The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-07-14

WT1tlng up newport news auu tue OutSu
peake and Ohio line, and it gives lengthy
account OF the plans and prospects Of the
road. This account says that TO com
plete the shortest practicable line not only
from the coal fields in Hooking Valley,
but from Detroit and Toledo to Richmond,
and by the extension 10 Newport News to
Chesapeake bay. The distances will be as
Mile.
Detroit TO Toledo. .................... SO
Toledo 10 Columbus. '''''''''Izs
Logan 10 Gahpolis 10. and w. Val ...'..'..''.' 90
GalIipolIs 10 CharestOwn (extensionl..... -. 6s
Chariestown to Richmond
To,al....................................72s 72s
Newport News is place famous in his
tory. 1t was opposite this place, on the 0tf
of March, 1872, that the great naval battle
was fought between the United States yes
sells Congress, Cumberland, Minnesota, and
St. Lawrence, and the Confederate iron
clad Merrimac, the steamers Patrick Henry
and jamestown, and two or three small
punboats. The Cumberland, as almost
every one knows, was run into and sunk DY
the Merrimac, a great number OF her officers
and crew going down with her. When
the tide is coming in or going out, ripples
are seen over the spot where the wreck yet
lies. 1t was near here that the Congress
was run ashore, disabled, and, after her
surrender, burned. The Federal batterle;
at Newport News also took some part in the
fight. The night after this battle the Monl'
tor came into Hampton Roads. and the next
day there occurred within sight OF Newport
News the famous battle between the Moni-
tor and the Merrmac.
After giving a history OF the origin and
progress OF the Newport News line, the cor
respondent continues:
The road which Is to connect Richmond
with Newport News is to be known as the
Peninsula Extension Of the Chesapeake and
Ohio railroad. After leaving Richmond it
passes sOutheasterly, crossing the Chicka-
hOminy river and following the course OF
this stream TO a place known as Burnt
Ordinary. Here the road leaves the river
and proceeds to Williamsburg. 1t is
stated as fact that the people OF
Williamsburg were opposed to any
railroad passing through their town be-
cause they did not want any OF their streets
cut uD. Even now the road does not pass
as close 10 Williamsburg as il should do.
The line then continues about southeast
erly, following the boundary OF Warwick
county to Newport News. For eleven
a.
the road is a tangent, perfectly straight.
! The length will be about seventy.four miles
while the stage road is nlnety-siX miles.
There are ten miles graded out from Rich
moud and fifteen from Newport News, with
partial grading nearly along the entire line in
sections OF mile or q mile and a half long.
Track-laying from the Newport News end
has already commenced. and by the end OF
this week the work will be fully under way,
when at least bali or three quarters Of mile
OF track will be laid daily. The work will
be completed by the first OF October. 1t is
intended TO build at once spur-line to
Yorktown. This will branch off from the
road at a point about twenty miles above
Newport News. 1t will be a temporary
affair, being INTENDED for the Centennial
business. After this is over it will be aban.
doned. A line is also in contemplation to
Old Point.
No satisfactory idea OF the vastness OF
the improvements which are planned for
Newport News can be had without per-
sonal inspection Of the place. 1t is buster
to- day than at any time in its history. A
force Of 800 men, which Is to be Immediate
~ increased TO 500. is at work. The sOnor-
ous blows Of the pile drivers, mingled with
the sound of the hammer and saw, TesOund
during the day. Over 800 tons OF railroad
iron are lying on the shore Just back Of the
bulkhead, and it will not be long before the
shrlI whistle OF locomotive will be added
10 the other evidences Of progress.
Nearly one million OF dollars has already
been expended on Improvements, exclusive
OF the amount paid for the land. Mr.. NJ
NJ. Wait, one of the resident engineers, has
alone signed vouchers for drafts for over
bali million OF dollars. What will be eX-
pended before the plans are completely car
ried out cannot be stated eXac'ly. 1t will
be several millions Of dollars.
The first thing that would strike the visi-
tors eye upon reaching Newport News is
the large pier or wharf that is almost finished.
This pier is 700 feet long by l32 feet wide,
and is larger than any in New York harbOr.
Ii is built upon $500 piles, the-iargest OF
which were q little over one hundred feet
long and twenty-five inches thick at the
butt. None were less than seyenty.fye or
eighty feet. Ii was the original intention to
run tue piers out 900 feet, but the water was
found to be too deep. A glance at the work
shows It's sOlidity. The timberS, iGstead OF
being spiked in the ordinary way, are all
bOlted.
Work has also been begun on the coal.
pile, which is considerably TO the north OF
the pier now built. twill be 5j feet wide
and 700 feet long. Coal shipments are ex-
pec.ed to be a feature OF this port. The
road passes the col!-basin OF West Virginia.
and bituminous, camel, and spint Goals Will
be the varieties handled,
The next pier to be constructed will be
that intended for the Old Dominion Steam
ship Company, which proposes to run a
daily line 10 New York. This pier is to be
$50 feet wide and the same length as the
Others. 1t will be covered with large and
substantial warehouses.
Then will follow one OF the most i'm
portant works of all-yiz., the building OF
pier for an elevator. The contracts for
building this elevator have almost all been
given out, and its erection will soon be
commenced. 1t will bave capacity Of
800, 900 bushels OF grain, and be an exact
counterpart Of the great Erie railroad eleya-
tor at Jersey City. This is not the largest
in the country, but is by far the most im.
proved and complete in all its appointments.
There Will apparently be no trouble in keep
ing it supplied. The road will tap the
grain fields Of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan,
Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa, Ne
braska, Kansas, and Minnesota, just as per-
fectIy as any other trunk line. The lumber
for this elevator has already been contracted
for and Il great deal OF II Is on the way to
New port News. One OF the Items OF the
contract Is 100000 feet OF spruce.
The lumber-pier will he the next con-
structed. This will be 100x700 feet. Large |
forests exist along the line clear into Ken
tucky, and large foreign trade is expected
for the lumber. The woods consist OF oak,
yellow poplar, black walnut, hickory,
cherry. buiternut, sycamore, pine, etc. IL