Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-12-18

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let possessed. would lie quite a
vn.3 hey 50 dit Then: a shreWG
railroad magnate--and railroad mag
mates are always shrewd. which ac-
counts for.sthem being railroad mag
nates-came down and looked at the
hamlet: and he Went away and said
nothing at all. Shortly after that sun
dry farmers at work in their fields saw
p and trios and quartettes Of
young men proving about the neigh
o"rhcod with lines and suspicious look
lns instruments: and they saw these
same proWlers writing upon sheets of
paper n putting their, heads together
IN confab at irregular intervals and
wandering abou all day in a way that
was. to say the least, exceedingly mys-
FERROUS.
AROUSED THEIR Suspicious.
And the farmers dropped their
implements of tillage. took seats on thei,
rail fences. looked on at the proceedings
ana SHOOK their heads obviously. When
ehev Went home at night they loaded
the shotgun that stood over in the cor
3er of tho best room and then canine
she bolts and fastenings on the doors
ana With unwonted care
ihere was a mighty digging up of the
.arthsin this vicinity some weeks afte,
u py gangs CT laborers. Some Of the
armers had sold portions of their lands
- eilal lhSS EeNc! dreamed OF re.
ewing. The sensation of the day wa,
he building of what was called tht
Eastern l'rarch' of the Chesapeake &
ihio Railroad. That was early in De.
'ember of 1850. The railroad folks hur.
led the work. There was nothing t.
oofte1d the immense coal shipping bus
ness Tshat subsequently bscame such
IN important factor in the transac.
IONS OF the corporation. but they want
q to reach Norfolk. and the growt'
snd development of the railroads af
airs in ether directions as Well. made.
ne construction of this branch desira.
'le. The work was pushed from bot,
nds at the same time, track being lai(
roln ltichniond while a big force way
lrnliarlS employed, starting from this.
point. H
NET AT BLOWS MILL. .
aEe TWO forces met and Joined the
ans ar the settlement known as Blows
niil. which has not been particular,
lstlnsuishe for anything since. TIL,
)ranch road was built at an ausp:cious
me. The centennial was being hell
II 1orktcWn that year: 50 thousands OF
'eople who came out of the West. an6
rom other parts. to see the big show
no 70 pug buttons that were off GeCrg,
N~ashlngton's coat, the epaulettes thai
ora CORVALLIS had worn and locks O.
air from the heads OF John Smith anC
~'ocahontas. Went away with the infor.
nation that the Chesapeake & Ohio had
treat facilities for the transportation OF
eight and passengers along the Pen
slsula. h railroad that does nothing
n a small scale lav!shed a good deal OF
:orey around these parts in a struct.
raj way and did it quickly. after enc.
;ettil!g started. The town was growing
Ike a six months old colt in the mean
me. The building Of the gigantic grain
'eNntcr followed upon the heels of the
rack laying and brought u big addition
, the population. 1t was a big day
round here when the e%xcavating ma
aines began to bore out the necessary
pace for the foundations to rest in
he men engaged on the work had "a
We in tents for a long time, because
very house within walking distance
as crowded. This was anything but
ftenscly funny for the men, as it was
2 he middle of Winter.
DWELLINGS ERECTED.
Pretty soon, however. the com
any had built several rows OF
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