The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-11-11
NO. SO
Reaching for the Gulf.

ihere have been frequent intimationS
OF late that the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road Company will at an early day extend
It's lines and connections to far Southern
! points. These reports are not confined to
Baltimore, but are prevalent in Philadel-
phia and New York, and there seems to be
q widespread impression that the Balti-
more and Ohio has some such scheme in
contemplation This would be a matter
OF great interest to the public and one on
which they would like to be earnestly in
formed. But they will never be enlight-
ened through Baltimore and Ohio chan
nels, at least until the railroad is ready to
put it's plans into execution, OF indeed has
actually done so.
The Baltimore and Ohio divulges moth
ing. There is nothing then left but spec
ulation. Why should the Baltimore and
Ohio not be DESTROYS Of extending its
power in that direction? The officials are
ambitious and are playing big game.
Flushed with success in reaching Phila-
delphla and New York. and being re-
Warded as they are with large and in
efeasing passenger and freight traffic, it
does not seem strange that their corporate
eye may be squirting in the direction of
Southern trade
one of the first Of these reports was that
the Valley branch was shortly to be ex-
tended south, the extension to be begun
within S0days, and the road to be pushed
through to Birmingham, A Ia, at an early
date. It was also said that Mr. Garrett
had secured the necessary funds to extend
the Valley branch south to Pensacola.
Fla, the route to be over the old line
direct into Salem, Va, via Buchanan
thence south to the famous Cranberry
iron mines of Ncrth Carolina, Birming-
ham. Ala. Dalton, Ga, and to Pensacola.
Fla. The object was said to be to get an
open and direct route to the Gulf of Mex
leo, which is now blocked to the Baltimore
and Ohio by the Richmond and Danville
syndicate. The new line was to be COM
pleted inside OF two years, and was to have
all the Northern iron traffic of Birming-
ham, Ala, ,.orth to the Eastern market.
Following this was another report that
the Baltimore and Ohio would control the
East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia,
which was supposedly another scheme for
Southern outlet. The only reply made
by First Vice President Samuel Spencer
to the inquiry of q newspaper man in re-
gard to these rumors was that he preferred
to say nothing at this time A more re-
cent statement is that the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company has concluded
passenger and freight arrangements which
gives it through line from New York to
New Orleans. 1t is also said that W. FL.
Trego, general manager of the Baltimore
and Ohio Express, accompanied by his pri
vate secretary, Mr.. SaYidge, and corps
OF clerks, would leave tomorrow for the
purpose Of extending the Baltimore and
Ohio express system and opening offices at
all Important points along the new lire.
50 many ramors quickly following each
other and all tending to the same thing
coupled wits great ACTIVITY in the work
shops Of tile company, make it appear that
where there is SO nueh sal6Ee there must
be some fire. OF coarse, it Was pgs
of absolute impossibihty 10 obtain VI
of information at the Central Bdilding
yesterday MI. Garrett and Mr. Spencer
were both absent and nothing was known
by The other officials. Mr.. Trego said in
repl5 10 several inquiries regarding the
express extension that he was not on the
witness stand, and subsequently said that
the report was 80! irlse ard that he had no
idea of going q Mes Orleans unless he
went TO The Mardi GraS
1t has been stated that the company had
purchased lhe aIaa;aattal Hotel on Broad
way fer it's New York Offices This could
not b. verifed.-Beztjmore Herald.