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<DIV><FONT face="Trebuchet MS">Bluefield Daily Telegraph<BR>June 18,
1909</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT size=4>OUTLET FOR BLAND'S IRON AND TIMBER</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT size=4>Contract Let for Building Railroad >From Day,
Virginia, to Rocky Gap</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=center><STRONG>EIGHT MILE EXTENSION OPENS RICH
TERRITORY</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=center><STRONG>Agent for Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company En
Route to Secure Option on Land and May Establish Large Operation</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=center><STRONG>DEPOSITS OF IRON SAID TO BE ALMOST
INEXHAUSTIBLE</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=left> J. C. Honaker, of
Rock [<EM>sic</EM>] Gap, Va., largely interested in Bland county real estate,
who was in the city yesterday, is authority for the statement that the New
River, Holston & Western Railroad Company has let a contract for the
building of a railroad from Day, Va., to Rocky Gap, a distance of eight
miles. This is an extension of the road owned by the company and already
in operation connecting with the Norfolk and Western at Narrows, Va.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> The purpose of the company is to furnish an
outlet for the rich iron and timber country of Bland county. The iron in
particular is said to be the richest in the state, and the deposits covering a
wide territory are said to be practically inexhaustible. The quality is
good, and capital at this time is looking toward the development of the
bodies. C. E. Lucas [<EM>Microfilm blurred. Best interpretation
shown.</EM>] of Patterson, Va., general manager of the Virginia Iron Coal
and Coke Company, is now en route to Bland to secure an option on some of this
land, and Mr. Honaker says he understands that if the deal is completed, a large
operation will be established by the company.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> In addition to the iron, Bland in this
locality has vast timber resources which will be rendered marketable much more
easily by the building of the new road. Mr. Honaker says he expects to see
Bland boom in the very near future.</DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=left>[<EM>Does anyone have photos of 100-car unit ore trains moving
down Wolf Creek on the NRH&W carrying some of the "almost inexhaustible"
iron deposits toward the N&W and some hungry smelter? No?
Then I have another question. As a youth I attended boy scout camp at Camp
Roland in Bland county, and I remember hiking over deteriorated crossties along
a logging railroad on our way up to a fire tower. Camp Roland is on
the upper reaches of Wolf Creek whereas the N&W Narrows Branch left
Wolf Creek to reach the end of line at Suiter on Hunting Camp Creek, on the
opposite side of Round Mountain from Camp Roland. Does anyone have
any info on the logging railroad at today's Camp Roland?</EM>]</DIV>
<DIV align=left> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Script size=6>Gordon
Hamilton</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>