N&W in 1909--Bland county

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Bluefield Daily Telegraph
June 18, 1909

OUTLET FOR BLAND'S IRON AND TIMBER
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Contract Let for Building Railroad From Day, Virginia, to Rocky Gap
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EIGHT MILE EXTENSION OPENS RICH TERRITORY
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Agent for Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company En Route to Secure Option on Land and May Establish Large Operation
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DEPOSITS OF IRON SAID TO BE ALMOST INEXHAUSTIBLE
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        J. C. Honaker, of Rock [sic] 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.
    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 [Microfilm blurred.  Best interpretation shown.] 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.
    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.
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[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?]

Gordon Hamilton
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