The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1912-07-10

I0utes. ulinubL aiit ociAS th .eAaiiStAsh wv
plan. which Is now provided with fund.-
aud will be fulhlled 80 speedily as the
nature Of The construction will permit.
The Winchester xnd Irvine line also runs
through rough country and will require
about year and 8 half to complete. It
viii be particularly valuable for the hand
ling of coal trains westward, as favorable
grades assured all the way from the
mines TO the Ohio River, for 1t is also in
tended to prove the Louisville ond Nash
willie line between Paris and Winchester.
AS for the line 20 connect with the
Clinchfield, which the company seems to
have in contemplation, 1t will probably
be built from d point at or near Whites
burg, the county seat of Letchcr county,
follows the valley OF stream which
empties into the Big Sandy River, and
which has been referred Ito as Elkhorn
Creek. although there is another creek
called Elkhorn in quite different part
OF the State Tho stream flows along the
northern base of the Pine Mountains, on.
the Virginia border, and the line would
open mineral lands in Letcher and Pike
counties, in addition to connecting two
railroad systems.
II appears to be assured that all of
these new railroad links will be built, al
though officials confirmation Of the last
one mentioned is lacking. Nevertheless
the advantages of such road to the
Louisville and Nashville system would be
so great that it may lie accepted as al
most certain that II and no other compa-
NY will construct the line necessary TO
open up that section of country Wheth-
er the Baltimore and Ohio will bnild in
Kentucky any moro track than the Sandy
Valley and Elkhorn Railroad, which runs
southwest from Shelby, Kentucky, to the
new mining town of jenkins, Kentucky.
built by the Consolidation Coal Company,
is NJ yet unknown, but it is safe TO as
sumo that. should coal traffic be offering
whatever trackage necessary to secure
the business wonld be constructed
Work is well under way with the Nor
folk Southern Railroad for its extension
westward to Charlotte, North Carolina.
This new line begins at Raleigh and In
cludes part of the trnckage acquired sew
oral months ago when the company alb.
sorbed the Raleigh and Southport, the
parham and Charlotte and the Aberdeen
and Asheboro Railroads to the south
west of the State capital. Considerable
new line will be constructed to span the
gap between Raleigh and Charlotte, but
the route is through splendid county
and promises at large traffic returns for
the expenditures. Perhaps this is merely
the beginning of extensions by the Nor
folk Southern, which has quito net
work of lines in the eastern part of North
Carolina, aud which has for some time
been credited with having in view an ex-
tension southwark as far as Charleston.
What figure this road may make IN the
handling of coal traffic over its western
extension is matter for speculation Ii
would be possible for it to do something
in connection with the Ciinchheld, pro-
vided either traffic arrangement we've
made with the Seaboard between Char
lotto and Bostic, or connection built
between thos,' points, although, with the
exception of Norfolk, Southern reaches
do not offer much at present for the cx-
port of coal But there is the chance
that something big might be done, aud
the work is well worth Watching, because
OF that existing possibility.
Ii must not be overlooked that the
Norfolk and Western Railroad is getting
into Pike County, Kentucky, having al
ready begun construction of the William
son and Pond Creek Railroad from the
town of Williamson on its line In West
Virginia While only twenty miles of
construction arc Immediately proposed
along Pond Greek, the company may
proceed much father TO reach new coal
and timber lands
Besides these several mines and others
in the course OF preparation to reach the
great mineral storehouse of nature in
that part of our country. One of the
most recent railroad plans is that of The
Cincinnati, Licking Valley and Virginia
Railway Company, Incorporated In Ken
lucky 10 build line from the Ohio River
near the mouth of Licking River, through
about thirty counties To the Virginia
boundary, and perhaps beyond. j. b.
Walker of Huntsville, Alabama, is presi.
dent, but he and others connected with
the enterprise decline at present TO dis
close their objects, which appear to be
extensive.
There ara other companies formed
within the last several years for the pur-
pose OF entering Eastern Kentucky TO de-
9elop coal lands, but with one or two OK
ceptlons little life is manifested by either.
although. considering the possibilities
confronting them. they may he revived atl