Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-10-29
A NEW RAILROAD.

A letter from Harrisburg to the Rich
mond Dispatch says: Ore of the most
important railroad building operations
in the United States to day is going on
right here in old Rockingham. 1t is
important in many ways. The roads
construction is of the most substantial
character, and the men at the head of
the company that is building it, as well
as those composing the railroad COM
pany, are recognized everywhere as
among the foremost railroad builders
and operators in the country. And the
completion OF the Chesapeake and
Western system will be an important
event in the history of Virginia
and West Virginia. 1t means very
great deal for the two States. The
road, as planned, will run from Tide
water to the coal fields in West Vir-
ginia, and will pass through a Virginia
country great portion of its length,
rich in natural resources, and capable
of wonderful development. The many
advantages that will accrue to the
country that will be traversed by it
cannot be estimated. Not only this,
but it will be the shortest possible route
from east to west, and will become the
great highway of travel and commerce
from the centre of population to the ma
tion's capital.
Here, in Rockingham, where the road
is now building, we are daily witnesses
of the progress of this great work. a
little over four months ago ground was
broken, and since that time twenty
miles have been graded, with rails, laid
more than half that distance, and eight
additional miles of grading are now
under way. The rails are of the latest
pattern, and weight eighty pounds to
the yard-the heaviest rail, by the way,
ever put down by any road when it
was first built. Immense numbers of
these rails are piled up at this place
near the junction of the Chesapeake
and Western and Baltimore and Ohio,
and whole train loads are arriving over
the Baltimore aud Ohio at short inter-
walls, as the Chesapeake and Western
people are just now receiving ship
ment of 800 car loads.
The company has already two big en-
gines on its road here, and is running
construction trains.
The building of this read has poured
into old Rockingham thousands and
tens of thousand Of dollars, which has
gone into the pockets of our people for
labor, timber, and supplies, and the end
is not yet. The counties on our east
and west have caught the spirit ofpro-
gress, and almost every day delegations
from these counties come here to confer
with the railroad people and offer in
ducements for the road to come
their way. The counties of High
land and Pendleton, on the west,
and Greene, Madison, and Culpeper,
and the city of Fredericksburg, on the
east, have all sent representatives here
to see what is going on; and, so far as
your correspondent has heard, they all
return home delighted with what they
saw, and full of enthusiasm.
The commercial advantage that this
line of railway will give to the people
along the route can be seen readily.
As it is, the counties are inaccessible to
each other; but railroad crossing
them will open up communication, es.
tablish trade, and provea mutual bene-
fit. 1t will furnish this whole section
with cheaper coal, and give direct
southern and eastern outlet for the pro-
ducts of the soil.
While Rockingham does not want to
appear in boastful attitude, nor is she
seeking after vain glory, yet it was
through the action of her progressive
and enterprising citizens that this great
railroad, which promises SO much to
the two Virginiss, was started. Her
citizens subscribed S150,000 to the rail-
road, and the liberaity and progress
siveness on the part OF our people have
put on foot an enterprise that is at
tracing the attention of the whole
country. Therefore, she very natural
ly feels a great interest in the railroad,
and is more than gratifed that her sis
ter counties on her east and west are
coming so nobly to her aid in lalding
their encouragement to the enterprise
that she was instrumental in starting,
and one that will prove blessing to
all.