The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-01-09
Two Continents.

In view of its great Importance as growing
out OF the feeling that inspired the Pan Ameri-
can Congress, and of its gigantic proportions as
railway enterprise, the recently Incorporated
Columbia Railway and Navigation Company at
Richmond, Va, is likely to prove sensation in
commercial circles. The following explanation
OF the plan, as gained from parties directly in
terested, but who have heretofore refused to
give out any information for publication, ap
peared in the Wheeling htelligencer. 1t is au-
thoritative.
The purpose of the company is to construct
railroads in South America steamship lines con-
Meeting these railroads with points in the Uni
ted States, and incidentally everything neces
sary to properly carry on such business. The
company's capital is to be $l0l0O0,U00, and Col II.
z. Parsons, OF Virginia, is at the head of it,
Very shortly the other steps necessary to COM
plete the organization will be taken and at no
distant day the plans which have been carefully
matured by some Of the leading capitalists and
most practical railroad men Of this country will
be in readiness for application.
Briefly the aims of the Columbia Railroad and
Navigation Company are follows: TO con
struct a line of railroad from some point n ear
the mouth Of the Magdalena river which emp
ties into the Caribbean sea in the United States
of Columbia, southwardly along the eastern
flank OF the Andes and the head waters of the
Amazon to points in Peru there to connect with
the Peruvian and Argentinan system OF rail
roads at present in operation or under construc-
tion. From the mouth of the Magdalena river
steamships VIII be run to the southern point of
Florida and to New Orleans, from whence will
extend railroad connections to all parts of this
country.
The vastneSs of the enterprise contemplated
is thus apparent at moments glance. A con-
ces of all the continents in the world, and still
practically unknown, is to be opened up to the
purposes of commerce, immigration with the
rest of the world, and, best of ALL the direct and
lasting benefit Of these purposes accrues to these
United States, and especially to the Southern
States.
Col. III. c. Parsons, whose home is now at Nat
ural Bridge Va, but who was formerly resi-
dent of Charleston and Huntington, w. Va, is
the originator and contro ling spirit of the en-
terprse 1t is by no means the first difficult and
hazardous undertaking in the railroad line that
he has been engaged in, though the others
as nothing when compared to this He made
the contract with Coils P. Huntingdon for the
ChesaL cake and Ohio line from Coyington, KY,
to the Ohio river, constructed the Kanawha and
Ohio from Charleston to Point Pleasant in West
Virginia, and finally having purchased the right
and privileges Of the old James River and Ka-
nawha Canal Company, built the Richmond and
Allegheny Railroad from Richmond to Clifton
Forge Va, $50 miles in fourteen months, under
penalty Of $50O,0O0 For fifteen years Capt
Parsons has given the subject of a norta and
south line of railroad in South America his at
tention He has Travelled and Investigated, ex-
amined surveys of the country and collected in
formation until he has demonstrated the feast
bility Of his great project and at last brought it
to the point Of realization. In order to obtain a
more thorough organization and secure hear
tier cooperation incorporators have been
lected and will shortly be named in all the
Southern States. When this has been done and
the organization completed by the election of
officers, ETC., the subscription books will be
opened and the practical work of making sur
veys and estimates inaugurated at once.