The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-01-30
History OF The Road.

In 1895 the "LoEisa railroad" was pro-
iccted. and on February Is, 1886, it was inccr-
porated bv act Of the Legislature :" to run
from some point on the Richmond. Frede-
rjcksburg and Potomac railroad in the neigh
Dorhood OF Taylorsyille, passing BY or near
Louisa Courthouse to point in the county
of Orange near the eastern base OF the South
west mountains" with power '.to extend
the same to the town Of H@rrisonburg, In
the county Of Rockingham" the capital
.tock not TO exceed S300,CG0. Frederick
Harris. Esq, Of Louisa, was tile first preSi-
dent, and upon his resignation ION account
Of ili-hral,) lie vas succeeded by Charles
Y. kimbrough. also of Louisa, who held
the Office until 1915. With the exception OF
a short interval, during which it was filled
Nv John II. Tim5erlahe, Esq, OF Ashcmarlc,
Colonel Ia. FUnt:ine succeeded him, and
was the executive officer of the company
from thi, time until 1876. General W. 9.
Wick ham became president in that year, and
held the Office for one year, when Colonel
Fontainc WAS reirstated and was the incuin-
bent for two years, when General Wickham
was again elected, and continued president
uutil the organization Of the Chesapeake and
Ohio railroad, in september 1869, with Dir.
c. 2. Uuntin .ton as president and General
Wickham as yicc-presidcnt With charge OF
the road ard really the powers Of president,
Mr. Huntington maintaining mainly a supcI-
yisorv relation to the management.
We have not space for detailed report OF
the railroad war" which Colonel FontaiDe
had for years with the Richmond, Frcde.
ricksburg and Potomac railroad until lie at
last succeeded in securing y charter and eX-
tending bis road from Hanover Junction
TO Richmond. Nor can we now detail the
struggles through which the road passed
from the Louisa" Cunning from Rich
mond to Gordonsville) into the "Firsinla
Central" which was to pierce the mountains,
cross the Valley Of Virginia, and tap the
trade and travel of the great West.
When the road was to leave Gordonsvlle
there was great fight as to whether it
should cross the mountains TO Hirrisonbure
or 90 by Charlottesville and NockGsI Gap to
Staunton. Tie friends OF the latter route
triumphed, and there was perfected the
scheme of extending the Virginia Central TO
Coynoton, where it was to tap the CoyinS'
ton aud Ohio, to be built on State account
and with different gauge, the object being
to extend the canal TO CoviuSton and give
that chance TO compete with the railroad
Tor Tue TlCU IiuuS tc!st HSdiO AZ" pott
ways. ..r..
In all the legislation concerning this road
we find clauses aud proyisos intended tt
prevent It from injuring the canal; and the
location of the road from Saunt0n %est is
PERHAPS, not what it would have been bu
for these restrictions.
The original apitai stock Of the company
was gradually increased By acts Of the. Lc
gislature as the extension Of the road de
mandcd until it has reached the sum o
Sl3, 100000. It's maximum authorized CAPT
til i $50, 100000.
The road was completed 10 Louisa Court
house liz about 1910, to Gordonsviiie few
years later, to Staunton in 1857, and to Gov
ington in 1850.
The engineering skill displayed in tho 10
cation this road showed tho highest scien
tito attainment in those who had the
work In charge. For boldncss Of conception
it ia not exceeded by any similar work In chi,
country. But uponthis point ! will speal
more freely hereafter. and give in detail
some OF the obstacles which bad TO be over
esma by Colonel g. eressts Nr. G,B u. FsssJ