The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-07-14

ySeisS@& EG2fl-Ss g.SSsSft.N1lS A1sOsEJsS
tula;ists OF the West, ana many during
| the past fourSyears have loca ted In this
I Vicinity They are pleased wlthFsthc
| change, and the good reports they send
TO 81 their former. homes ARE &bringme,
Others. Here they find pleasant sur
roundlngs and u land protected from
the Western cyclones by the everlasting
hills or the Blue Ridge and the AlleEha-
mics. upon whose western walls the
storms beat in impotent fury. While
sections Of the coast farther South have
suffered at times from the West Indian
toraadoes, Norfolk and the surrounding
country has been safe. Storms from the
Gulf sweep UP the coast and are met
py%the strong barrier Of Cape Hatteras,
which says, $50 far. and no further
|! and are diverted to the East to waste
their; strength in old ocean. The de-
struction, Of crops in Norfolll's imme-
date section either from heat or cold
lSsagcnerallyss so nominal aS:,TIOt to be
taken into account by the agrfculturist,
whose seedtime and harvest con tinues
the year rounds l$ $3.50
400 a RAILROAD TERMIN AL. Is
Splendid as has been the growth Of
Norfolk in the past twelve years IN
population and trade, its development
as great railroad and transportation
terminal has been marvellous within that
time Great trunk liness with far-rea Oh.
ing connections, have put it in. quick
reach or the South and Southwest and
the West; for into and out Of. back and
forth. the vast and cumulative and in
crcasinS trade Of these sections flow.
a little more than twenty years ago two
short lines OF rail, not much exceeding
400 miles, was the sum total Of the rail-
road system that furnished a trade"
area to Norfolk. Now nearly $4,000
miles of steel rail connects this port
with the vast territory of the South.
the Southwest and West from the east
crn side OF the mississippi These great
trunk lines embrace the
Miles.
Norfolk and Western -. ........ ,525
The Southern System TIA
Louisville and Nashville System. 15S
Atlantic Coast Line ................ 1927
Chesapeake and Ohio ............ 927
Seaboard Air Line .................. 935
Atlantic and Danville .............. 2l5
New York, Philadelphia and Nor
lollI ..'........ .:.......... 200
Norfolk and Southern ...... 200
Total ........ ............. IT ,09l
Besides these roads. there are two
smaller lines, the Norfolk. Virginia
i'each and Southern and the Norfolk
Ocean View and Willoughby Spit roads.
All these roads arc soon to be connected
with a belt line. which will practically
encircle Norfolk. Portsmouth, Berkiey.
West and Port Norfolk and other con
tiGuous towns. This is promised within
year 1t will be constructed by the
New York Philadelphia and Norfolk
railway. When completed an enormous
convenience will result, rendering the
transfer of freight and passengers from
one line to the other of all the Railways
centerinG here less tedious, less eNpen-
Sive and more rapid.
With the rapid development Of Nor
folk as railroad terminal the growth
of the steamship transportation, for
eign and coaStWise, has kept pace. This
has been remarkably so with the regu-
lar freight lines Of ocean steamers to
! Europe. Less than three years ago there
were but two regular direct lines. Now
there are five ocean transportation lines,
whose vessels go to every port Of i'm
portancn in the world with their cargocs
| Of cotton. corn, coal. lumber, packing
| house products and miscellaneous stuff.
| Among these ports may he mentioned
| Liverpool, Hamburg. Rotterdam, Lon
don, Glasgow, Bristol. Leith Hull, Bel
| fast. Antwerp, Dublin, Amsterda m
Manchester. Havre and others. These
| lines are the Furness Line, the North
| American Transport company, the Bar
| Der Transatlantic and the United States
| Shipping company. During the year
| 1896 there cleared from this port SOL YES
sells, with tonnage of S05,110. The in
crease was marked, almost double over
| that OF $40 vessels, with a tonnage OF
iSl,739. And the present year will mark
a much greater increase. The value OF
| the articles exported during the year
| 1896, as computed from the Custom
house record reached a grand total of
Sl55l3.SG9, as follows
| Corn .,,,,,... a j-c