The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-08-03
1T LOOKS VERY MUCH
LIKE 4 NEW RAILROAD

LIKE 4 NEW RAILR0Al
| Jonesville citizens are greatly in
terested in what appears to be an ab
solutely authentic report that certain
big c. c. q o. officials have been a
Blackwater, Va. recently. where they
are looking over the recent survey ot
the {. c. q o. extension from Spears
Ferry, Virginia, and where they Of
fered Hobinette Bros. $4,000 for a
track of land. presumably for depots
yards, etc, should extension be bmit
says the Harlan Messenger of a re-
cent date. Reports have been coming
in for several days that certain Phila-
delphia capitalists had been in that
section prospecting with 4 view to the
purchase and opening up of the old
salt wells at that place. II is report
ed that should the analysis show suf-
ficient salinity Of the brine in those
old wells that a pipe line will be con-
structed to Kingsport. Tenn. where a
magic city is being constructed at
cost of millions of dollars in the way
of dye works, powder plants, etc. and
report has it that this city is to be n
second Birmingham.
Lee county has immense iron re-
sources on the south and west which
will require big capital to open up by
railroad, but now the price of iron
has got to point where it will justify
capital to build a railroad TO it
Some time ago the c. c. & 0. made
a survey through this iron section Of
Lee county, extending same into the
Harlan county coal fields by way Of
Failing Water Gap, with q view 10 the
development of the counties of Lee
and Harlan. Jonesyille is arranging
10 send a delegation of citizens TO the /
capitol city of that county to confer
with certain Harlan coal interests
with a view of launching campaign 1
to secure a free right of way for the
c. c. q 0. through both Lee and Har-
AN counties, The Harlan boosters
are arranging a big get-together ban
luet at the time to fit in with the
opening of the new modern Kentenia
Hotel at that place,
Such an extension of the c. c. & o.
Is planned would open for develop
nent one of the greatest iron and
,oal sections in the United States.
rhe best authority in this field esti-
mates Harlan's coal at ten billion
ons, and it makes the finest coke in
he world. 1t is only possible to
suess at Lee county's iron resources.
The best posted iron men in the State
tates that it would be sure to reach
more than ten billion tons. There is
no limit to the limestone.
md there are large tracts of the finest
irgin hardwood timber in the coun-
~ which would be penetrated by the
extension of the c. C. &
}. railroad.
The Harlan county coal interests
he past two or three years have
lade several strenuous efforts to in
uce the Southern railway to enter
he Harlan county coal fields by way
+ Big Stone Gap and down the Glover
'ork to Harlan, and offered them free
light of way and large bonus. How
yer, the recent investigation of the
:. & \. by the Interstate Commerce
disclosed certain facts
ending to show that there were Ger
ain agreements between the l.. & n
nd the Southern to pool the South i
nd leave the Harlan field to the l. & I
!. The Harlan coal interests are not t
bit pleased with this disclosure in
lew of the fact of the encouragement +
Ihich Mr.. Harrison, president of the 7
outhern, has been giving them for \
he past two years, and the tendency \
4 Harlan is to show Mr.. Morgan and h
is allied interests that he cannot i
ontrol the situation in Harlan. +