Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-12-22
Capt. ID. II. Baldwin Tells of Blueheld's
Growth From Bluegrass Farm 10
Busy City.

~ This day, the 22nd OF DeCembcr
twenty-onc years ago landed I'm the
city OF Bluoield, Mercer county. W.
Va. and have dwclt continuously IN n
since. | was born in this 5grcat APP
palochian chain OF mountains nearly
Scventy-cight years ago. have been an
active business man for over sixty
years. and have travelled OYER almost
the entire section in which its rich.
numerous and gig2utiC mines are To-
Gated, and while do not propose. 60
say that all OF those treasures can
be found within the corporate limits
OF Rluchcld, yet | do say that IL is as
Nondrous Ia its rapid growth in twta-
ty-threc years from bluegrass farm
To "A busy city OF from fifteen thous-
and to twenty thousand inhabitants
We arc now erecting n United States
court house and postonCc; the Matt
iOld Hotel. seven stories high, and a
public school building which will al
together cost four hundred and fifty
thousand dollars; we have twelve
wholesale houses. scventy-eight re-
tail stores; five hotels: we also HAY,
eleven churches. two national banks.
two trust companies. two bankin,
companies, electric lights street cars.
'ephonc system and nm Up-to-dlt.
water works which can thew, whCl,
necessary. into our city over -four
million gallons OF spring water
per day from the mountains iust Solti
pi US. We have three steam laun-
Dries and two Chinese llundfirR;. two
largo ming supply companies; owe,
hity miles of railroad track viii
large ruund-house. railroad shops tul
! terminal division Offices. and a large
number Of coal company Offices.
To Eivc an Idea Of uJT stead.
growth IN she year 1885 We s.lf
eichty-ciEht dollars ana hirnty
ySN 9O) in postage stamps. IN thc
last fiscal yoar the sale OF clamps o.
hlUcfeid poStU.hcc ending Juno 3uth
l909. amounted to thirty-fouv thUuS
and two hundred ($34200O0) dollars
Seven years ago the real and personal
property in Blueheld was assessed at
one million eight hundred and scvcn-
~ thousand dolalrs. IN year b, was
cen million two hundred nd eighty
TWO thousand dollars.
In point of educational advantages
few IL any cities I'm the state OF West
Virginia can OICr 20 their citizen 3
such facilities for the education OF the
rising generation. We have one beau.
ulul brick school house which e.
t'NAi'A WIN AAN - philhH anu pau "a Iil'l
MALTA necessary, cost one hundred ana
hlty thousand dollars; one brica
building costing seventeen thousand
dollars and one stone and two add
ton primary school buildings costing
each six thousand dollars, all tGt
above buildings being for whites W,
also have the brick colored institute
state institution with two dormi.
tories and grounds. costing forty
Thousand dollars, one stone and one
large frame primary building for
the colOred part OF the citizens. These
educational advantages are among the
most attractive features of Bluehcld.
Education Is the poor mans friend and
tho working mans opportunity. Edu-
cate your child. then those who rise
~ higher spheres in life. by Industry.
economy and 8eriCt attention to bust
ness. viii be able TO hll such posi-
tons with honor and ability. Educate
your child. then should misfortune be-
fail IL financially it has ono of the mob
lest gifts OF God. the cultivation Of
the mind, LEFT 10 start again in life.
Before entering upon detailed nc
count OF the buried treasures above
referred to. J propose FIRST to describe
the geographical position iu which
these resources arc located
The counties. i'm which the under
signed mentioned minerals and coal
fields are located arc what was buOWu
In antc-Dellum days as southwest Viz
ginia, and q portion Of lhis country
is uow West Virginia
Fh" coal bogua ln lee county and
stretches castwardIy through WIG.
Dickinson. Russell Tazcwell and
Mercer counties. All Wing south OF the
Clinch valley branch Of the Norfolk
nd Western railway. which road runs
from Norton Virginia. and connects
with tho main line OF tho Norfolk aud
Western 80 Biu.dcld. Wost Virginia.
iLc main line oil the Norfolk and
western road runs through lhc vest
nru 'ut If tho Mercer cCW y
coal Gcll, AMI THROUGH thc en-
tirc counties of Mcdowell. IuEo and
Wayne" The Hiuo-tone branch ol tlc
>ar,olIl and Wo.i n runs 20 tln oaHf-
.u limit DI Obj. E.Tnrr count. Dl.l
G'ld, whore b. connect w..h tbr VIZ
gilman railroad. which pas..g tuIDug'I