The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-11-16

n
For over year number of leading
citizens of the oity have been consider
ing'the idea of building competing
line of railroad to connect with some
trunk line other than the Norfolk and
Western. A plan which for several
weeks has been under consideration by
number OF citizens culminsted last
night in the organization of construc.
tion company, which proposes to 90 to
WORT at once to build road to connect
either with the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad or the Chesapeake and Ohio
railroad In Botetourt county at a dis.
tance OF about thirty miles from Roam
oke.
| The name of the now company organ
lied last night, and for which charter
will be applied for to-day, Is the Roa-
noke Railway Construction COMPANY.
The officers for the first year, who were
| elected last night are:
President R. H. Woodruff, of Roa-
noke vice president, j. Fred Effinger,
OF Stauntoni secretary and treasurer,
j. w. Coon, of Roanoke. Board of
directors: James S. Simmons, Lucian
81. Cooke. M. A. Rife, R. 81 Woodrum
and M, Ii. Clayton, of Roanoke; Mosby
"a. Payne, Of Buchanan; e. Dillon, Of
Lexington, and j. Fred Efinger, of
Staunton.
The officers, as we'll as the other
gentlemen who were instrumental in
the organization OF the company, are
men of means, public spirit and enter.
prise. They believe in the success of
their plans and prophecy that within
| years time another great trunk line will
radiate from the Magic CITY.
The plan of operation which is to be
pursued by the company, briefly, is this:
Every citizen Of he city will be asked
to consider just how much this road
would be worth to him individually and
to subscribe that amount, which Is not
to be paid until the road is built and
actually in operation.
The gentlemen interested in this en-
terprise are assured that If sufficient
apoouptdssraised In this manner by the
citizens of this city that outside capital
will at once take hold of the matter and
unite in the speedy construction of this
road. the need of which Is greatly felt
by the business interests of Roanoke.
Appended is card from R. Fl. Wood
rum, the president of the Construction
Company:
ITO THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF
ROANOKE: You will see from the
columns of THE ROANOKE TIMES that
construction company was organized
last night, charter for which will be
secured to day, for the purpose Of con-
structing q railroad from the city of
Roanoke to some point in the county of
Botetourt to connect with the Chesa.
peake and Ohio railroad or the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad or possibly both. The
question has been under consideration
for several weeks, the principal effort
being to get a suitable president for the
construction company, but after ear
nestly soliciting several well-known
gentlemen who are eminently qualified
for the position and having them to de-
cline for reasons satisfactory to them
selves, have been prevailed upon to
und ertake the presidency of the com
pany with the hope and belief that the
construction of the road can be success
fully carried through.
"Allow me to state that it only re-
mains for the citizens of the city OF
| Roanoke to assist in building the road
to the extent OF their ability, and what
| they themselves will come to the con-
! clusion that they can afford to do. 1t is
not proposed to ask tho citizens of the
city OF Roanoke to pay any money on an
! experiment or to contribute to the want
OF experience of the construction com
| pany or its officers, but for each indi-
vidual to make up his mind what the
construction and operation of com
peting railroad would be worth to him,
and to come forward without delay and
agree in writing to give that much to
the construction company when the
railroad shall have been built and in
| operation.
81 say to you frankly that IL every
citizen in the city of Roanoke will do
this, in my opinion, the road will be
built and in operation inside of twelve
months. If each individual after COM
ing to the conclusion that the road will
be worth $1,000 to him individually,
and then propose to give 500, and keep
out OF the way as long as he can from
| giving that, then the road cam Ut be
built; but 1t is the duty of every citizen
who owns real estate in the city of
Roanoke or Is in business in the city to
come forward at once, say what the
road will be worth to him, built and in
operation, and agree to give that
amount when 1t is built and in opera.
ton, and not undertake to wait and see
| il some one else won't build the road for
his benefit
Owe must all stand together and do
our duty, and the road can be built. II
q sufficient amount can be secured in
this way payable when the road Is com.
| pleted, parties who are amply able 70
build the road can be found to furnish
the money and do the work upon the
promise in writing of the good citizens
OF the city OF Roanoke that they will
pay for 1t when done.
Hoping that you will all come forward
and in businesslike way aid the en-