Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-03-19
Railroad Talk.

Potomac have so far ripened that the
work has been started on the Virginia
side of the river. The railroad COM
pany could not secure the consent OF
Congress to construct bridge across
the Potomac within the limits of the
District Of Columbia, and the place at
which they now propose to cross the
Potomac is at a point near the upper
end of the Little Falls, known as High
Island. South of the river the road will
run along level stretch of land
through a tunnel: a quarter of mile in
length, and out at the banks of Pimmit
run, small branch emptying in the
Potomac river just east of the Chain
Bridge. The tracks will run along side
of this branch, crossing the Washington
and Ohio division of the Richmond and
Danville Railroad at Dunn Loring, and
thence to Fairfax Court House, and on
southwark to point not yet definitely
settled upon.
On the Maryland side Of the Potomac
the new road runs through government
property, to the Metropolitan branch
at Linden station. Already the Metro
politan branch has tracks running to
Chevy Chase.
Long ago the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad secured an entrance to George
town along the towpath of the canal,
and about two years ago trestle work
was constructed for about mile west
of the Aqueduct Bridge, when the work
suddenly ceased, and since that time
nothing has been done. 1t is now said
that this spur will be completed, the
tracks running along the towpath under
the Chain Bridge, and up to High
Island, where connections will be made
with the Southern branch.
The citizens of Georgetown believe
that by this connection that city will
be made the freight center of the short
cut.
The Baltimore and Ohio when it gets
across the Potomac at the Chain Bridge
will become the Metropolitan and West
ern. The charter for this road, which
passed the Virginia State legislature
Just before adjournment, was present.
ed by Representative Willard oil
Fairfax county.
In reference to this road Mr.. Willard
says: "Of course I do not know any
thing definitely about the plans of the
Baltimore and Ohio people and I can
only quote you the facts in regard
to the charters as they have come be-
fore the Legislature and the differences
that are drawn from them. The char
ter for the Metropolitan and Western
carries it from the point OF crossing the
Potomac to Fairfax, thence to Fairfax
Court House, then to Fairfax Station
where it crosses the line of the Rich
mond and Danville, and thence to some
point in Prince William county, pre-
sumably Quantico. That this line vii
be built do not doubt from reliable in
formation have received that the road
has the ight of way purchased through
out nearly its whole length. The char
ter of the Richmond and Manassas road
parallels the Richmond, Fredericksburg
and Potomac. AS a guarantee for the
construction of this line, the incorpora
tors of the Richmond and Manassa:
were required to post with the State
treasurer, 100000 in Virginia State
bonds. This amount is to be forfeited
to the State if the construction of the
road is not begun in one year and com.
pleted in five. Now, | cannot speak
officially for any Of the roads, but the
inference is very plain that the Rich
mond and Manassas people are not
building road from Richmond for the
sake of getting to Manassas. But thi:
line for some distance runs within
twenty miles of the proposed line of the
Metropolitan and Western, so that I'M
der the State railroad law, which allow:
any road to construct twenty-mile lat
eral branches, the Baltimore and Ohio
can tap the Richmond and Manassas
and thus get into Richmond. The pro
iected line of the Metropolitan and
Western or the Baltimore and Ohio will
run within the twenty-mile limit of the
Norfolk and Western at several points,
and it is possible that the Norfolk and
Western will secure link at some
point south of Fairfax that will enable
them to run over the Metropolitan and
Western tracks into Washington
The chartering Of the Richmond and
Manassas road is considered by the rail
road people of Virginia to be one of the
most important charters that has been
granted by the State for many years,
since it will form, in connection with
the Baltimore and Ohio, competing
line through the South with the Penn
sylvania system, and also, most likely
give the Norfolk and Western system a
Washington terminus. This can be &C
complished by tapping the Shenandoah
branch of the Norfolk and Western at
Berryville or some point further south,
and building over the mountains and
on to Fairfax Court House. Here con-
nections can be made with the new Bal
timore and Ohio line by which an en-
trance to this city can be gained either
over the Metropolitan Branch by way
of Linden or over the Georgetown spur.
By means of the proposed short connec-
tions with Washington the entrance to
Washington by the south will be lessen
ed about rs miles, or nearly two hours.
This would prove an easy solution of
the legislation problem which has so
far prevented the Norfolk and Western
from crossing the Potomac into the
District.
Last spring the Pennsylvania road
commenced the construction of the
Washington and Southern Division, IA
spur running from the Virginia end Of
the Long Bridge to Rosslyn. opposite
Georgetown, distance OF three miles.
When the work was given out the con-
tract stimulated that the road should be