The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-04-19
THE GREAT WEALTH.
IN OLD LUXEMBOURG.
Splendid County That Yet
Holds Its Virgin Riches
at Home.
KENBRlDGE TO BE
THE METROPOLIS
Wide Awake Men Making a City
inHeartof "Frec.State" Lack
Of Transportation Facilities
Saved the Rich Lands
and Raw Ma
terial.
BY FRANK $. wooDsoN.
v TStar correspondenc..1

Stan Correspondence.
KENBR1DGE, LUNENBURG cOuN.
TY, Va, April 1s.-Lunenburg is to-
day probably the richest county in
the State OF Virginia. While this state
ment is made advisedly and with de-
liberation. 1t may be we'll. In order
that may not be accused ofexaggera-
ton, TO make some qualification, or
rather, explanation.
That 1t is now one Of the richest, X
rot the very richest county In the Com
monwealth, is due to the fact that such
large proportion of it's original
wealth. the kind that the first settlers
found In every part OF the State. has
never yet been touched. never depleted.
Because of the lack OF transporta-
ton facilities. less than one-third RI
the fertile lands have been cleared and
put under cultivation. and none of this
third has been worn out, as Is the case
In many sections of the great agricul-.
tural South. For the same reason two
thirds of the county's acreage stands
to-day in valuable forests, an unusually
large proportion being in original
growth. awaiting the ak. the sawmills.
the furniture factories, the wagon and
buggy factories and what not to con-
vert the valuable timbers into money
producing wares.
The Change That Has Conc.
For the same reason the vast granite
ausrrias. soapstone quarries. milestone
Guarries and mineral deposits are as
yet untouched. and the splendid water
powers on various streams within the
borders OF the county are yet unde
yeloped. For the same reason the cul-
tfyation of the grasses has been neg
lected, and stock-breedtng. cattle and
sheep and hoE-raising nave heretofore
been unprofitRble.
Now all of those things have changed
end changed suddenly. TIE Virginian
Railway. otherwise known IS the Ttda.
water line. which is to be the srandest
tra.,s-contin entail lire ever contem-
plated. mas beer completed through the
county from east to west. putting tnis
rich region In close touch with the
great West. with deep water connec.
tons with the world at Norfolk. with
the markets of Richmond. Petersburg,
the North and the South, and thus, as
IL by magic. In the twinkling OF an
eve as 1t were. the Free State o.:
Lunenburg,'' with It's wonderful de-
posts OF undeveloped wealth, rs open
cd IN to the whole world. and is now
ready for the touch of the magic want
NJ capital and energy. Truly j am
justified In saying that IN undeveloped
wealth Luncnburg is the equal. II ~
+he sunerior. of any county OF Its. size
IN the rich old State OF Virginia.
Lunenburg's Metropolis.
The reason given why the natural
r.sourcas of the county have not been
developed also explains why Lunen-
burg has never until now had town.
a village over in the northwest corner
was moro in Prince Edward than IN
this county. and the old courthouse set
tlament never had over a hundred and
n.
hanging days. This condition, too. has
been changed by the coming OF the
railroad. The old Free State" will
in the not far distant future have sew
cral towns perhaps, at least one OF
which is destined to be an inland city
and a manufacturing centre OF no little
Importance, and its name is Kenbridge.
I wrote of Kenbridgef "a few weeks ago,
but there is SO much to be said about
It'll can write again.
Tho old Coke Road. running from
northeast to southwest through the
county. has for years and years been
leading thoroughfare. The loveliest
place on the road was the little village
or hamlet OF Thinking. where the weary
traveller stopped to rest and refresh
: himself and view the splendid scenery
surrounding, observe the evidences OF
thrift among strictly rural people.
and to enjoy their ever ready hospi-
tally.
When the railway was built Think
ling was made a station, and as nature
and the surroundings and the rich
back country had already marked the
place as a.site for a town, even city,
energy and capital followed quickly
after the iron horse, and, going into
ccpartnership with local energy and
capital commenced at9once to build q
city and they named it llenbridge.
The Moving Spirits.
The Kennedy-Walker Land and De-
velopment Company are the ruling
spirits In Kenbridge. Indeed, this
company, which is operating with a
capital of 100000, was incorporated
for the purpose of building little
city right here at this ideal spot.
Il While the company deals largely in
timber and farm lands and has In view
the development and building UP of
Lunenburg county in general and MAX
ing 1t, especially the south section,
what nature seems to have intended 1t
to be, a garden spot Of wealth In the
old Commonwealth, their specific OBJ
iect is to make Kenbridge q manufac-
turing and commercial centre worthy
tho name of a great Virginia inland
! city. Kenbridge was Incorporated as
town by the last Legislature, and Its
nletes and bounds designated by law, 1,
Personnel OF the Company.
Looking to the end dicated, the
Kennedy-W Company obtained
control Of pretty much ALL the property
within the borders of; the town, In
deed they. own outright 4St acres with.
4 In the corporate limits, which. Isl, II
fact, all OF the town except the thirty
acres owned by the Thrilling Land anl
improvement Company, of which Mr.
John H. Walker, the president of tho
kennedy-Wa Company. Is genera