The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-03-19
SEABOARD AIR LINE PLANS

For Important Extensions-T Build from
R~ideewny to Richm"nd-To Reach New
Orleans and Form Part OF . Trans-Con.
tinental System.
New York Mail and Express. 1eth.)
The dispatch from Petersburg, Va.
published Wednesday. stating that the
common council of that city had de-
cided to transfer TO De Witt Smith and
associates its interest in the Virginia
and Carolina railroad. on condition that
they would complete the line. is the
first public intiInation OF the elaborate
plans OF extension which the Seaboard
Air Line ave been ~perfecting during
the past six months. The completion OF
the Virginia and Carolina road, which
Is now something more or less than a
charter for the construction OF a line
between Richmond. Va, and Ridgeway,
y. C. is the initial step in the plans
Of that for directly reaching
on the north Washington City and on
the south New Orlean The Seaboard
Air Line mas virtually been shut out
of through car service between this
city and New Orleans. but IL proposes
TO extend its road SO that there viii
be three southern parallel lines in
stead OF two between the northern and
southern capitals, and TO accomplish
that end President Hoffman and the
directors OF that have been
quietly at work for several monts.
The Seaboard Air Line extends from
Portsmouth, Va, to Atlanta. one of its
main points is Weldon. y. c.. and from
! that city. by reason OF a traffic ar
rangement with the Atlantic Coast
Line, its trains TO Washington are
sent over the latter's tracks. The pro-
posed northern extension is to be built
from Ridgeway to Richmond, a dis
Iance of 124 miles, and the charter OF
the old Virginia and Carolina road.
which saw service before the war, and
which is graded for twenty miles, is
to be used to complete that part Of
the system of extensions now decided
upon by the Seaboard Air Line. But
the company is not going to do it's own
building. A construction
which was recently formed in this
city. and OF the personnel OF which
General James S. Negley is one and
De Witt Smith, OF this city. who Sc
cured the city of P~etersburg's interest
in the Virginia and Carolina charter,
another, will begin the work OF Guild
ing the line within the next thirty
days, and upon its completion it will
be leased in perpetuity by the Sea-
board Air Line. Authority to that end
has already been given by the directors
of the railroad company to its mana
gers, and it is expected that the line
will be ready for operation within six
months after it has been started. From
Weldon, N. c.. to Richmo the road
will parallel the Atlantic Coast Line,
and at the latter point the James Riv-
err will have to be bridged and termi-
nails secured. The Atlantic Coast Line
owns the bridge it uses over the James
river, and that connects with the
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Poto-
mas railroad, which runs nOrthWard
for eighty miles to Quantico. The Sea
board Air Line recently secured OPP
tons on property at Manchester and
Richmond, and these will be convert
ed into depot and freight yard facili-
ties.
After securing it's own line into Rich
mOnd, the Seaboard Air Line will eX-
perience little or no trouble in effect
ing a traffic alliance with the Rich
mOnd, Fredericksburg and Potomac
Company for the haul OF its trains to
Quantico. The state OF Virginia has a
controlling vote in all questions con-
fronting that property, and there is
little likelihood that, as that company
now hauls Seaboard trains yer its
line, it will decline to accede to de-
mands for further facilities in the
event of increased business.
The late MOncure Robinson, of
Philadelphia, who played a conspic-
uou part in the collapse of the negoti-
dlloIIS lol III vi III oIdboh ~
property to Thoma F. Ryan, of this
city, was a director in the Richmond,
Fredericksburg and Potomac road by
reason of large family holdings of the
stock. 1t was thought hat his death
would work serious injury to the am
, billions and plans of the Hoffman man
agement, but the fact is that the pres
ent control of the property is in such
shape as to warrant the prosecution OF
the same, and it is now said the Fred
ericksburg p will offer every
facility whenever the Richmond ex-
tension of the eaboa is completed
The refusal of the Pennsylvania to
grant through car service to the Sea
BOARD to this city has party caused the
latter to conceive plans which
have now developed into extensions. I,
has been a serious obstacle in the Sea
boards northward business, but that
trouble the Seaboard's management
Xpect to remove when its trains, like
those of the Atlantic Coast Line, are
delivered to the Pennsylvania at Guam
ticO. 1t will then be virtually knocking
at the door Of the Pennsylvania, and
the privileges in the shape OF specia