The Washington herald., 1908-08-30
CLIFTON FORGE GROWING
ON SUBSTANTIAL LINES
City in the Mountains ReceipeS It's Start fror7 f6e
Railroad and Branches Out Into Iron
and Manufacture

Clifton Forge, Va, Aug. "A former
president OF the Chesapeake and Ohio
Railway said that clifton Forge is 5es-
tined 20 become the Little Altoona OF
the south What Altoona is 10 the Key
stone state Clifton Forge Is. BY rapid
strides. approaching in its relation 10 the
Old Dominion
The city grOws al a steady pace. and.
Notwithstanding its newness. Norfolk and
Richmond excepted, is the busiest railroad
town on Virginia sol, with a future only
measurable by The energy. and push OF its
citizens
Thirty years ago Clifton Forge had no
existence. either on the map or elsewhere.
About rweury-eighr years ago a little flag
station OF the Chesapeake and Ohio.
known as williamson. came into being
A few years later. the Chesapeake and
Ohio. seeking 70 establish their railroad
shops a a POINT central To their big trunk
line. chose Clifton Forge as the site Sor
the erection OF their repair and supply
plant changing the name from William
son 20 Clifton Forge One % the reasons
for choosing the little hamlet OF William
son for the point was that there the
James River division. formerly known as
the Richmond and Allegheny Railroad,
Joined the main line Of the Chesapeake
and Ohio. running from Washington 20
Cincinnati The yards and shops OF the
Cheszpeake and Ohio extend for nearly
two miles along the border Of the Jackson
River.
Near Junction of Rivers
The city OF Clifton Forge stands about
two miles distant from the confluence Of
The Jackson and Cow Pasture rivers at
Iron Gate BY reason OF its location and
its splendid railroad facilities It has de-
vsloped from simply railroad center 10
an industrial city approxinatilg 700 IN
ha5itants- including its ervirons. Instead
Of one single industry, railroading. as
IN the first days Of its existence. IL has
developed q great variety OF industries
Of varied nature and IS reaching out for
more. always with the hope that such as
may come shall Be OF the substantial SORT
which, regardless OF their size. be they
great or small make for the healthy
growth OF the city.
For that reason Clifton Forze has en-
tered the market for new enterprises. !
Il possesses a location IN the center Of [
the great Allegheny iron fields; Il is
situated on high ground. surrounded BY 1
lofty mountains. plentifuIly wooded, and
the town site itself, with the broad
acres Of the valley above and below
provides a space for the accommodation /
Of city CT 5a,e50 people. when, D. rea- /
son Of the city's natural, physical. and
commercial attraCtiveness, such a popu-
lation can be drawn hither.
Esta abIished on Broad Lines.
Before going into the question OF elf
ton FORCES Industrial pre-emi1ence in
the Allegheny region. some word should
be spoken Of its general good Qualities
To begin with. the city has bean lad
out On broad lines. The streets are wide
and Vel paved with the finest quality OF
nacadaEn. The sidewalks are ersno-
lithic. not only IN the business section.
but throughout the residential section
and well into the suburbs. The u1unici-
pal government is that Of a city. the
place having been incorporated as such
IN 1sl6- There IS ample police rrorec- /
ton, both by the municipaIitv and
through the police department OF the
railroad company The FIRE protection is
good, and plentiful supply OF the DUP
asI mountain water. piped through the
streets 10 every residence and business
building here is the envy Of many places
0- thrice this city's size
The Eome-seeker coming IN C4ie+o, ]
Forge, regardless Of his religious creed
VII md house Of worship suited 10
his needs There are two Methodist
churches. one Roman Catholic, EpiscopaT.
Baptist, Disciple. and Presbyterian I
Many Of these congregations possess at
ractive church buildings. and the Meth
dist az present are getting ready TO
rect new church which viii accommo-
late nearly L200 worshipers.
school System Perfect
Clifton Forse's school system VIII stand Z
with any in Virginia It's
'rincipal public school requires the pres S
nee Of no less than fifteen teachers, and. g
lesides this. there IS the Clifton Forge
seminary for boys and girls. under the
Of Miss Dora NJ Bryant. ;
With an attendance OF about sixty. and / 4
he Virginia Collegiate Institute. Miss c
Iildred Jenres. principal. with upward
Z eighty {
Both Of these Institutions are Cor white Il
outh- In addition there is an excellent a
olored industrial school. which. through C
be donations Of both Northern and
oUtheTn Phils1thropists, has been estab-I