The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1911-09-21
UNITED STATES COAL
AND OIL COMPANY
STARTS NEW WORK.
Have Purchased $4,000 Acres On
Of Land on BlackburY Creek.
STORY OF BLACKBERRY CITY
Deal Gave Impetus to Enterprise IN
Huntingtonians are
Interested.


A transaction OF far reaching inn
portance to southern West Virginia
took place, recently when Koontze
Brothers, New York, sold to the
United states Coal & Oil Company
$4,000 acres Of coal land on Black
berry Creek in Kentucky. The Uni
ted States, Coal & Oil Company has,
at its operations at Holden, the larg-
Nest coal producing industry in South
ern West Virginia and the opera
tions on Blackberry creek promise
to rivar in Importance those on Is
land creek.
These activities and many others
in this section of the Norfolk &
Western country have led to the
formation of Blackberry City, a new
municipality in this land of rapid
growth. There are men and resources
behind the new city and the charac-
ter of both augur we'll for It's de-
velopment.
Blackberry City will be located on
a high plateau nearly opposite the
mouth OF Blackberry creek which
empties into Tug river. Immediate
~ opposite the site of the new city
are the operations of the Auburn
Coal Company and the town site it
self is owned by the Blackberry,
West Virginia & kentucy Coal
Company of which ]. C.~Miller and
George S. Wallace Of Huntington, are
large stockholders.
Surrounding the site of the new
town are numerous coal operations,
none of which, however, will dispose
OF; building sites even to their own
employees.
Black berry City is situated be-
tween Matewan and Thacker and
comprises what is declared to be
about the only level ground available
for building purposes between Will
hanson and WEIGH. 1t has long
been regarded as promising site
for a town but the immediate i'm
petus was the sale of the Kountze
holdings to the United States Oil e
Gas Company.
Congress at the recent session
passed an act permitting the COM
struction of railroad bridge across
Tug River at Blackberry City and q
new railroad link connecting Black
berry creek with the G. &. O. extern
sion up the Guyan is to be built.
The magnitude of these activities,
of their industrial results to be
achieved are manifest. The news of
increased activity in the N. & w.
field is good news to Huntington be-
cause it unfailingly means an in
crease in business activity here.
The Bowman Realty Company
we'll known real estate operators OF
Huntington, have been placed in
charge of the real estate interests at
Blackberry City and already have a
corps of men in that locality dispos-
ing Of lots at private sale and Install
ing improvements on the land
1t is expected that another twelve
months will witness the raise of
new city of no mean proportions in
this favored region.
The above from the Huntington
Advertiser tells a nice little story of
the progress Of this immediate sec
ton. There is volumes of truth in
the article and it speaks vividly OF
the prosperity that is dawning on
this section just at this time. Mate
wan Is spreading out under the great
stimulus that Is prevailing in that
reighborhood and even a new tawn
Is preparing to place itself on the
map. Lots are being laid off and
thoroughfares are being staked for
the coming city. Even this early
lots are on sale privately. Soon the
advertising matter will appear tell
ing you all about the future of this
young city, that will be situated