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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tunga>Bluefield Daily Telegraph<BR>April 5,
1910</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT size=5>LONDON BANKS HAVE MONEY TO SPEND</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT size=5>$2,500,000 to $5,000,000 Ready to Put Into Any
Proposition That Will Pay</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT size=4>INTEREST IN PROPOSED TROLLEY LINE
REVIVED</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=center><STRONG>Forty Mile System Connecting All Coalfield Towns and
Extending to This City and Princeton Might Prove Attractive</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=center><STRONG>RAILROAD TO HINTON VIA PRINCETON ALSO
SUGGESTED</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=left> Grimsley & Company have received a letter
from a large London, England, firm in which that concern asks for openings in
this section which would net it a return on an investment of from $2,500,000 to
$5,000,000 which they are willing to put into some railroad proposition.
The concern claims to have a capital of one million dollars. R. C.
Grimsley said yesterday that his firm will give a prize of $250 to any one who
will map out a line which would interest the concern and which would be
acceptable to them.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> Such a proposition again revives the proposed
trolley line which was spoken of in these columns over a year ago. It was
proposed to build a line from Bluefield to Welch which would strike all the coal
field towns and which should pay a large return on the original
investment.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> The proposed line would be in the
neighborhood of forty miles and according to a prominent financier of this
section it would take about two millions of dollars to construct it and put it
in shape to carry passengers. Such a [trolley] road would be convenient to
nearly every coal mine in the Pocahontas and Welch sections as well as to the
works on the Tug Fork which embrace all of the United States Coal and Coke
Company plants. The only part of the line which would be without immediate
return would be the part between this city and Pocahontas. There is a
stretch about twelve miles which might not pay on the start but the traffic
which it would take to and from this city would more than pay, although the
local traffic along the line between these points would be light.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> After leaving Pocahontas the road would have
towns of several hundred people every few miles and there is no reason why it
should not be a big paying investment. In fact, all are agreed that such
is the case and the investors of this section would largely subscribe to such a
line, as it would be of great assistance to everyone along the route.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> Such a road would go from the country seat of
Mercer county to the county seat of McDowell county passing through the most
populous sections of both counties. It would also pass through a part of
Virginia and would tap Pocahontas, which is one of the best small towns in the
southwestern part of Virginia. It would also connect with the towns
located in the Crane Creek and Widemouth branches, bringing Bramwell and some of
the mining towns into close connection with the mines of all the sections in the
field.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> Another proposition which the company might
take up would be to build a steam railroad to Princeton where it would strike
the Brush Creek, which it could follow to the Bluestone and along this river to
New River and from there into Hinton.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> Such a line would tap the Norfolk and
Western, the Virginian and the Chesapeake and Ohio railroads. It would be
a great connecting link and in addition to passing through some excellent timber
land would also pass through a great natural salt field. A branch line
could be built up Camp Creek which would tap the coalfields in the Great Flat
Top Mountain. Such a road could develop by education of the shippers a
great freight traffic as well as a very good passenger service. It would
strike Bluefield, Princeton and Hinton, three division points on three great
coal roads. Hinton as division point on the Chesapeake and Ohio has
freight which it could send to Princeton and vice versa, as Princeton is the
main point of the Virginian. Princeton is the seat of Mercer county, in
which Bluefield is located, and there is all kinds of business waiting for
development in which both of these towns are interested. Such a road would
open Mercer county and join its two railroads. This county is bound to be
the greatest county in the state as far as business, outside of coal mining, in
concerned. It has large supplies of the best coal in the world, however,
as well as salt, timber and iron. It also has some water power and is
close to the New River which has as good water power as can be found in the
state. If the trolley proposition should prove feasible it would be
possible to locate a central power plant at some point on the New River or below
Bluefield. Three or four sub-stations could be erected throughout
the field at which electricity could be relayed from the main station so that
the plant could be operated at a minimum cost. The company could also sell
a great deal of electricity along its line, as all of the coal companies are
large users.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> The letter addressed to Grimsley &
Company evidently shows that the London bankers have money to invest in this
section and if they are looking for a railroad proposition and really have
$5,000,000 to invest, Bluefielders should go after it tooth and toe nail.
The company wants to finance the proposition if it is feasible and will,
according to its letter consider a proposition which will stand investigation
and which is strictly first-class. If the chamber of commerce has a
committee which can find something first-class of this company to invest its
$5,000,000 it is time to get busy. The correspondence in the matter can be
found at the offices of Grimsley & Company.</DIV>
<DIV align=center>-----</DIV>
<DIV align=left>[<EM>Although it is intriguing to imagine a trolley line serving
the coalfield and a steam road Bluefield to Princeton to Hinton, it is
likely that neither would have lasted very long.</EM>]</DIV>
<DIV align=left> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=6 face=Script>Gordon
Hamilton</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>