N&W Connection in 1911--CC&O

[NW Mailing List]

"Billion Dollar Coalfield," pages 328-337, discusses both M.J. Caples and the community and coal mines assoicated with Capels. Note the difference in spelling between the man and the community. W.M. Ritter located a lumber mill in the area and the location became known as Ritter, Shannon or Upper Shannon after the local creek.  M.J. Caples was associated with Ritter in various businesses before joining the N&W although Caples had worked on the bridge at Coopers, WV. Once N&W bought the Pocahontas Coal & Coke Co, Caples went to work for the N&W as the chief engineer and superintendent of the Pocahontas Coal & Coke Company which was largely made up of Ritter's and Iaeger's land holdings in McDowell County. Caples became Traesurer and General Mgr of Pocahontas Coal & Coke before being appointed Superintendent of the Pocahontas Div in Feb 1904. He held that position until August 1905 before George L. Carter hired him to be the chief engineer in building the Clinchfield.

When Standard Pocahontas Coal Company signed an agreement with the N&W on Dec 2, 1909 for a siding the location was listed as Capels, WV for the existing siding from the Ritter Lumber days. N&W timetables referred to the location as Shannon, however when the post office was established in 1913 the community was named Capels.

The various mining operations at Capels supplied the coal for the Farm Coaling Station which was originally located next to the mine.  

Alex Schust 
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  Subject: N&W Connection in 1911--CC&O


  Bluefield Daily Telegraph
  April 8, 1911

  BACK FROM TRIP OVER THE CLINCHFIELD ROUTE
  ------
  Party of Which W. R. Dawson was Member Banqueted by People of Spartansburg [sic]
      W. R. Dawson, assistant superintendent of the Pocahontas division, returned last night from a trip over the Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio, on which trip he was accompanied by G. W. Merrill, assistant to the general manager of the Norfolk and Western; M. J. Caples, general manager of the Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio, and L. H. Phetteplace, superintendent of the same line.
      While the party was at Spartanburg the people of that place gave a banquet in honor of the railroad officials and escorted them through the city in automobiles which met them when their train drew into the terminal of the Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio.
  ------
  [M. J. Caples had previously been superintendent of the Pocahontas Division of the N&W, and I understand that the mining town of Caples, located a couple of miles west of Welch, WV, was named for him.]

  Gordon Hamilton


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