The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-06-08
RAILROAD EXTENSION
New Era tor Portsmouth Begins With the
Construction Of Electric Railways.
THE BELT LINE A GREAT ENTERPRISE
'Ehe Penns5 avnn1n Acquiring u Foot.
hola-All Railroads OF, I,otI, hi,rcs
Of the River to Be Connected Ex.
tcnstvc Purchases Of water Front
improvements t pinner's point.

With yesterday commenced new era
III the business life Of Portsmouth, and
after many delays the work Of giving
portsmouth an electric street RAILWAY
was commenced. The Port Norfolk rail-
way VIII give the people u first class line,
going through many OF the principal
streets, extending from the navy-yard
TO Port Norfolk and Primers Point, with
probable extension to West Norfolk
and Pig Point III the future. The pres
ent financial backing OF the road is suf-
hcient to carry out the purposes in
view. and President Fain, and, In fact.
all the officers Of the line, are business
men of energy and wealth and will build
the road promptly and in u manner that
will give satisfaction to all.
The Portsmouth street railway COM
pany Will commence in q week or ten
days the construction Of it's tracks and
Will traverse those pricipal streets that
will not be occupied by the Port Nor
folk railway.
The main stem Of this line will ex-
tend up High street TO Dillingham;, and
from Dillingham; will continue through
Brighton, with a spur down Duke street
to ELM avenue, in Prentis Place, to the
Catholic cemetery, to a place just above
Burton,s Point Oh the property OF the
portsmouth company, where q number
Of handsome residences will be erected
and q seaside resort and pleasure
ground with hotels, pavilions, and such
buildings as Will be necessary to make
this terminus favoritc resort for the
people of Portsmouth and vicinity, and
visitors. who during the summer are
hooking here on excursions to visit the
many interesting places In this section.
The owners Of this property, containing
over two thousand acres Of land, which
they have allowed to lay dormant for
many years, will with the construction
of this road commence to take active
steps to develop their property by hold
ing out inducements for the erection of
residences. building Of factories and
putting to commercial uses two miles
OF deep water front which they own
The immense buildings recently con
Structcd by the government for DOW
der magazines arc but a short distance
south, and the nucleus of a settlement
VIII no doubt he formed by the employees
or those works at that point also The
contract for the road has been signed
and he contractor will be here to-day
TO start preliminary arrangements for
the work.
The New York, Philadelphia and Nor
folk belt line, which is only the first
step taken by the Pennsylvania Rail-
road system TO get a start in the South
last week placed the contract for the
construction of two large warehouses at
Fort Norfolk, the contract for laying the
tracks that will encircle Portsmouth
and Berkeley, and which connect on the
Berkeley side with the Norfolk and West
ern and Norfolk and Southern railroads.
thereby making a complete circuit about
the three cities, connecting the Norfolk
and Carolina, Southern .Seaboard Air
Line, the Norfolk and Virginia Beach,
the Norfolk and Ocean View railroads,
all standard SuaGe roads with the two
mentioned above. The plans for tho
bridge across the Southern branch
shows 1t will be one OF the finest and
strongest in the South, While the car
barge about to be launched at Elizabeth
n. j. which contains four tracks. carry
ing tWenty-eight cars. an ientire train It
may he said. to ply from Port Norfolk to
Cape Charles. gives some idea OF the
magnitude of the plans fol. construction
about 10 be undertaken when it is
stated that three OF these bargcs are to
he constructed to be USED II the fcrria ee
across the bay These barges are in ad-
dition to the four double track barges
now employed in this service between
Norfolk. Portsmouth, and Cape Charles
and which only carry twelve cars each
The Southern railway is also prcpar-
ing plans for the construction of two
warehouses larger than those with
which they tried To do their business
during the past year and will try TO
have them completed before the fall
trade begins. This WIFI nccesstate
doubling their yard trackagc and entire
terminal facilities at this point These
improvements are enabling the land
companies to reap a harvest The pur-
chases made by the Norfolk and Carroll
ma railroad III the past two years in or
der to accommodate the Southern rail-
way, was about $4,000.
The Southern has since purchased
about $4,000 more. The water front
property purchased by the Pennsylya-
mia railroad at Port Norfolk and Pin
ner's Point cost $4,000. and their six
miles Of right of way has cost about
$4,000 more. The Improvement and
cost Of the construction Of the belt line
will aggregate about $3.50, 000
The Port Norfolk electric line will
be extended to Primers Point, and the
Portsmouth electric line will be extend
cd across SCOTS Creek, on Glasgow
street. and from there will run as near
Port Norfolk us possible, and from there
to Primers Point. Three NOTES.-THE,
Vernon, Frederick and Southern-now
dot the shore 1T these points, ana are
largely patroniZed by the employees OF
the different transportation companies
private families who enjoy the delightful
sea breezes Of Hampton Roads. and the
many visitors to that section both from
home and abroad.
While times are rather dull in the
navy yard, yet the Seaboard Air Line
shops and cotton factory are EMPLOYING
many hands, and the extension of the
street railway through Prentis Place
will aid in assisting the boom that sec
ton to our city is now enjoying for the
purchase of lois for residential I,,rpoeot,S