N&W & VGN territory in 1910--Bluefield-Hinton

[NW Mailing List]

Bluefield Daily Telegraph
April 7, 1910

BLUEFIELD-HINTON LINE WOULD PAY
------
Number of Wealthy People Said to be Ready to Invest in Enterprise.
------
PRINCETON MAN TALKS OF PROPOSED ROUTE
------
Would Develop Country Rich in Natural Resources and Establish Connection Between Three Great Coal Carrying Roads
------
LARGE PASSENGER TRADE ASSURED FROM THE FIRST
    A well known Princeton man who was in the city yesterday, in speaking about the proposed railroad between this city and Hinton, said he believed the route would pay and furthermore that a number of wealthy people along the line would invest in such a property.  Part of the route along the Bluestone river, the gentleman said, would be heavy work and some of it might cost as high as $100,000 a mile.  Even if such were the case the construction of the forty miles would be far below $5,000,000, which it is stated in a letter to a local firm a British banking institution has for the purpose of financing a road in the locality of Bluefield.  The proposed line, according to the Princeton man, would pass through large deposits of limestone, which is found close to other ingredients which go to make up the formula for Portland cement.  Red and brown sandstone as well as all of the ingredients used in the making of brick, such as brick clay and pottery clay are found in abundance.  Pure white silica, which is used for glassmaking, can be found in large quantities and there is waterpower as well as cheap coal and reason to believe there is natural gas close to the proposed railroad.  The route would pass through a field of salt which in some cases bubbles out of the ground.
    Eight miles from Princeton the road would tap Rich creek, where it would reach a large lumber territory, as well as some fine Pocahontas coal.  Six miles further on it would reach Camp creek where it would again reach fine timber as well as a better route into the coal fields of the great Flat Top mountain wherein lies the heart of the Pocahontas coalfield.  The road would also pass through good farming communities and besides reaching all of these natural resources, added to which is excellent waterpower, it would touch Hinton, a division point of the Chesapeake and Ohio; Princeton, the principal town and a division point on the Virginian, as well as Bluefield, a division point on the Norfolk and Western and the gateway to the Pocahontas coalfield.
    The Chesapeake and Ohio reaches the New River coals, the Virginian reaches the Pocahontas, Beckley and Sewell seams, and the Norfolk and Western has the greatest coalfield in the country, embracing the heart of the Pocahontas measures, the Tug River, Thacker and other seams which are valuable for coking as well as steam purposes.
    At the present time there is a fair passenger trade between the towns and as the road would make a short cut it would develop a large passenger trade.  In addition to this large [sic, passenger trade?] shippers would have their goods shipped via the short line so as to save time, and better freight rates would be enjoyed.
    Bluefield has a population of 15,000; Princeton now claims 5,000 people and Hinton has 6,000.  Both Princeton and Bluefield are growing rapidly and Hinton is not far behind.  Princeton is bound to reach at least 10,000 within the next two years, and if another railroad should come here, it would grow even more rapidly.  Bluefield should go to 25,000 in the next five years and with a new railroad it would grow even more rapidly.  The chambers of commerce in Bluefield, Princeton and Hinton should get busy.  Bluefield and Princeton, because they need another road and Hinton so that it may be able to force the keeping of the division point at that place instead of allowing it to be removed to Thurmond.  The Princeton people are heartily in sympathy with the movement to get as an additional railroad.  Bluefield is enthusiastic and Hinton is doubtless not far behind.
------
[The reference to Rich creek is a bit puzzling.  Obviously, this does not refer to the community of Rich Creek, VA.  There is a stream named Rich creek that flows into the Bluestone river at Spanishburg, WV, but that is up the Bluestone river from the mouth of Brush Creek, which the railroad would presumable follow from Princeton to the Bluestone river.  Also, how about it C&O historians.  Was there ever a serious threat to move the division point from Hinton to Thurmond?]

Gordon Hamilton
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/attachments/20091023/b93465a7/attachment.htm>