Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1871-01-14
OUR RAILROAD.
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cOntnulUg our eAHacS from 1eneTal her |
man Haup,'s late official Report in ref.
srence TO our Railroad,
Speaking Of the interests 10 be Gevel.
oped by our road anu its objective points.
be Gays:
The determination Of objective points
through which the line of the Shenando-
oh Valley road should be extended. is SO
dePenden. upon the objects to be attained
IN Its construction, that discussion Of The
relative merits Of proposed routes must be
preceded by statement Of interests to be
promoted aud The resources 10 be devel-
oped.
The first consideration 10 which refer
ence will be made 10 the through business.
The valleys extending from the Shenan-
dosh TO Knoxville and Chattanooga, al.
ford the most direct routes which The to-
Biography OF the country will ever permi,
between Philadelphia, New York, and
other cities of The northeast. and Mem.
phis, New Orleans. and other cities Of The
southwest. With these routes will be
directly connected the Southern Pacific
Railroad, the construction Of which is on
lyi question Of time. Knoxville and
Chattanooga are almos, in The drec, line
Of ihese great Toutes,snG no necessity ex-
lists for The extension OF Your line 10 Chat
mnoogs. vas originally proposed, if as d..
rec, through line can be reached by
striking existing roads east of tina, point.
The Virginia and Tennessee Railroad
terminates at Bristol, but at Lynchburg
there is . break Of gauge, the roads north
OF that point having the Pennsy vania
gauge OF four feet eight and half inches.
and all west Of that point. the Tennessee
gauge Of FIVE feet. extending the entire
distance to Memphis and New Orleans.
From BTi.tul, on the Virginia and Ten
nessee line. the consolidated line Of the
East Tennessee, Virginia aud Georgia
Railroad extends TO Chattanooga, but al
Russelvlle, the line coming cas-, makes q
detOur 10 the south. losing between that
pon. and Bristol about 20 miles over an
cir line.
This circumstance indicates point at
or near Russelvle as proper point OF
connection for an air line route. provided
the East Tennessee. Virginia and Geor-
gls Railroad Company will agree TO carry
passengers and freighls a, the same rate
per mile that may be charged on your
road.
To ascertain the views Of this Com
pany. ! visited Knoxville. and i'll lie sb-
sence OF the President and Vice President
received The most gratifying assurances
from Major X. G. Jackson. the intelligent
Superintendent Of the road. who i. also
one Of The largest stockholders. tina, all
chat We desired would be most cheerfully
accorded, and al whatever rate your Com.
pany might be disposed to receipt freight
or passengers. their Company would car
~ al The same rate per mile.
was also gratlhed 10 learn from Major
Jackson, that the very route which midi
Gated TO him IS one which | had found
entirely practicable, was that which be
had drawn upon his maps a. the best
possible air lire between New York and
New Orleans, but feared that engineering
difficulties would prevent its construction.
These considerations indicate very clear
ly the western terminus Of your line
should be at or near Russelville.
Some Of the various source Of income
upon which our road may depend for the
remuneration Of its stockholders are refer
red to in detail, as follows:
oyPsuA.
place gypsum foremost in importance
for the large tonnage that IL will afford and
the fac, that i. " i'll furnish Loading in both
directions The gypsum deposit IS
unique and extraordinary 1t extends Tor
10 miles slorg the valley Of The Holster,
snd varies in breadth from 80 ieei 10
fourth Of mile. Its depth is unknown,
A shaft sunk in The upper part Of the bed
Eas carried TO depth Of $50 feet without
reaching the bottom. A single acre "lIi
furnish $500 tons for each foot IN dep'h.
or over TWO millions OF tons 10 each acre
OF $50 feet depth. The quality is supe'
rior 10 tina. from any other locality
There are no other beds Of gypsum IN the
United STATES. except a small amount IN
northern New York. sufficient only for
locsl uses. and some in Michigan end the
far west.
AT present the charge for gypsum is ex-
cessive, and iIs consumption consequently
limited. ~as informed that the price
charged at Ss,ville was s. per ton, al
though it can be qusrried aud put upon
the cars for less than so cents. The
price Tor gypsum on care. al The banks.
never should exceed 50, and a! $3.50
would afford more than dollar per ton
profit. have not yet been able 10 pro-
cure statistics oil the consumption of gyp.
sun in the United States, but II is the
opinion OF weIl.informed parties tina, It's
use would be increased more than five
fold If the pr ce al the places "f consumP-
ton we're reduced oneh half. Gypsum IS
worth from FIVE TO eight dollars per ton al
the ses board. Taking the lowest rates
and adding transportation westward at
cent, per ton per mile. the Nova Scotia
gypsum would cost at Stanton. in the
Shenandoah valley. as an average point.
87.72.
Allowing 81 so OF cars at the Rypsm
banks, the distance to Stanton being 1875
miles, would make The cost. delivered al
q A N al,