Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1896-12-03
The Valley Railroad.

ton, Va, over the Baltimore and Ohio
will probably be terminated at mid
night next Monday. At that time the
Southern Railway will take charge oi
the Strasburg and Harrisonburg Rail
road, which has heretofore been oper-
ated as part of the Valley Division Of
the B. and O. under lease. The
Valley Railroad of Virginia, which
was built to bring to Baltimore the
trade of the Shenandoah Valley, by
this change will cease to have direct
connection with Baltimore.
Conferences have been held between
General Manager Greene, Of the Bal
timore and Ohio, and officials of the
Southern Railway witha view ofreach-
ing an agreement so that the through
train service from Baltimore to Lex
ington may be continued. 1t was pro-
posed by the Baltimore and Ohio to
pay for the use of the road under an
equitable mileage arrangement No
understanding, however, was reached,
and when the Southern takes charge
RaItimora and Ohio trains from Har-
per's Ferry will stop at Strasburg.
Here passenger and freight traffic will
have to be transferred to the Southern.
On the Valley road trains will come no
further than Harrisonburg, 49 miles
from Strasburg The Southern Railway
will use the road it acquires as part OF
its Washington and Strasburg line,
running through trains from Washing
ton to Harrisonburg, where connection
will be made with the Valley road.
When the Southern takes charge Of
the property it is thought that the
question of giving the B. & o. a mile
age arrangement will be again taken
up.
In the meantime plan to give the
Valley Road an outlet, which has been
proposed, may be adopted. This IN
cludes a traffic arrangement with the
Chesapeake and Western Railroad,
which strikes the Valley Road at Har-
risonburg and runs across the Valley
to Elktou, where it connects with the
Shenandoah Division of the Norfolk
and Western. This division connects
with the B. & O. at Shenandoah juno
ton.
An arrangement of this sort would
make a shorter route for Western busl-
ness but longer route on Eastern
business to and from points on the
Valley Road. 1t would besides take
from the B. & 0. a considerable haul
on all traffic carried and augment the
business Of the Norfolk and Western
and Chesapeake and Western.
The receivers of the B. and o. were
authorized by the United States Court
to surrender the Strasburg and Har-
risonburg Railroad to its owners
This action was taken because the road
was considered to be a burden to the
property owing to the heavy rental
charged and its small earning capacity
A saving of about 100000 a year, il
is estimated, will be made by the B
and 0. by not operating the line.
The Valley Division of the Balti.
more and Ohio, of which this road
formed part, extends from Harper
Ferry to Lexington. It is made up o
the Winchester and Potomac Railroad
from Harper's Ferry to Winchester
thirty-two miles, Winchester anc
Strasburg Railroad, fromWinchester t
Strasburg, twenty miles; Strasburt
and Harrisonburg Railroad, from
Strasburg to HarrisOnburg, forty-nln'
miles; Valley Railroad Harrisonburi
to Lexington, sixty-two miles. Tn
Winchester and Potomac and the Win
chester and Strasburg are also lease
to the Baltimore and Ohio. Owner
ship of stock and guaranty Of bond
gives the Baltimore and Ohio contro
of the Valley Road. The city Of Bal
timors owns 100000 of the stock O
the Valley Road, from which it ha
received no returns.-Sun.
(Which one of the Bills did you yot
Il a1,o,,I oIao4iop TTuol