-10
In the Heart of the Goal
Fields.

IOluOs
Special Correspondence for the Spectator.
Raleigh county, w. Va, is just now
a center of great industrial develop
ment. For years State Senator John
W. McCreary worked day and night to
procure railway facilities for his cOun-
ty, and only recently succeeded. 1t is
known that the great POcahOntas and
New River coal field does not extend
over a broad area, 1t is shown by the
geological surveys to be only about
$50 miles long by an average OF 70
miles wide. In and around BeckleY.
the county seat of Raleigh county, the
seams are very persistent. but to mine
them shafts of from 400 to 500 feet
have to be driven, The coal ls, how
ever, of such high grade that almost
every foot of land has been taken up
by the large corporations. The town
of Beckley has under it coal worth
millions of dollars, but which will never
be mined in the life time of the young
est inhabitant, as no coal underlying
that town has ever been sold.
The first development of this field
was by a railway built from Prince Oh
the G. q O., up Piney-a rugged creek
pas sing near Beckley, and west into
the coal fields some miles beyond. This
road, a branch OF the q " o., has been
in operation for nearly five years, and
rapid development is going on along its
entire line. The road was very costly,
the work being heavy and the bluffs
precipitous. The grades are stiff, being
possibly over 100 feet to the mile On all
average, and in places as much as $50.
Beyond Beckley this railroad up Piney
and the DeepWater-knOwn in Virginia
as the idewater-bumped into each
other, and interesting and hard fought
legal battles have taken place. i'll which
we learn that the G. & O., which had
built tunnel, lost it; then won it
back; then finally lost it to the Deep
water. At a point near Beckley a
railway has been built by che Dixon
Coal interests. right through Beckley
into some of their coal properties, CIV
ing an easy mode of reaching the town.
The building of the Deepwater-
Tidewater acknowledgements in w.
Va, Underwater in Va.-has caused
much concern both to the g. u y. and
N & W. These two railways, which
practically became one when the Penn
sylvania gathered them in. imagined
thew had carraled the coal fields of
South western Va. and West Va. Their
lines of the Great Kanawha New Riv
er, GuyandOtte, Coal, Gauley and the
Big Sandy rivers, were such fortress
about this vast and valuable coal field
as to render it in their opinion lmpreg-
nable. While sleeping peacefully and
soundly after their hard work In build
ing their network of roads and thus
fencing in all they desired, they were
suddenly and rudely awakened by a
mysterious stranger. A corps OF engi-
neers began running line from pOlnt
on the Great Kanawha river called
Deepwater, near the mouth OF Big
This was not alarming; such q thing
had happened before. if not here, then
elsewhere within their possess ions.
After awhile work was begun of very
unpretentiOus character for 1.-The
Deepwater Ry." This would be a
feeder to the &. & D and hence Was
not inauspicious, so the q. u o. found
no fault. But who was doing this
No stock had been issued, but the bills
were promptly paid. SO heavy was
this work and SO magnificent the line
under the difficulties that the financial
standing of the builders became inter-
esting, and enquiry was instituted. 1t
was found that Mr.. VIM. N. Page, a
very unpretentious gentleman, but
very successful coal expert and opera
tor, who resides at Austed, W. Va, a
very quiet rural point, and by no
means a money center, controlled the
bank account, and that eminent law
yers were in his employ. But the trail
ran out right there, and farther on
mystery shrouded the whole affair |
This mystery has never been fully
dispelled. From this small acorn a
mighty oak has grown, and the great
octopus of the railway world has been
fully awakened.
The line now extends from Deep
water, W. Va, to Norfolk, Va. with
work going on along it's entire length.
hills are brushed away, mountains are
riven and shattered by the dynamic |
upheavals made by the hundreds of
with thousands of work
men leYeling the road way and tear
ing down distractions. Cost is absO-
lutely ignored. The Best Grade, is re.
ported to be the only order issued. |
The finest masonry, the best steel |
bridges, the finest steel rails, only first |
class ties and thorough rock ballast are
used Never since internal improve
ments began in the United States has
work been pushed more rapidly, more
or more scientifically. |
All other railways have been built by |
piecemeal; this one began with an OBJ
ject, it's line fully determined on, and |
with the means behind it to accom-
plish every end. Naturally. ordinary
increased to intense interest, |
the competitive roads. They |
are reported to have formed a secret |
service bureau, to have erected new
barriers in the enemy's way and to
have "gotten busy'' anywhere and
everywhere. But withal the new road
has pushed on almost as if nothing Op.
posed it, indeed 30 seemingly purile
and abortive have been all efforts to
stop it, that it's opponents have tried of
late to create the impression that 1--WE
want it, The Southern let it cross
it's tracks without opposition at every
point, but the Norfolk & Western did
not. It was butted out of the way like
1 small boy in front of a ram. The g.
Z o. jumped into the fray at various
points and got the worst of it. but th