Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-01-15
LOCAL.
Five Projected Railroads
ACTION OF THE STAUNTON CHAM
Der OF COMMERCE..

ACTION OF THE STAUNTON CHAM
BER OF COMMERCE..
There are five movements in this vicini-
ty having for their object the building OF
railroads through Augusta county. -Four
of these roads, it is proposed, shall pass
through Staunton. and the fifth is projected
to pass through Shendun, new town Oh
the border line of Rockingham and Angus
ia, about 20 miles North of Staunton. About
all five some practical steps have been taken.
The projected lines are:
First-A railroad, nine miles long, run
ming East from Staunton to point Oh the
Norfolk & Western Ry. at StuartS Draft,
in this county. In this important matter
the Staunton Chamber Of Commerce ap-
pointed committee to communicate with
the Norfolk Il Western Company. This
committee has obtained some valuable sta
tistics, some of them very surprising in
their character. For instance, it was as
certained that forty cars OF freight day
were received and sent off at Staunton by
the G. & o. and the B. & o. railroads.
That fact alone would seem to make this a
desirable point for the n. & w. to reach,
independent of the large passenger travel
it would capture. Mr.. 0. K. Lapham,
Chairman Of the committee, reported to the
Chamber Monday night that it had been
waiting for favorable opportunity, which
had now arrived, Of communicating with
the n. & W., and he thought it would have
something tangible and favorable to report
very soon.
Second-The Augusta, Highland & ALE
ghany Railroad. This is proposed to be
chiefly mineral and lumber road, forty
two miles long running Northwest from
Staunton to Monterey in Highland, over
the Staunton & Parkersburg turnpike
route, and to be only used at night leaving
the turnpike free for farmers use in the day
time. The projectors of this road have
already secured the assent of the Highland
county Super visors to right Of way over
the portion Of the turnpike in that county,
and the Augusta county Supervisors have
before them a similar application for the
right of way over that part of the pike in
Augusta.
Third-TbeC Chesapeake, Shendun & Wes-
tern Ry. This road is intended to get another
deep water outlet for the New River coal.
1t is proposed to start it from Kanawha
Falls on the G. & o. Ry., run through the
New River coal fields in Nicholas county,
w. Va.-their most N orthern point thence
through Pocahontas, Highland and Angus
ia through North River Gap; thence
over the Blue Ridge at Shendun, thence
to Orange G. H., where the Fredericksburg
& Orange Marrow Gauge Ry. can be used
to a point short distance West Of Freder
lcksburg There it will turn North Eas-
terly to point on the Potomac Oh South
Easterly to a point on the Y Ork River.
Among the corporators Of this road are
several Staunton men-Maj. Jed. Hotch-
kiss, Maj. II. M. Bell, Capt. r. H. Catlett
MI. M. E. Miller and others. A charter
has been applied for and the bill is now be-
fore the legislature. A survey of the gap
in the Blue Ridge at Shendun for the pas
sage of this road was made last year.
Fourth-The Atlantic Staunton & West
Virginia Railway. This is plan to build
a railroad which will give a deep water
outlet to a railroad system from West Viz
ginia which has for some time been looking
to Staunton. Among the corporators are
several Staunton men, Henry Hutchinson,
J. W. Bodley, o. K. Lapham, 1. Witt, P. H.
Trout, Reeves Gait, T. D. hanson and
others. Its minimum capital stock is $s50.-
600 and it's maximum SIS 100000, and the
company is to be organized when $4,000
has been subscribed. The bill chartering
this road has received the endorsement of
the Staunton Chamber of Commerce and is
now before the legislature. 1t is to COM
mence at some point on the York OF Poto-
mac rivers near Chesapeake Bay and go
West via Staunton to the West Virginia
line.
Fifth-A railway from Staunton to the
Davis OF Camden systems of roads at Oh
near Elkins, in Randolph Co., W. Va.
This road it is expected will be the extension
of the Atlantic, Staunton & West Virginia
Ry. from Staunton, Westward. The Staun-
ton Chamber of Commerce last year spent
$500 in having a reconnaissance of the route
made by Mr.. E. c. Vincent. The route
would 60 from Staunton through Angus
ia Through North River Cap to
Highland, Pendleton and Randolph, and
was gone over thoroughly by Nh. Vincent.
HE r,nb1i0 off oia
ly, is favorable one.
These are the lines of railroad which are
now projected in Augusta county and four
OF which are Of great Importance to Staun-
ton. 1t was to give its endorsement to the
fourth road, the Atlantic, Staunton &
West Virginia Ry., that the Staunton
Chamber of Commerce held meeting on
Monday night, presided over by it's Presi-
dent, Mr.. Henry Hutchinson. Among the
gentlemen present were Messrs. o. K. Lap
Trout, g. A. Gladke, Chas. f. Haines and
Others.
MI. O. K. Lapham explained the neces
sity of the building of the road. 1t was
not only necessary for the prosperity Of
Staunton, but for the benefit Of the great
coal consuming population of the country
for it would give competition in the mat
ter of coal. This road was to enter the
Davis coal fields OF West Virginia and
thereby give competition with the New
River coal fields. The Chesa ,eake, Shen.
dan & Western Ry. gave no relief in the
way of competition, for it runs to the same
great body of coal now pierced by the &. &
o. in the centre and the n orfolk & Western
have to DEFEND on Ole great coal field for