Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1883-12-27
CHICAGO, NORFOLK AND WASHING
TON AIR LINE,
From the Cincinnati Inquirer

Last spring q special party, composed Of
Danish and English capitalists representing
$3.50, 100000, arrived at Baltimore, and after
having completed arrangements set out for
Norfolk and points along Chesapeake bay,
with view of determining the advisabilty
Of building an air line between Chicago and
the coast The English own considerable
real estate in Virginia and North Carolina,
mostly mineral and forest lands. At Chca-
go both Danish and English people have n
large amount of capital invested, both in
real estate and business The idea was to
erect large grain elevators at Newport
News or a poiut opposite Hampton roads,
but the Chesapeake and Ohio and Norfolk
and Western people prevented this move,
they having immense elevators ut those
seapOrts
At last ii was determined to locate Mt Nor.
folk and build All airline between thercanl
Chicago, with branches to Washington and
Richmond, and to this end matters are lln
der way. Among the surveys made the
one selected is almost an airline route he
tween the terminals. The road leaving
| Chicago takes a south-eastcrly course, pass
NY llIOuSu IL. way lil'l.,
Ohio, Parkersburg, w. Va, Slaunton and
Petersburg. Va, thence to Norfolk. The
branch lines TO Richmond and Washington
| will leave the main line at Petersburg, and
another branch will be built from ParEcrS-
burg, w. Va, direct to Washington. The
profile of the line isnow being made in Phil
adephia, preparatory to letting the work
! The Offices of the company will he at Wal
nut place, Philadelphia until She road is
| complete, when the general Offices will be
| located AT Chicago. 1t Is the intention OF
those interested to make Norfolk an ex-
port point, aud the company will build
large grain elevators there and improve the
harbor.
The road connecting Lake Michigan and
| Atlantic Ocean by Il direct line must open a
| new field for manufacturers and shippers,
as it will be the shortest road to the sea,
and open up traffic between Norfolk aud
Chicago that has heretofore gone to Balti-
more, New York and Philadelphia.
The object of the harbor Improvement is
to divert the grain and other export trade
from New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore
and no doubt will, at least TO considerable
extent. The Danes are represented by Mr.
Ferdinand Hanson and the English by
VIM. Affair." both of whom are well known in
New York. 1t is intended to have preimi-
naries arranged so that the line will be let
for contract by April of next year.
This is not line mapped out on paper
or Wildcat scheme created by land or
mineral spectators, but an enterprise long
under consideration by men of means, and
the enterprise will doubtless be a success
OF the proposed line, however, the Hunting
ton interests speak adversely. One of its
agents recently said ''The line would not
be built, as it could not be sustained, and
that the country could not support such"a
road at the present: besides, Huntington
had the trade in hand, and would hold it,"
Such an opinion, however, is merely the
thought of one opposed to rival line. The
same was said of the Cincinnati Southern
when it was first proposed to build the road
and now those who were then loud, in de-
nouncing the scheme, are first in praising
the enterprise. With $4,000 GEO capital
and such men as are represented in the
scheme there can be no doubt as to its sue
cess.