The news & observer., 1897-08-18

the Pennsylvania made when they paral-
leled the New York Central and West
Shore, would seriously interfere with the
profits resulting from Mr.. Morgan's eX-
h:bition of the freak railroads which
comprise the bulk of the Southern Rail
way system.
Ever since the Pennsylvania with
drew from the West Shore, and the
INanderhilts abandoned the South Penn
enterprise there has been an armed neu-
trality between the Pennsylvania Rail
road and the Vanderbilt-Morgan roads,
but the latter interest has recently been
invading the formers territory by manip-
ulating the roads that are interested IL
the anthracite coal traffic. This peace
with a spiked helmet has been disturbed
by Mr. Morgan's beforc-noted aggres-
sons, and the Pennsylvania Railroad is
preparing to strike back, and to strike
hard. Naturally it will be a Fitzsimmons
jab at Mr. Morgan's railroad property
and it will be at the Southern that 1t
will be aimed.
For this purpose they are strengthen
ing the Coast Line ,and the Coast Line
is making quiet but effectual oyertnres
for an alliance with the Seaboard. This
last statement may be demcd, puJ IL II
true notwithstH nding."
TO VIRGINIA COAL FIELDS.
Another new railway enterprise that
means much to North Carolina is the
Stone Mountain Railroad.
! 1t was chartered by the last Leglsla-
ture and it was proposed to build line
| from Roaring River, in Wilkes county,
| TO Stone Mountain, in Mcdowell county
! "a distance of twenty miles. Since that
! time foreign capitalists have become in
| terested in the enterprise and now it is
proposed to extend the road on about 80
miles further to Abingdon, Va.
There it will tap the Norfolk and Wes-
/ tern and strike the West Virginia coal
fields, which are only thirty miles from
Abingdon.
This would bring coal within 200 miles
of Winston, as the crow flies, and short
en- the distance from North Carolina
points to Cincinnati, Chicago and other
/ western markets by 100 miles or more
In addition to giving the South a direct
short line west this road would open
up some of the richest mineral timber,
agricultural and grazing lands in the
South The natural resources of ALE
ghany, Ashe and Watauga counties, in
North Carolina; Washington and Gray
son counties, in Virginia, and Johnston
county, in Tennessee, through which
this road passes, are not surpassed in
NIL the Blue Ridge section Most Of the
finest iron ore in these three States are
along the line of this road, and it will
give a short ana quick route to Chicago
for the cattle raised in the Western part
Of North Carolina.
1t is expected that work will begin
upon the road this fall. Already Mr.. G.
". HinShaw the president, is in com
munication with the penitentiary with
Il view to getting 200 conyicts to do the
grading. There is 1912 miles Of the
proposed route at the Abingdon end al
ready graded, and can be completed at
small cost.
The officers of the company are G.. w.
Hinshaw, of Winston, president; J. f.
Stagg. of Durham, vice-president, and
Col. ii. l.. Smith, of Norfolk, treasurer.
CARTHAGE Il. r. EXTENSION.
Two miles and a half of the Carthage
Railroad extension has already been
graded" said Mr.. w. c. Petty, the
president of the road, who was here
yesterday. Il expect to begin laying
iron by September 1st. We have about
/ l23 convicts at work and the extension
is to be S15 miles The 21h miles of this
already graded is over the toughest and
worst mart of tho -