1907 - Two Thriving Little Cities

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Roanoke Times - December 29, 1907

TWO THRIVING LITTLE CITIES

Radford and Blacksburg Keep Wheels of Progress On the Move

INDUSTRIES AT BOTH POINTS IN GOOD SHAPE

Radford Has Not Felt the Money Stringency, and Business is Brisk
Blacksburg Has Had a Prosperous Year, and Business Continues Good

......
   The railroad building and mining industry, now being carried on in 
the section adjacent to Blacksburg, has had considerable effect on 
business conditions in the town. This has been through the employment 
by these concerns of many hands and a general improvement of 
conditions among the laboring class. The railroad camps have afforded 
a market for much beef, farm and garden supplies, and the merchants 
have reaped a benefit in the sales of clothing, and all kinds of 
groceries. Reports to the contrary, the Tidewater still has a force 
of hands at work on the long tunnel, beginning near the Merrimac 
Mines and extending through the mountain for a mile and one-eighth. 
The completion of this road will open up a section of the country 
hitherto remote from markets, and it is the purpose of the officials 
to have at least three depots in the limits of they county. The coal 
mines in Brush Mountain, to the north, are being worked to advantage 
by the owners or lessees. The Virginia Anthracite road, from 
Blacksburg to Christiansburg, is still running its trains and the 
officials now say that there is no possibility of the road either 
going under or being acquired by either the Norfolk and Western or 
the Tidewater. The road has done a splendid freight and passenger 
business during its three years of operation, and whatever may be the 
developments in the situation during the next few months, it is not 
even considered a possibility that Blacksburg will ever be without a 
railroad again.
   With all this prosperity, however, the new year must bring some 
improvements if the town is to continue to grow. Two of these are a 
new depot in the place of the present shack, necessary lights at and 
about same, a system of water works and some protection against fire.

[Two column article covering status of Radford and Blacksburg. 
Article trimmed to railroad interest (this is the end of the 
article). Not any mention of Radford railroad situation.]

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- Ron Davis, Roger Link