The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-18
ROANOKE SMILES
SHOP PAY Day ]
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8Tl1e Splendid DISBURSEMENT Of
This Great Industry Makes the
City's Pulses Stir.
EXTENSIONS CONTEMPLATED
The Underwater Shops Are Hoped
for Rivalry Between Elcc-
trio Companies.

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(spsclal to The Times Dispatch.)
ROANOKE VA, March 17.-This has
been one OF the payday weeks OF the
city. There are three railroad pay days,
but that OF the mnchin shops. which
falls on tho 18th, Is the most important.
The payroll OF the ships runs from
$500 to $4,000. tho latter when there
Is night work and no holidays. The
retail trade OF the city lays great store
by the shop pay day, and all the stores
are kept open until 10 o'clock az night.
Business is always dull a few days be-
fore pay day, The pay day OF the Offices
Is on the lit OF the month, and Is about
go 600. which does not include the high
officers Of the road Tho pay day OF
the yard and train forces Is on the
I'D. Just now. when 80 much work Is
being done on the track. the payroll Is
very heavy. This Is the most important
pay day to the merchants who hold the
trade of the train and yard forces.
When the additions are built to the
shops. It, Is estimated that the pay-roii
OF THAT department will he almost
doubled. No one can doubt that Roanoke
owes more to the Norfolk and Western
than to any other source for Its great
prosperity and continued growth. while
Mt the same time It Is surrounded for
Z fifty miles with a well-to-do rural popu-
lation that trades almost exclusively In
this city.
No one knows what Is to be expected
from the Tidewater. Many places claim
that the shops OF that road will be To-
Gated In their communities. II the shops
should not be located here We nave no
great things to expect from the road.
For fifty miles west OF here 1t runs
through territory that now trades with
Roanoke. and nearly the whole distance
tho two roads arc only a few miles apart.
When the boom was on In Roanoke. the
Bankers Loan and Investment Com
pany made big loans in Roanoke, and
when the boom burst, found itself in pos
session of considerable real estate. One
OF Its pieces of property was n hotel
building. which had not been completed.
and another handsome three-story brick
store-house opposite. the Academy OF
Music. The growth OF the city has 80
much impressed Mr.. G. w. Clark, the
president OF the company. that he came
to Roanoke this week. and ordered the
completion OF the hotel building. and
also decided to convert the brick store
house into a hotel and cafe. The latter
being opposite the Academy, will no
doubt be popular with the theatrical
people.
There promises to be considerable ri
valry between the two electric compa-
mis-. The Roanoke Power Company pro-
poses to furnish electricity generated by
power from the immense dam that II
nearing completion. The present com
pany. which also owns The car line, use
coal. but will endeavor. to meet the
rates OF the new company. AT n late
meeting of the Retail Merchants Asso-
citation. the members decided to make
no long-term contracts with a view of
waiting to see what the Roanoke Power
Company would be able to offer.
Last year the city had about half OF
the Campbell Avenue drain arched with
brick. This year they will arch the re-
ulainder. but this time with reinforced
cnnnretes Bids were asked for both
brick and concrete. 1t was decided to.
accept the bid OF c. Marley. OF this
city, for reinforced concrete. he being the
lowest bidder. Perkins & Wcinbrunn, OF
came within 1914 OF the lowest bid. which
was s26,5p0. The Campbell Avenue drain
Is a small creek. which runs in the mid
die OF the street for three blocks. Dur
ing boom days when the life of Roanoke
was very uncertain, the drnin was cover
ed with timber which has rotted. This
IS the street OF the finest business houses,
and naturally the business men dislike
to see 1t torn up.
Roanokers are much interested in the
bill that Is now before the House to ap-
propriate $4,000 for enlarging the gov
eminent building. Some idea lof the
smallness Of the present building may
be gained from the fact that one of the
branch Offices now sells more stamps
and issues more money orders TIM the
postoffice eight years ago.
Building operations have been n little
quiet during the past month. but big
things may be expected in the spring.