<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.18783">
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tunga>Bluefield Daily Telegraph<BR>December 7,
1909</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT size=5>TRACK LAYING ON GULF NEARS
COMPLETION</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT size=5>Many Coal Companies Ready to Begin Shipping Over
Virginian</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT size=4><STRONG>C. & O. FINISHING ITS LINE TO
PEMBERTON</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center><STRONG>------</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV align=center><STRONG>Rate at Which Work is Being Pushed Indicates That
New Branch Will be Ready for Traffic by First of February</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=center><STRONG>OPENING NEW MINES IN THE THACKER
FIELD</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=left> The Virginian Railway
has nearly completed the laying of steel on its Winding Gulf branch and already
about 125 men are employed ballasting up the track so that the road can be used
in a short time. The following companies are getting ready to commence
operations as soon as the railroad can haul the coal:</DIV>
<DIV align=left> Gulf-Smokeless Company, owned and operated
by Tams and White Brothers and Sam Dixon. This company is now
shipping three cars per day.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> M. White Coal Company, owned and operated by
the Glen-White Company.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> Bailey Wood Coal Company.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> M??tjp?m Coal Company</DIV>
<DIV align=left> Gulf Coal Company, owned and operated by the
S. J. Patterson interests.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> Winding Gulf Colliery Company owned and
operated by the Justin and Jalrus Collins interests.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> Pemberton Coal Company, operated by the
Phillips interests of Ashland.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> The Sullivan Coal Company operated by the Dr.
Wood interests.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> The people who are to open up the Stone Creek
coal are waiting for the railroad to get there, and as soon as this is ready
work on these operations will be commenced. E. M. Keatley of Charleston
and W. B. Honaker, of Montcalm are among those who will? get in on the Stone
Creek.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> The Chesapeake and Ohio is finishing its line
from Pemberton to Tommy's Creek, and judging from the rate at which the work is
being pushed the road will be in condition to accept shipments by the first of
February. The Virginian has got into such shape that it is more than
likely that the company will be able to run passenger trains up the Winding
Gulf by the first of January and it is possible trains will be run before that
time.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> The Mullens Banking Company with a capital of
$50,000 will open for business on the first of January. The company has a
new bank building which has been erected at a cost of $10,000. For a small
town the banking house is a fine one and will be a credit to the town.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> In the Thacker field the Red Jacket Coal
Corporation is making preparations to open a new mine above Red Jacket.
The plant will be known as Red Jacket, jr., and will be located about two miles
above the present operations. At the present times the company is building
a railroad up to their plant. Ties are being put down and at the present
time twenty-five or thirty houses are finished so that the concern may have
homes for its employes when work is commenced.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> The Glen Alum Coal Company is erecting a coal
tipple at its Glen Alum plant. The tipple will be one of the best in he
field and will be capable of loading a large number of cars daily.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> The Thacker Fuel Company is making a new
opening at a mine to be known at the New Thacker Mine. The concern is
about three-quarters of a mile above the present operation. The coal to be
reached is the same as that mined by the company at the present time.</DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=left>[<EM>Some of the names and their initials were blurred on the
microfilm so the best interpretations are shown. Corrections are
solicited.</EM>]</DIV>
<DIV align=left> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=6 face=Script>Gordon
Hamilton</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>