Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-23
lating strains, resistance, &C., turn gray
haired from horror.
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lating strains. resistance, &C., turn gray
haired from horror.
FRESH START FOR THE OHIO
About 1850 surveys had been made for
the Covington and Ohio railroad, which
was to extend from COYington 20 the
mouth of the Big Sandy river and the
State had undertaken To build the I'M
provement. warm controversy sprang
up as to whether the road should go
through Monroe or Greenbrier county,
which was finally decided in favor Of the
latter route, aud up to the breaking out OF
the war the State had expended about
S3, 500. 900 in grading the line.
After the war the State was unable TO
proceed with the work and appointed
commissioner. West Virginia taking slml-
lar action, to contract with any rella-
bic parties who would build the road Oh the
grades and curves that had been already
Established. When negotiations in several
directions had failed it was finally agreed
in 1868 that the Virginia Central should
undertake the construction OF the ROAD,
and its name should be changed to the
Chesapeake and Ohio. Work was pushed
on the line between Covington and the
White Sulphur, the rails having been pre-
yiouslv laid between Jackson-Riyer
Depot and Covington, and subsequently
Coils F. Huntington and associates LOOK
hold of the enterprise and carried II
through, reaching the Ohio in 1872.
EASTWARD EXTENSION.
In the mean while, however. the road
was also extending eastward. In 1878 tine
Church Hill tunnel was completed and in
1881 fine Peninsula division was finished TO
Newport News, thus connecting the waters
of the Chesapeake and those OF the ONO
river by an iron band. c,---.,-.
and Ohio exhibits some of the boldest ex-
amples of engineering on this continent.
Much of the heaviest and most dlhcuit
work on il in the way of grading, tunnel
ling. and cuts was done before the I'M
proved facilities or the present day were
known. In addition to Kuper and Crozet,
prevIously mentioned, such engineers
as Colonel II. ID. Whitcomb, Captain
n n Talcott. Colonel Henry L. Doug
lass. Major G. NJ. Bolton, James Bolton,
Major Conway II. Howard, Major, X.
III. Temple, David Ruifner. and others
have carved their names III the Turner'S
through which it runs and on the rocks OF
the mountain sides II mugs .nd Solonedi
Whitcoub entered the service OF the ROAD
in 1s49 as assistant engineer, was made
chief-enpineer in 1856, and served IN that
conaelty until 1874. The successive presl-
dents of the road have been Edmund on
taine Williams G.. Wickham, q. L. hunt
ington, and NJ. L. ingalls,.
THE JANEs-RIyER DIVISION.
Tho above is a brief sketch Of the his
torv az the main stem of the Chesapeake
and Ohio. but no less important part OF
the svsteIn and part with no less inter-
estino history is the Jhmes-klver dlgislon,
extending from Richmond 70 Clhton
Forge with branch line up North 10, riYer 70
classic Lexington, the seat OF the Washlng-
TON and lee University. the Virginia Mill
farv Institute, aud the burial-plaee OF
Robert r.. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.
The lanes River division Is the material
ization of another dream OF reachlng gi tno
Ohio. though that dream as II originally
took shaoe in the minds OF the Nrf,lnla
economists way back IN the thirties eVh- tL-
templated grand waterway between the
Ohio and deep water at klchmoh1. iRus R
division is an evolution demanded py the
ese from the old James River and kanawha
canal. which in turn was development OF
the James River canal.
WARRINGTON ITS PRESIDENT.
Tho latser had its birth in the last GEN.
turv. It's first president was George Wesh-
int,fon and il extended from Richmond 10
the Nine-Mile LOCK. Eariy. in the thrtles
The scheme was conceived OF widening ana
deenenine the canal and extending u 70
the Ohio river. and its name was changed
to the Janes-Riyer and Kanawna eanai;
The work was diligently prosecuted, ana
az the breaking out of the war the exsen-
sion ~ oI had been made as far as Lexington on
North river and Buchanan on the l,!,s Jarnes, iss
and numerous dams had, bsen 1l oul1t r.,,,e ne-
tween the latter place and Oniton noi'''
ExoIsKERs AND orTIcEHs.
The engineering on the James-hiyer aaa
ua.a,vhs canal was in many respects no
less bold than that on TIE chesapssRe; a., I; aa M
ONO road. and among those 20 wnqn 1 ,. aste- -
n,a;ne a lasting monument may pc s ins q
!,eaaa Charles Elicit, Walter Gwynn, tn-
ssoI worS lorraine. James A. Harris, waiter =.
Turpin. aud others .,.. os ,he c,,n-
Lno .. Il q. Cabell. w. B. Chittenden,
Walter Wait 6wynn, John X, Mason, Thomas y u
Fills. Charles Carrington, aud John w
'gIDi rhs xieissitudes Of the war and sutse-
ouent frsehets depreciated terribly .n9
canal canal pronerty and after Q long light io5
rshsbilitatien Il was In March. 1851 s'a