The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-11-10
The Richmond and Allegheny and
ChaSapaaka and Ohio Railways

INC ESlCumOnQ ana All0gnany ana
Chesapeake and Ohio Railways.
Hinton wv va.) correspondence of the Baltimore
Mnch interest is felt in this region now IN
the operations OF the Atlantic and North
western railroad. That interest has centered
here and at Hawks Nest, a point about So
miles below this, where the Chesapeake and
Ohio railroad crosses from the east to the west
bank of New river. From that place to the
mouth OF Greenbrier river, about two miles
above this town, where it empties into New
river, there is waging most interesting con-
test over the 60 miles for the right of wav
along the west bank OF the New river, between
the interest Of G. P. Huntington, of the Chesa.
peake and Ohio, and H. G. Parsons, of the At
lantic and Northw estern. The Chesapeake
and Ohio, coming west from Richmond, strikes
New river at the mouth of the Greenbrier, and
runs down the bank of New river about 60
miles, to Hawks Nest, where it crosses to the
west bank.
The Atlantic and Northwestern seeking a
western connection with the Central Ohio at
Corning, in Perry county, Ohio, the south
eastern terminus of that road, finds this sixty
odd miles of the way along the west bank of
New river disputed by the Huntington mani
agement, which has few months since secur-
ed a charter in the name of the Greenbrier
and New River railroad, and has purchased a
right of way along the west bank also for 81
miles through the lands of A. A. Lowe, i'll
Summers and Fayette counties.
The Parsons management claims to have
the prior right of way through all of the 81
miles, and to have secured the right to a track
nearly all the rest of the way to this point and
some 40 miles above, to the mouth OF Sinking
creek. Both homogeneous have force OIL
hands at work at Hawks Nest on the west
bank, the Chesapeake and Ohio next the river
while the Atlantic and Northwestern are above
them, annoying them by throwing their debris
from blasting &C., down upon their work
also the Atlantic and Northwestern claims
that at the gateways along the river cliffs
where only one track is possible, they have
the only right. The final result of this con-
fiict between two great railroad interests is
anxiously watched for, and whether it will be
settled by compromise or a law suit or a
backdown by one of the parties, is an inter
esting question.
The stake played for is a great one. From
the mouth of Craig's creek, on James river,
on the completed line of the Richmond and
Allegheny road to Pearisburg, in Giles county,
on New river, are the richest iron mountains
yet discovered in all this region, and from the
mouth of Greenbrier. On New river, all down
the western bank to Hawks Nest the wealth
the proposed track of the Atlantic and North
western Company. The road will begin on
the Richmond and Allegheny railroad at the
mouth of Craig's creek, in Botetourt county,
follow the creek up to point where it will be
on a level with Sinking creek which flows
west on the opposite side of the mountain,
tunnel the mountain 1 miles to the bed OF
Sinking creek, follow it down to New river,
then down the west bank to Hawks Nest,
where it will cross to the opposite side, as the
Chesapeake and Ohio occupies the side from
that point down to Charleston. From this
point then it will take the opposite side OF
Ohio 0ia Charleston to Point Pleasant. The
rights of way along this route have been
largely secured and the owners already paid
for their land, and large force of hands is at
work between Charleston and PIT Pleasant.
The village of Corning, the terminus, is in
Berry county, Ohio, SO miles northeast of
Pomorey, the southern terminus of the Cen
trail Ohio, and the Atlantic and Northwestern
will thus secure connection with the Central
Ohio, and then, with one terminus at Toledo,
on Lake Erie, in the heart of the grain region.
and the other, by the Richmond and Alegha-
ny, at Richmond, nearly eight hundred miles
distant, at tidewater, crossing every great
road leading from the North to the South, and
every one in the Atlantic and Middle States
leading from the East to the West, and passing
through the richest coal, iron and lumber
lands in the country, it will furnish another
powerful link to bind together the sections Of
this great country.
Major George McKendree, of the Kanawha
Construction Company accompanied by able
counsel, has just come to this town, establish
ed his headquarters, and initiated active ope
rat1ons all along this portion of the line. 1t is
thought by those who are in a stu ton to be
well informed that the whole line will be COM
pleted in two years, and that when connection
is formed between the Central Ohio and the
Richmond and Allegheny the three roads will
be consolidated under one name and manage
MOI