The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-02-05
Shenandoah Valley Railroad.

"A special correspondent Of the Baltimore
american, OF the 9th. writing from Phila-
delphia, gives some interesting statements
about the Shenandoah Valley Railroad. We
make copious extracts from the communl-
cation
The active demand for iron and iron ore
has given the Shenandoah Valley Railroad
s'boom'' which is carrying it rapidly for
ward to completion. 1t traverses a region
exceedingly rich in mineral deposits, and
from the Potomac river southwards to its
present terminus on the line OF the Chesa-
peake and Ohio Railroad there is scarcely
an interval of ten miles at which mine of
Iron ore could not be opened and profitably
worked. Four companies, organized for
the purpose Of mining iron ore and manu-
featuring iron, have applied to the Virginia
leg slature for charters, and at least three
of them intend locating on the line OF the
Shenandoah Valley Railroad.
From Shepherdstown, on the Potomac, to
Riserton, on the Shenandoah two miles
from Front Royal. the road is completed
and in. active operation. This division is AZ
miles in length. At Riverton a bridge is
bein & built across the Shenandoah near the
fork and from this point the road takes
the south fork, following Its course to the
Shenandoah Iron Works, in Page county.
The northern division from Shepherdstown
to Hagerstown) is under contract, and will
be completed during the coming summer.
The division extending from Riverton to the
Shenandoah Iron Works (about 50 miles
is now being graded, and in fact, for some
distance south of the Shenandoah the track
has been laid and construction train is bes
ing used, although the regular trains are
obliged to stop at Riverton, on account Of
the bridge not being completed.
The company has purchased II, 900 tons Of
iron and steel rails In Europe-S,000 tons
from English manufacturers and 900 tons
from Krupp's celebrated works at Hessen.
Prussia. OF the English rails, about 1900
tons have already been delivered at Balti-
more, and used 10 laying the track between
Shepherdstown and the forks of the Shen-
andoah. Each mile of track requires So
tons of rails. Some OF the English rails have
also been delivered at New York. 1t is prob
able that the remainder OF the English and
all the German rails will be delivered at
Baltimore. snd in fact, the construction
company would rather receive them there
than at any other port, because it is the
most convenient, and requires less transpor.
tation by land.
1t Is more than probable that the pro-
jectors Of the Shenandoah Valley Road
contemplate junction with the Atlantic
and Mississippi Road (Mahone's Consolida.
ted line) at Salem, some 80 miles south
west of Stanton, either by securing the un
finished extension OF the Valley Rpad or BY
hHildiug parallel road but nothing is sale
ab0ut tapping the main outlet OF the south
ern system of railroads at present, the pur-
pose being to reach the iron beds on the
south fork Of the Shenandoah at the ear liesl
day possible, and upon this object all The
resources OF the company are concentrated
Mr.. Mines, the president Of the company
has been manufacturing iron at the Shenan
doad works ever since the close OF the war
and such are the facilities for making char.
coal iron in this region and SO excellent /!
the quality OF the ore, that he was able t
keep his furnaces in blast during the lonI
period of business depression, when the irol
industry in other parts OF the country wa
utterly paralyzed. When the water was 81
low that the iron could not be fioated dow
the river in sorrows, 1t was hauled twely
miles in wagons to the Valley railroad, at
cost Of IS ton, and still there must hav
been small margin Of profit, although thu
price Of iron was SO low that nearly all tn
furnaces in Pennsylvania went out Of blast
because it cost more to make ton than
would bring in market.
The money used In building this road l
derived from. twoi sources namely, from
subscriptions to the capital stock made b.
the counties through which 1t runs, an
from the sale of bonds secured by frs
mortgage on the road, and bearing sevel
per cent. interest. The aggregate sub
seription of the counties was s625,000, TO
which bonds were issued, and sold from tim
to time, as the money was needed. From
1870 to 1879 the progress of the road wa
slow, and the counties were not called on t
pay up except as the road was graded with
In their respective boundaries.
The company is authorized to issue bond
to the amount Of I, $780, 900 ($l5, 900 per mil
on 100 miles OF road) and a mortgage to sc
cure the same has been executed, and is re
corded in each OF the counties throug
which the road passes. From the rapidif
with which the road is being built there seem
to be no lack of money. Three fine locomc
tives are now on the road. two of them havin
recently been sent from the Baldwin works
in this city.