Another look at early road projects in Mercer County – BlueField Daily Telegraph

After the end of the civil war, the young state of Western Virginia has now taken over the maintenance of the road previously carried out by Virginia, almost without changing the laws

Road camps are often used by district surveyors for political rallies, as maintenance is neglected, leading to seasonal impassable roads.

In 1873, the legislation of West Virginia adopted a law allowing district courts to launch road contracts to the largest auction.

Also in 1873, the Chesapike and Ohio railway expanded to the New River Valley with a Hinton station, diverting much of the country’s trade to the east coast. Between Princeton and Hinton, a Turnpike was built with Caravans, using it using it to transport goods from the latter.

The drivers made Hinton’s trip for a day, but took two days to Princeton with busy wagons stopping in Mount Tali at night. When they reached Princeton, people gathered at H. Scott and the General Store to greet them and listen to Teamster’s bills for the outside world.

The mail was worn by a horse from Hinton and at noon every day people gathered in a small house near the Rh Bodell home, which serves as a post office. Former Soldier of Zacharia Confederation will open the bags and throw away the contents of a table and call someone who is a strong and clear reader from the crowd to announce the name of every addressee who will say “here” and threw the mail into his common area , where the friendly hands would get them to them

In the 1880s, Dan Braton began a 50-year-old career as a postal carrier who made a horse route between Princeton and Falls Mills, Washington, when he retired on his Monroe County Farm, he was one of the oldest postal carriers in the country.

The BlueField Post Station precedes the inclusion of the city. Pioneer Settlers protested, and they have to go six miles to Betel to receive their mail and on January 11, 1886, Hattie A. Hannah, who offered Bluefield as a settlement name by hanging shelves for posting mail. After two years, he was moved to the Princet Avenue Drinkard store near Norfolk and West Depot.

In July 1887-88, Bluefield’s postal revenue was $ 298.74. Just over 50 years later, 1938-39, it is $ 155,984.67. In addition to N&W, the mail was worn on a horse by Hinton, Fincastle, Washington, and a Star Mail route connecting Big Stone Gap and Fincastle.

Information about this column comes from the history of the Western Virginia Western Virginia Western Virginia, printed in the history of Mercer Mercer County for 2002.

Next week: More about Road Construction Reform

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