Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1907-02-22

600 feet above the tides OF the Atlantic
to borrow others phrases, Natures
Holy OF Holes" "a precious gem
nesting in the bosom OF Appalachia. >
This region is the very storm-center of
convergent lines OF railroads: at Bris-
tol, the Southern; at Norton, the L.. &
N; at Blueheld, the Tidewster; all
around, the n. & w. Is it probable
that so favored section OF country
viii long remain undevelopedp Not at
all. Railroad geniuses are not ignorant
OF so vast possibilities. Transportation
facilities, rapid transit, an influx OF
people, marvellous yielding up OF
earth's willing treasures, are at hand.
VIII our people sit quietly by and see
Natures bounties pour into the lap Of
"foreigners?" as have the black
diamonds Of West Virginia.
THE TROLLEY VERSUS THE DUMMY.
Some interesting data was brought
out in this debate. 1t was stated that
the cost OF power developed by large
locomotive on the N. & w. Is &c an
hour per horsepower; that power de-
veloped by a small locomotive, OF the
so-called dummy" type, is much more.
at least third more, or 4c an hour;
that the cost OF power used by a
motor car is &c an hour per horse
power. So it would seem that, in the
matter OF power, the electric line Il
cheaper by one third than the steam
dummy line. AS TO grading, the uni
form and low grade required for steam
traffic would entail both greater mile
age and greater engineering dificul-
culties. So the grading would be less
expensive at least. II not 80 desirable
In other aspects, for trolley line. II
was claimed on good authority, that
regular railroad cars can be run and
are being run on trolley lines. (See re-
cent numbers Of Worlds Work and
Review OF Reviews So cnr-lots II
freight could be brought in and taken
out on trolley line without reload
ing. Add 10 these arguments, the
greater safety, greater cleanliness, the
more frequent trips, the more rapid
transit, (no non-uniform grades) and
the case OF the trolley ak the most de-
sirable type of road is pretty well made.
The argument for the use Of the dunn
my In construction was met by the re-
toinder. that railroads are built not by
stockholders but by contractors, who
furnish their own equipments.
THE MOST FEASIBLE ROUTE.
AS a basis Of comparison, figures
showing elevations OF certain points
were taken from the U. S. Topograph-
ical Survey Maps. A list of elevations
and distances may be OF interest:
ELEVATIONS. FEET.
Beartown, 4,774
The Garden (st Groseclose's), 3.IIo
The Gap water level at old Clay
pool Mill, 1900
Crabtree's Gap, 5000
Grafton, 2,763
Tazewell, 2.b13
Summit Blues,one Pike, 3,10O
Graham, 1887
Blueneld. 1857
Cove Creek. $500
Top East River Top. Springville), 1000
Alex Long Gap Garden Maun-
tain), 300
Top Rich Mt. Top. Rev. Kelley's), 3,70O
DISTANCE.
Burke's Garden to Tazewell, via
Crabtree's Gap, IA mi
Garden to Graham, via Peery
Place and Bluestone, 90"
Garden to Graham, via Cove
Creek, "a"
From above data, granting that for
all business reasons, so far as the peo-
pie OF the Garden are concerned, Blue
feld- Graham should be the objective
point, there are most conclusive reas-
ons for going via Tazewell, or the
Peery Place, two miles east. For
~ The elevation to go via Cove
Creek is prohibitive 30 far as steam is
concerned and impracticable for troll
ley. The difference in cost of construc-
ton would, moreover, more than over
balance the difference In distance.