Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 10, 1994 TAG: 9403100056
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Ray Reed
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A: Most of the licks were just south of Orange Avenue at Hollins Road, except for one that lay between Salem and Campbell avenues Southeast.
The city's new trash transfer station is on the site of the one known as Big Lick.
Lest anyone take the city to task for desecrating history, though, records tell us the Big Lick swamp was filled with dirt when a hill was leveled for the railroad shops around 1882.
After that, the Virginia Bridge Co. and successor steel mills used the site for almost 75 years, so nothing remains of the salt except tradition - it led woodland animals and Indians to the valley.
Settlers, railroads and an airline followed their trails and built Roanoke around a transportation heritage.
190 nations, approximately
Q: How many countries are there in the world? R.H., Roanoke
A: That's a trick question, said a cartographer at the National Geographic Society. The United Nations may have one list of independent nations, and the U.S. State Department may have another.
The National Geographic folks, whose interests are pretty much apolitical, put the number of countries at 190.
The newest nation, Eritrea, was formed out of Ethiopia in April 1993.
Also new on the map are the Czech Republic and Slovakia, established in January 1993.
The counting gets complicated in situations such as the one in South Africa, where there are four homelands. South Africa officially recognizes their independence, but no other authorities do.
Bridge needs sunny days
Q: Work on the bridge on U.S. 460 at the Roanoke-Montgomery county line is taking a long time, and even on pretty days they're not working on that bridge. Why not? D.L., Roanoke
A: Repairs have reached the stage where concrete is poured on the deck, and several days of good weather are needed. Crews managed to get two sections poured during the only week of February that it didn't rain or sleet, the Transportation Department said.
When the present two lanes are complete, crews will start on the other two. Work should go faster as the weather warms up, and be complete by summer.
Got a question about something that might affect other people, too? Something you've come across and wondered about? Give us a call at 981-3118. Maybe we can find the answer.
by CNB