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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tunga>Bluefield Daily Telegraph<BR>December 8,
1909</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT size=5>WHICH WILL FIRST GET INTO BUCHANAN?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT size=5>Three Railroads Struggling for Entrance to Rich
Undeveloped County</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=center><STRONG><FONT size=4>COAL LANDS QUIETLY BEING GOBBLED
UP</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=center><STRONG>One Route That Might Appeal to Virginian Might Bring
That Road to This City With Big Yards in South Bluefield</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=center><STRONG>STEEL CORPORATION MAY BE INTERESTED IN NEW
FIELD</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=left> </DIV>
<DIV align=left> It was learned yesterday that the fight which
is going on in Buchanan county between the rival companies is for the control of
land. Quietly a number of men have been going over the country acquiring
coal lands similar to the methods which were adopted in the Pocahontas
field. The plan is for the various companies to hold as much land as
possible and then to lease the land to operators who will work the various
seams. At the present time about a dozen companies own land in the
county. Some are local companies while others are made up of men from
Richmond, New York, Boston and many other cities. When it comes down to
the final work of leasing the land it will be found that the best part of it is
owned by people who are at present interested financially in the development of
the section in and about Russell and Wise counties. The Northern Coal and
Coke Company also owns considerable land while the greater part of the balance
is divided up into ten and twenty thousand acre plots. What interest the
Steel Corporation has in the land is not known, but it is the policy of that
company to always have its men on the ground where valuable iron and coal
deposits are to be found. The Norfolk and Western and the Virginian and
the Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio are planning projected lines into
that section, but which will get there first is the question. The Norfolk
and Western has the advantage on account of being able to get into the territory
through Toms Creek, Bradshaw, Boissevain or Knox Creek. It also has the
better opportunity to get into Russell through the Dry Fork branch.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> The Carolina Clinchfield and Ohio can
get in through Dante, which would necessitate building a long tunnel, or
through Dumps Creek, while the Virginian can get to the coal from Rock and along
Laurel Creek or from Narrows or Ingleside as has been suggested. The
Narrows route looks good as by the purchase of the New River, Holston and
Western, a route is already laid out as far as Rocky Gap. From there a
good grade can be had along Nye Cove, past Round mountain with its iron
deposits, over to Gratton and into Tazewell Courthouse [<EM>Later the town of
Tazewell.</EM>]. If this route is taken large timber tracts of chestnut,
hemlock, tan bark, oak and other valuable timbers in addition to iron can be
passed through while on the way to the coal in the southwest.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> Such a road might strike Bluefield and with
the bottom land to be found in South Bluefield sufficient room could be had for
handling the product for eastward shipments. It would also be
possible to locate a by-product plant in Bluefield and with iron close by there
is no reason why Bluefield should not become a great commercial centre.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> If there is any possibility of getting
another railroad, the local chamber of commerce should appoint a committee to
take the matter up and see what can be accomplished.</DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=6 face=Script>Gordon
Hamilton</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>