Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-04-18
Railway from West Virginia Via
Lexington to Seaboard
MARL1NroN, W. Va, April 7, 1905.

EDITOR GAZETTE: Thinking that II
might be of interest to you and your
readers to know that the town OF Lex
ington and the county Of Rockbridge
are down on prospective railroad,
that must be built from this point IN
the near future, write this letter to
you.
The town Of Mariinton is located im-
mediately on the Gresnbrier River and
is now the county-seas OF Pocahontas
county. The Grcenbrier Division OF
the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad
passes through the town, and this rail-
road runs parallel with the river from
the town OF konceverte to the extreme
head Of the river, distance OF more
than one hundred miles, and In the
northern part Of the county the rail-
road changes nane and passes on
through Randolph county to the town
OF Eli ins.
The mountains west Of the Gre en-.
brIer Valley, until the last few years,
have been considered too large and too
high to be overcome by railroad; but
within the last four years three rail
roads have crossed these mighty bar
riers, from Greenbrler Valley to the
watars of the Cheat, Williams and
Cherry rivers, all In this county.
The favorite gap OF the Allegh any
Mountain with the engineers is known
as the Frost Cap. This takes its
name from village few miles west
of the top OF the mountain on the
West Virginia side. A railIoad could
approach this gap Of the mountain
frOm Marlinton up the Knapp's Greek
Valley al the way without unnel, Il
distance of some "a miles, or railroad
could reach Frost from the town OF
Cass, through the Sittllngton's Greek
valley, without tunnel, at distance
OF about twelve miles.
When the Allegheny Mountain at
the Frost Gap is crossed, here the
waters Of Big Black Greek Of High
land county are located. After follow
Ing the waters OF Black Greek, Mill
Gap "a point we'll known in Highland
county, is reached. At Mil Gap there
is very wonderful limestone forma-
ton, similar to the Natural Bridge ia
Rockbridge county, with this differ
ence: at Mill Gap che rock bridge was
carried away by the waters and there
Is nothing but the channel left. So
nature has provided an easy grad 9
from the waters Of Black Creek TO the
head of jackson River, the largest
branch of the James. After following
the waters Of Jackson River few
miles a small creek comes from the
east out OF the Jackson River Noun
tain. At the head OF this creek ether
is very low place in the mountain and
anent 1t another small creek runs east
and empties Into the Bull Pasture
River about midway between Nc
Dowell and Williamsville. Eight miles
below the mouth Of the little creek
referred TO the Bull Pasture River cuts
through the Bull Pasture Mountain
and comes out OF the gorge at the vii
lage OF Williamsvllle In Bath county;
and at Williamsville the Bull Pas.
ture empties into the Cow Pas
ture River After going down the Cow
Pasture a few miles on the eastern
side there is a draft coming in with a
small creek, known as the Stockholm
draft, where there is an easy grade
from the Cow Pasture River to the
Mil Creek Valley, and Mill Creek
elnpties into the Big Calf Pasture
River at the town u Goshen.
From Goshen to Lexington l under
stand from a railroad map made by
the Ohio-Central some twenty five
years ago, there are two routes. One
is down North River, through Goshe q
Pass an then passing to the right of
the river in more southerlY direction
to Lexington. The Other route. which
is six miles shorter, leaves North river
just below Goshen. and takes a branch
known as Guys run. Following this
branch until a gap in North Mountain
is reached, known on the map as
"HulPs Gap; there there would have to
be tunnel. The mountain at Hull's
gap is represented as being very steep
on both sides, and for that reason q
tunnel would be practical. After tun-
neling North Mountain ut Hull's gap,
the headwaters OF Kerr's Creek begin,
and from this point it is down grade
oil the way to Lexington. Therefore
from Goshen to Lexington the Hull's
gap route seems to bs preferred by the
railroad men. From Lexington to the
seaboard there are many ways that a
railroad could be taken, the Blue Ridge
Mountain being the only serious oppo.
sition.
Now you and your readers may wish
to know why a railroad will have to
be built from this country east. Well,
my answer 10, that it will have to BE-
done in order to meet traffl3 condi-
tons as they now exist. The present
ability Of the railroads is nothing like
able to carry the freight Of this part Of
West Virginia. Iu fact this congested
condition OF freight cars exists all over
the United States, and this is now one
Of the sources Of public clsmor that ia
being made through the halls of Con
Rress. In this timber and coal coun-
!, try Of West Virginia the railroads arc
/ being harder worked than In any other