The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-07-10
MORE ARoUrTgRE RAILROAD.
An interesting Interview with n
PrOmtneMI S;NntlG.nnn

{.H
An Interesting IntervIcw Win n
Pr0mtnent GentlcnnB.
DO you think there Is any foundation
tor me rumor now on the rounds that
.vso.iatiohs are now pending for the
tront property at Port Norfolk for a new
Taufstd enterprise. as outlined In The
Nirslnlan on Thursday?" was asked a
gentleman conversant with railroads,
on yesterday. l,t
certainly DO" he replied but Of
curse. lt Is a mere surn!se on my part"
What railroad do you think is most
likely To Gomez"
IT strikes me the Chesapeake and
Ohio are Oh the lookout for some prop
try on the water front where they can
,"nu their cars and connect With the
psl' inc. and where III the future.
should they decide to build from Rich
l,ond along the James river, they can
piace. their cars SO they can be dfStrib-
uted at all parts OF Norfolk ana Ports
mouth. and at the same time he acces-
sipie for the transfer of cars to and from
other lines
Some years ago the Chesapeake and
ono raniroad purchased over $500 600
worth OF property ut Town Point il
Nulioik' not that they needed this large
io' OF land, but because to secure au,,
MAKE available for their needs the de-
S'!ca water front, it was necessary to
puE considerable more high land than
t'4uttd Tic property purchased was
valuable for business purposes. and
r"ulu be disposed of at any time al
s""'' figures. This purchase simply gave
'HShl Wnart room, warehouse room ana
car SardaSe III Norfolk for local bust
ness. Norfolk, Portsmouth and lSerk-
icy are growing rapidly. and u grea;
hiuil| enterprises are obliged to lucu;e.
on the outskirts, rs there Is virtually
only one trunk line whose TRACKS cross
tns river 10 Norfolk, and that is The.
NofloiE and Western railroad. which ia
much business"
X is not known, but generally be-
heFed, that the new belt line viii moi
cross over the Norfolk ana Western
tracks on the Eastern Branch as first
Intended. but will have independent
tracks touching the Virginia Beach and
ocean View railroad and touching other
central points now not reached by the
Norfolk and Western railroad"
IL VIII thus be seen that by purchas-
ing alongside III" New York. Philadp,-
n!iia ard Norfolk railroad belt line the
chesapeake ana Ohio railroad can So
cure ali the water front and car yardagc
required at onc-tenth what the Norfolk
property now stands them. They Will
''''iii'' III position FOR 1lg
distribution and receiving of freight rs
the New York Philadelphia and Nor
irlk railroad. with a. nominal transfer
added, as. of course. all railroads using
The belt line Will lie placed on the same
footing
The chesapeake ana Ohio will pro
badly send all loaded cars via Port
Noifoik and use their Norfolk ware
house and wharves for less than carload
shipments. ana in all likelihood sell
their surplus land for some three or four
hundred thousand dollars and nave "A
more satisfactory terminal, which vii,
cost them less than half the money.
counting cost of land. tracks and other
necessities required at railroad tcrm;.
nails.
I'm this case also they avoid the evil
that the New York. PHILADELPHIA ana
Norfolk railroad wished TO correct. and
that Is harging cars 10 a. half dozen or
more terminals
The more ! study this matter the
mere am convinced that the ChcSa-
peake and Ohio railroad must make its
through car tcrmina! service at Port
Norfolk or Primers Point.
MY Impression was the New York.
philadelphia and Norfolk purchase a.
PlnnerS Point was for that purpose. bui
thc Southern railway has cncroached so
close 10 this property that It's absorption
hy them is but question of time.
u was certainly Il pity that the Nor
folk cotton merchants did not recognize
ne availability of property In that sec
ton for their cotton warehouses. hut /
hrmiy believe that they will come there
yet. The cotton warehouses erected hy
Hain " Bros. in Gorport is but an cy.
ample of attempts 10 diver; trade ana
business from points where Il will con.
ccntrate."
inc views expressed above appear
feasible and when an actual survey has
been made We feel sure there Is some
thing in the air
Nothing could he learned from the
Port Norfolk company.