Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-15
GILES COUNTY WEALTHY;
NUMEROUS RESOURCES
Rapidly Becoming One Of tho Rich.
est Parts of the Old
Dominion.
PROPHECY IS BEING FULFILLED
Splendid Water Powers, Valuable
Timber Lands, Iron and Other
Neutrality-suspicious. and Cattle
Raising True Foundations.

Timber Lands, Iron and Other
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and Cattle
Raising True Foundations.
Writing of Giles County some ten
or fifteen years ago. said 1t was dcs-
tined TO become one of the most pro-
grcssivc and ono OF the wealthicst of
| NirEinia's counties. That prophecy
was based upon knowledge Of its
undcrclopcd natural wealth. which
state Of undcvclopmcnt was then due
| TO limited transportation facilities. The
prophecy is coming true at rapid
rate. AZ that time the New River
division of the Norfolk and Western
Railway was the only line in full
! operation In the county. Since then
| New River. Iolston and Western Rail.
road. and tho Big stony halfway hay,
| extended their lines to touch upun and
! develop great sources OF wealth: the
! Norfolk and Western has extended its
branch line through the county 10 Nor
ton. and the Virginian Railway has cut
across the center Of the county These
arc all standard -guage roads. built for
tho purpose OF developing tho mineral
ana other resources Of the regions
| through which they pass and they
/ have found those resources nowhere
| richer than in Giles County Wonders
nave been wrought In tho way OF in
! dustrial and agricultural development
! in Giles in the last decade. and the
! prophecy referred TO is rapidly reach
Ing fulhllmcnt.
| The minerals of the county are. or
soon Will be. regarded as its great
est source OF wealth Iron OF fine
quality is found in almost every sec
! ton of the county. while manganese.
/ zinc. lead barytes. and variega;cd mar
bic have been found. The limestone.
| especially along the river and railroad.
! In, ;
purposes or lime, cannot. for the same
area. lac cXcelled in the world Scveha!
| lime works OF large. capacity are locat-
ell ON this line, and have large and in
creasinE demands from the coal fields
and elsewhere for all they can produce,
and still there is room and demand for
| more.
W AFTER POWERS. TIMBI.nS AND
INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES
! Tho whole area Of the count. is we'll
| watcrcd by the New River. flowing
| through il, and several OF its large
( tributaries. such as Zig and Little
stony Greeks Sinking and Doc Greeks
Oh the cas-, side. and Wolf and Walk
\ crs Greeks on the west side. There is
ample water powcr along all OF these
streams for extensive manufa curing
! establishments and such have been
and arc still being. built and put In
operation. There arc numerous zinc
wood working industries. iauucrics
iron working establishments and vaui-
ous other industries. all Of which give
employment TO u large laboring popu-
lation and Furnish markets for the
products If tho mines. tho forests. and
tho fields.
In recent years the nnc timber Of
Giles has been cullcd out TO some cx-
tent. but there il yet an abundance OF
IT. There arc large areas of noun
tain timber lands which arc practi-
call% untouched and these mountain
sides are covered with chestnut oak.
white oak, black oak. hickory, chestnut
sugar maple, locust. black pine. yell
low aud white nine. spruce pine, or
hemlocE. poplar. ash, walnut. dogwood
cedar, linden. wild cherry and buckeye
! The expert lumbermen say that much
OF this timber can he beaten nowhere
In the world for cabinet and orna-
mental purposes. OF course. tho lum.
Der business is bE thing in Giles
! All Of tho industries that have hccn
started in the last ave TO ten years
are fourishing, and others arc spring
ing up and the time is not far distant
| when some of the biggest pay rolls
made out in Virginia will be looked
after i'll the towns and villages of Giles
every Saturday afternoon.
! AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
Is THE REAL FOUNDATION
Eut after al, ;nat may he said, the
/ fact remains that the agricultural in
tcrcst is the big thing OF this county.
! The farmers. truckers and orchardists
| grow almost everything that is good TO
cat and that is Salablc in the markets.
| While the county is entirely surround
! cd by mouutains--that is. all four OF
! it. borders are frnged with loft% Hills
I and pcaksthe middle is rolling
rich soil of limestone and clay and is
very fertile. Tho principal products
arc corn. wheat. rye, oats, hay. etc
The crop OF maple sugar, syrup aud
| sorghum is worthy Of mention; cspe.
ciaily the sorghum. The county is we'll
adapted to the growth OF fruit. and
| considerable attention is being paid to
this industry: especially to the apple
crop, large quantities of which arc
shipped. and add greatly TO the rev.
cnues Of the people; also grape Gull
turc has become very extensive. and
tho cherry grows in great abundance
and comes naturally without cultiva-
ton. Some very fine peaches are
grown and in large quantity, when
proper attention is given to their cui-
ture. All these fruits and berries, be-
sides vegetables Of all kinds which
grow 10 great perfection, find a ready
and rcrnnnerative market in tho coal
fields near by.
From the same source there is "A
iconstant demand for the dairy products
butter and cheese, also poultry and