The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-07-03
The Atlantic and Pacific.

CHAIN FORNIED-A STRAIGHT SHOOT TO
THE CHESAPEAKE BAY-THE CHEsA-
PEAKE AND OHIO RAILWAY THE GREAT
INTERNATIONAL THOROUGHFARE.
We adverted last week to the pending
negotiations in Kentucky, for resumption
on the Big Sandy and Lexington railroad,
the completion of which will give the ne
cessary western outlet to the Chesapeake
and Ohio railroad. We are not familiar
with the precise nature of the differences
that existed between the authorities of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Company and the
counties in Kentucky through which the
road is chartered to pass. They grew out
OF transpirancies before the panic in 1873,
when the counties Of Clark, Montgomery,
Fayette, and the city of Lexington, KY,
subscribed to the capital stock Of this road,
and parties or party, acting for the Ches-
apeake and Ohio Company, also subscribed
for several millions of the stock. The pam
ic came on, work ON the road was suspend
ed, and the old Chesapeake and Ohio rail
road becoming insolvent, failed to meet its
obligations. The Kentucky people, taking
hasty and superficial view Of the matter,
concluded that it was bad faith and not
want Of ability on the part Of the railroad
company, that the road was not completed.
Suit was instituted by each of the counties
named and the city of Lexington for the
possession Of the road and the franchises, as
far as completed-we believe from Licking
ton to Mt. Sterling-with the control of the
charter through its entire distance. The
bad feeling existing in Kentucky against
the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad corpora
ton, because of its failure to finish the
work, did not abate with time, and it was
to remove misrepresentation, dismiss the
pending litigation and restore confidence
between the parties Immediately interested,
that negotiations were recently inaugurated
and have been finally consummated The
labor and diplomacy OF bringing about this
desirable and very important result was i'm
posed upon Gen. Echols, of this place, act
ing for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad,
as one Of its Directors, and for the people
of Kentucky, as friend of the improve
ment involved in the controversy. He has
given his time almost exclusively for the
past month to this subject,a q telegram to
his son last week informed us that all the
difficulties had been removed, and a mutual
acknowledgement at, and that the con-
Road would be Immediately commenced
We reproduce the conditions of the agree
ment as published last week, and which we
now have the assurance have been finally
ratified:
&c. P. Huntington, for the Chesapeake
and Ohio Railroad Company agrees to COM
plete this railroad from Mt. Sterling to Hum
tingtOn, at their own expense, within three
years from July /, 1879, and if not complet-
ed within that time, they are to turn the
road over to the Kentucky Board, and relin-
quish all claims whatever of stock, interest
or subscriptions, and let it alone. They
agree to commence work as soon as the
whole matter is legally arranged and settled,
and think they will have theroad completed
in' fifteen months. The Kentucky Board
relinquish all authority and control whatso-
ever in case the agreement is properly
signed and ratified, but the Kentucky
otOChUOlutlS Will uOlu Ullc1I SlOCh dllu udNC
that much control, as stockholders, in all
corporations. The Kentucky Board agrees
to withdraw the suit now pending for con-
troll OF the road, and agrees to put it all in
to the hands of the Chesapeake and Ohio
road: The conditions of this agreemen!
are: That the; County Courts of Fayette
Clark and Montgomery, and the City Coun.
Gil of Lexington agree to the withdrawal Of
the suit, and ratify the action of the Ken
lucky Board that the Huntington party
sign the agreement, and the Eastern Boart
fully indorse it.
Huntington & Co. will have absolute con
troll from Huntington to Lexington. They
have already put Gen. ST. John to work OIL
the survey. He will run over the old route
and il possible, improve it, and will carry
the survey forward at once"
The success of the negotiations, which
embrace results so vast and far-reaching
can not be over-estimated. The completion o
this important link in the connections of TIN
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad will give di
rect communication with the West andSoutl
West, and at once give continental impor
tance to this great improvement, linking thu
Pacific slope with the Atlantic, and unit
ing the western waters and the Chesapeake
Bay.
The consummation of the results we are
thus authorized to announce, has furthel
meaning than the opening Of the trade an(
traffic of the Western States to the Chesa
peake and Ohio Railroad. It means thai
this road is destined to become the grea
artery of communication between the Yves
and Pacific and the waters Of the Allan
tic, and that the circuitous route by way O
Richmond must be abandoned for the shor
cut from Hanover Junction to West Point
as the main channel for this continental in
tercourse. AS was stated by our CORES
pondent, SD. T.,s several weeks ago, fol
the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad to reacl
deep water it will necessitate the construc
ton of a road from Hanover Junction tt
West Point, distance of forty miles, fol
which charter was granted last year by
the Legislature, and thence to the Bay
thirty miles-agggregating seventy miles
while it is one hundred and sixty miles b.
way of Richmond to the Bay--the former :
straight shoot and the latter as crooked as ;
''ram's horn. ''"Thiss aving Of ninety miles
with the advantages Of a deep channel ant
straight course, and the carrying of thir(
more freight than the shallow channel o
the James will admit, would be reduction
of one-third the cost for shipping the pro
ducts of Virginia and the West to the grea
Eastern markets.
This direct connection with the waters o
the Atlantic at point available for the lar
gest sailing vessels at all seasons OF tn
year is essentially important, in view OF tn
rapidly developing iron trade along tn
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, as well a
the products of the West, which will b
commanded by the completion of the west
ern connection of this road. The vast coal
iron andlumberinterestso of Virginia andWes
Virginia, now in the infancy of their devel
Opment, and which mustreceive eXtraordina
~ stimulus from the recent action in Ken
lucky, will necessarily demand the speed
lest and cheapest channel to the Easter
markets and shipping ports. No mere loca