Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1911-05-04
Ransom.

) Little more than year ago many o
us saw daily man wandering through
! the corn fields and pastures Of tn
Boom" digging hole here and hol'
, there, carefully selecting samples o
the clay. At the same time many o
the good citizens Of old Jefferson, mel
who had spent a long lifetime here
were loudly pronouncing funeral orationi
over his financial grave. Quietly ant
unostentatiously he proceeded, building
were erected. machinery installed
kilns built, railroad switch put in, sup
| plies of coal received, all to the loud
accompaniment of the Calamity how
Ter. -4=--.z-
Such was the birth of the Valley Brick
Company. To-day we have in our midst
modern up-to-date brick plant with q
capacity Of twenty-five thousand brick
per day.
To appreciate all this one must visit
the plant and follow the clay from the
pit, along the overhead trolley, through
the grinding mill, to the brick making
machine all propelled by a hundred
horsepower motor without the touch of
hand. From the machine the finished
brick are placed on cars and transported
i to the drying house fitted up with its
five tracks of fourteen cars each. By
an ingenious arrangement the heat of
the kilns is utilized for drying pur-
poses.
Next we come to the four great ovens,
each with a capacity of 90, 200 brick and
again we are struck by the completeness
of the plant. We find one kiln being
emptied, one being filled, one cooling,
and one being briskly fired, No time
lost waiting but continuous progress.
Seventeen men and three carts are ever
busy.
Whaa does this mean to Ransom and
Charles Town? Today the cost of brick
is SO reduced that the difference between
the cost of brick and a frame building
is a neglible quantity, neglible because
this difference is far more than equalled
by the difference in cost of paint and
general repairs. And that the people
are beginning to realize this is well
evidenced by the fact that the plant
cannot at present supply the demand.
Many additions are rejected of which
| one is a Dutch oven with possible ca
pacity of one-half million brick.
No longer do our people have to send
to Frederick, Washington, Williams
port and other places for brick for the
Valley Brick Company are making as
good brick as can be found anywhere,
not only filing brick but the finest of
face brick. They now have the contract
to supply brick for the new telephone
building, addition to Sadler Block, ex-
tension to Harness Factory, linn Build
ing, and many new residences and at a
great saving to our community and
what is best of all the money stays here.
When Mr.. Strother, the genial pres
ident, was asked what he would do in
case Charles Town went "dry" and all
business collapsed" he replied:
"We'll make more brick. +"
As the effect of executing ordinances
| FIVE arrests of cows were made on Mon
day last. Our community has suffered
no annoyance, indicative of the fact
that when our council enact ordinances
they mean business Automobiles and
motor cyclists take notice. NEXT! If
an ordinance is worth enacting it is
worth executing.
Powhatan Band will hold bazaar on
Thursday, Friday and Saturday Of this
week in Rouss Hail. The people of
Ransom believe in encouraging all in
dustries with sincere motives. In this
respect we would suggest to the band
that an occasional public concert in their
| own town for the benefit and enjoyment
| OF their own people would encourage
support. 44.saaa.s. -.
Has it ever occurred to the young
men of Ransom that their industries
gives employment to as many if not
more of them than the mother town.
Why not organize a fire department as
protection to their homes? Get the bust
ness spirit about you! Get aboard!
Cooperation is one root in the tree of
success. Already as a result of an or
dance passed by the council to the eff
feet that all streets and alleys should be
opened, several property owners who
have these enclosed have already conn
piled and opened same The "get to-
gether" spirit that is so clearly in evil
dence here is indicative of the fact that
Ransom means business.
Mr.. E. E, FUR has re-fenced his
| property and will soon boast, weather
pc rmitting, of a garden worth coming
to see.
An investor from some distance has
been here looking over the ground with
a view to erecting several double dwell
ings and one or more business houses.
Ho was so favorably impressed with the
/ prospects for the future of our town
til 1T he will make his investments here:
! Under contemplation is the erection
OF an up-to-date store. We understand
this is for occupancy by our popular
st5rekeeper, Mr. Renner. The mer.
chants of the mother town are beginning
to realize that Ransom is youth that
needs careful watching and fostering
and in connection with another item is
negotiating for q suitable model store
, room. There will be demand for :
combination store and dwelling on the
Mildred Street entrance to town ovel