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<DIV><FONT face="Trebuchet MS">Bluefield Daily Telegraph<BR>July 21,
1909</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT size=5>UNIQUE PIECE OF ROAD NEARS
COMPLETION</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT size=4>Loop on Potts Creek Branch Rivals Far-famed One
at Cripple Creek, Colorado</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT size=4>OF VAST INTEREST FROM SCENIC STANDPOINT
ALONE</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=center><STRONG>This, However, Was Not Purpose of Construction of
Norfolk and Western Feeder Which Will Open Up Rich Iron Deposits</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV align=center>-----</DIV>
<DIV align=center><STRONG>WILL BE READY FOR TRAFFIC EARLY IN
SEPTEMBER</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=left> A. C. Needles of Roanoke, general
superintendent of the eastern division of the Norfolk & Western, accompanied
by J. W. Cook, superintendent of the Radford division, and J. D. Hester, train
master of the Radford division, arrived in Bluefield yesterday afternoon in a
private car attached to No. 1, on a tour of inspection over the division, and
also over the Potts' Creek extension of the Big Stony railroad, being built to
the iron fields of Craig and Monroe counties.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> The principal matter of interest is the
completion of the Potts' Creek branch, which the officials say will take place
some time in September. This feeder of the main line starts at Big Stony
Junction between Ripplemead and Curve, in Virginia, and is being built to Paint
Bank in Craig county, Va., a distance of thirty-nine miles. The branch
begins in Giles, runs into Monroe county, W. Va., and then circles back into
Craig. Eleven miles have already been completed, and the rest of the lines
is being hurried along as rapidly as possible.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> It is a unique piece of railway
construction. At one point the track practically completes a loop,
rivaling the far-famed loop of Cripple Creek, Colo. The rails come within
about a quarter of a mile of each other, and then make a circle of nearly five
miles. A passenger may get off the train, walk across the intervening
distance and catch the same train on its return from completing the loop.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> From a scenic standpoint alone the road is of
vast interest, but this was not the object of its being built. The iron
deposits of Potts Creek in Monroe and Craig, and the immense bodies of virgin
timber in this region were the prompting motives. The main part of the
iron area belongs to the Virginia Iron, Coal & Coke Co., and has been held
by this corporation for many years. The deposits are said to be among the
richest in the country, but for lack of transportation they have never been
worked to any extent except at the terminus of a Chesapeake & Ohio branch
which runs from Bessemer to within fourteen miles of the Norfolk & Western
branch. There are whole mountains of good grade iron ore in the locality,
and it is said that operations may be carried on at a very small expense, since
it is claimed that the ore can be literally quarried, and that there will be no
difficulty to use steam shovels to a good advantage. The ore being hauled
by the Chesapeake & Ohio is reduced at Lowmoor, and that which the Norfolk
& Western will handle will probably go to Pulaski.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> In addition to the iron there are big
stretches of timber tracts which will come into immediate commercial
importance. The officials say that construction work on the branch is
progressing very satisfactorily, and no doubt is expressed but that it will be
opened to traffic early in September.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> The party returned to Roanoke on No. 16 last
night.</DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=left>[<EM>Too bod most of us didn't have a chance to ride over this
line.</EM>]</DIV>
<DIV align=left> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Script size=6>Gordon
Hamilton</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>