Deepwater in 1907 - Princeton

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Gordon: The interurban used to run right in front of my apartment on Princeton Avenue. I rode it to Princeton at least once before it was replaced by busses.    Jim Nichols
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  Subject: Deepwater in 1907 - Princeton


  PRINCETON THREATENS TO RIVAL BLUEFIELD
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  General Opinion of County Seat That Deepwater Will Locate Yards and Round House There
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  MANY HOUSES GOING UP AND OTHERS PROJECTED
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      The advent of the new railroad through a section of Princeton bids fair to make the town grow until she may become a possible rival of her sister city, Bluefield.  A large number of new houses are in course of construction and a number of new ones are planned for the present summer.
      It seems to be the general opinion that the Deepwater and Tidewater will locate their yards and round houses at Princeton.  In this event the town will grow proportionately with the railroad.
      Although nothing definite can be learned it may be said that this is the plan of the silent new railroad.  New York and other interests connected with the new railroad have bought a tract of land covering nearly 1,500 acres.  This land has no timber on it, neither has it coal beneath it, so the only inference that can be drawn is that the company has bought it so as to be able to erect dwellings.  It is worthless for farming purposes, so no other conclusion can be drawn.  The Telegraph is willing to assert then, that this is the object of the company and that when the construction work is completed, or perhaps before, Princeton will be a division point on the new railroad.
      When this condition arises Princeton must prosper.  Since it appears next to impossible to secure a connecting link between the Norfolk and Western at Bluefield and the Deepwater and Tidewater at Princeton, a trolley line between the two places is the only way to solve the question of Greater Bluefield and prosperity for the business men of this city.
      If this road could be completed within the next five years and a large department store erected at Bluefield with reasonable prices, there is no doubt but that a large number of people from this section would do their trading in Bluefield instead of Roanoke and other cities.  It seems reasonable to think that a trolley line could be built with the fare about 50 cents.  If this road could be built it would no doubt be able to pay dividends in a few years, for Princeton is growing at a rapid rate and Bluefield is increasing proportionately.
      It certainly should be food for thought and should be discussed by the Bluefield 25,000 club.

  Bluefield Daily Telegraph
  January 8, 1907

  [It would be another 9 years before the trolley line would start service between Princeton and Bluefield, but it would survive for 31 years after that.]

  Gordon Hamilton




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