The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1897-03-25
SEAB0ARD AIR LINE.
IMPORTANT NORTHERN EXTENSION TO
BE MADE.
The New Road from Petersburg. Va,
to Ridgeway, N. c., Included in its
PIans-WilI Mean a Shorter Route
and Quicker Time to Washington
and New York.

anu We"
The Baltimore Manufacturers
Record Of last week referring to recent
developments in the Southern railroad
situation, says indicators would seem
to point TO the fact tia; the S.aboard
Air Line Is about 10 make important
extensions. The progress Of the plans
as outlined will be watched with in
terest. Continuing thtt ournai says:
At present the main line Of the Sea
boad runs from Portsmouth, Va TO
AtlautI, Ga, Wi h a Northern connec-
ton on the Chesapeake Bay between
Baltimore and Portsmouth through the
Baltimore Steam Packet Company. II
also has line from Charlotte 20 Will
mlngtOn, y. c., across that State. As
It has TO rely upon other roads for SER
vice 10 points beyond Atlanta and
North Of Weldon, n G.. In other
words, the Seab ard through trains to
Washington must be hauled over the
Atlantic Coast Line and Richmond,
fredericksburg & Potomac from Wei
dOn,.. while it has no solid trains North
Of Washington, as IS the case with the
Sou, herp, Atlantic Coast Line and the
Chesapeake & Ohio.
In last weeks issue the Manufue
fr,..e' Rs1oxI ref.rraJ ., ,ba C,ct ,b,,
the proposition of Mr.. De Witt Smith
and others to build the Virginia &
Carolina railroad from Petersburg to
Ridgeway, N. c., had been accepted
by the city Of Petersburg. 1t is under
stood that this line, which is to be
built by Mr.. Smith and his associates,
IS tor the extension Of the Seaboard
Air Line 10 Petersburg, which is bu,
twenty miles from Richmond. There
is project now under way to build a
standard guage road between the two
cities named.
The Richmond, Fredericksburg &
Potomac line is the most direct route
between Richmond and Quan,ico,
near Washington. The state of VIr-
ginia is Interested in this road in such
manner, ii is understood, that the
Seaboard All Line could obtain track
age ll5Et' on an equitable basis with
other companies. AS readers Of the
Record are aware, the Blltimore &
OHIO has completed a line down the
Virginia side OF the Potomac river to
Alexandria, and few miles of extern
sion would connect it with the termi-
nus of the Richmond, Fredericksburg
& Potomac at Quanllco.
1t is reported in New York that the
intention is to form direct route from
New York to Atlanta by the way OF
the Jersey Central, Philadelphia &
Reading, Baltimore & Ohio, Rich
mond, Fredericksburg 4 Potomac and
the Seaboard Air Line and its extern
slons. This weHld give the latter what
i, has long desired, an opportunity to
run solid trains from Jersey City to
the heart of the South, in addition to
its Northern connection with Baltimore
by water. In this connection the
Manufacturers Record has received
letter from a representative of Mr..
De Witt Smith, OF No. 50 B. oadway,
New York, who is representing a COM
pany which will construct the Virginia
4 Carolina road. The letter is as fol-
lows:
"Mr. Smith requests me to say that
while he has purchased from the city
OF Petersburg the Virginia & Carolina
Railroad, it is still premature to set
forth the details of his plans in connec-
ton with that property. Mr.. Smith
will proceed without delay with the
| construction Of the road from Peters
burg to point near Ridgeway, N. CO.
For the last year or SO, Mr. Thomas
+. Ryan, of New York, who is supposed
to represent a Northern corporation
has been making an effort to obtain
control of the Seaboard AIT Line,
through the purchase of stock and in
other ways. At one time it was an
nounced that he had succeeded ir
doing SO. The Manufacturers Rec
cru, however, learns on good authorit,
that within the last few weeks the syn.
dlcate which IS supporting Preslden,
X. T.. Hoffman, and which is compos
ed principally Of Baltmoreans inter.
ested in this line, has succeeded in Sc
curing enough of the stocks and bond.
OF the system TO permanently hold :.
beyond the possibility of a change
This would leave the Seaboard man.
agement free to engage in plans fol
extension and development.
1t will be remembered that the com.
pany has just negotiated an issue O.
$500, 900 in 5 per cent. bonds o.
which ST, 100000 is to refund an issue
OF s per cent. bonds on the Raleigh &
CASTOR Division now outstanding, and
$500, 900 is to be used for the i'm
proyements and betterments. Aud in
connection with the Petersburg project
this arrangement is significant. L
these plans are carried out, as inten
ded, the South will have another grea,
system direct to the principal Atlantic
coast cities OF ,hc North.
Nor is the Seaboard combining its
! plans to Northern extensions and con
neCtions alone. The Atlanta ConsH
tuition prints the following which vii
be of interest i. this connections:
The SeaboArd Air Line Will builC
an extension from Caeraw TO Colum
bia, 5. &. Between Cheraw
and Columbia the road would pass
through good territory. A, Colum
bla connection would be made with
the Florida Central and Peninsular
\ more direct route than that L
New Orleans will probably be found
This may be by Atlanta, a route which
/ wDuli olive, he Saaboor1 .La l>,,r \, ;,