Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-11-18
The Surveyors and Graders arss
Now at Work.
PLANS ARE ALL COMPLETE.
About Twelve Miles of It Ready Tor Tie s
Track to BIO Laid Surveyor. win No
Hero In a Few Days From snow Haii
the Road viii be Extended In Almost :
Direc. Line to Deep water Harbor ana
Also From a Northern Rail Come otisa.
fNews and Observer

(NeWS ana observer. M
Raleigh, n. c.. Nov. 15.-Little has
been said about 1t In the newspapers,
but for several months a new railroad
has been crawling toward Raleigh.
1t is a road that means much for the
city, but more for eastern North Caro-
lima. 1t will take cur commerce In all
most straight line to the sea, and
will gather up and bring back the pro-
ducts of the fisheries. farms and for.
ests of the eastern counties.
Already twelve miles or the road
have been graded and civil engineers
are on their way here with the SUR
Veys- Work Will not cease until the
trains are running.
1t is of the Great Eastern hallway
that speak. More than a year ago the
general route was determined upon and
plans for construction OF the line were
made. During the past summer work
began. 1t started at Snow Hill in
Greene county and the surveyors and
graders worked toward Fremont. That
point has long been reached by the
surveyors, and the graders are almost
there. The surveyors started from
there Monday and are now on their
way to Raleigh. The graders will fol-
low them. followed in turn by the track
ICY Si . 4ioiH luOW I'LL.
The distance from Snow Hill to Free
mont is Is miles; from Fremont to Raj.
eigh is 10 miles. making IS miles in all
to lie built II you Will look at your
map you will find that straight rule
laid down from Raleigh to Snow Hill
will pass through the towns OF FREE
mont. Kenly. Archer, Lodge. Eureka
and Bull Head. You will also find that
the road passes through te most fer
tiie parts OF three counties.
But why does this road go to Snow
Hill? Is that to be permanent ter-
minus?
Not at all Its stop there will be tenn
pcrary, if indeed. 1t stops at all after
Its completion to Raleigh. Take your
map again trace q direct line from
Snow Hill to Greenville; thence down:
Tar River to Washington. and from
there to Pantego, on the Norfolk and
Southern railroad. at the head of Pungo;
Sound; thence through Hyde county,
south of MattamusSeet Lake. to Engel-
hard. There you strike deep water and
| n fine harbor M
The connection with the Norfolk and
Southern is however, the main point,.
fo.' the owners OF that line are thu
| builders of the new road. The Wander
bilt systems owns the Norfolk ana
! Southern and 1t Is the Vanderbilt sys-s
| tenn that is building the new road.
The plan was at first to extend tho
norfolk and Southern from Edenton TO
New Bern. by way of Washington, a.
distance of eighty miles. At New Bern
connection was to be made with the
Wilmington and New Bern railroad, a.
branch OF the Atlantic Coast Line.
which is eighty-eight miles long.
Thence the line was to run to George
town. s. c., distance OF about 1875
miles. From Georgetown an extensions
was to be run to Columbia and another
branch to Charleston.
This was not new proposition, but
1t Is the first time the Vanderbilt syS-
tenn has been connected with the build
ing OF line from Norfolk to Columbia.
About six years ago some Philadelphia
parties obtained Il charter for such 81
line. The line. or parts of It, was SUR
veved and some money was spent In;
the venture, but 1t never amounted to
anything. .a
Now 1t has failed again, partially on
account ef-the marshy nature OF the
country through which the proposed
line was TO run and the expense of
bridging the many water courses. Also
1t was found that by connecting with
the Coast Line at Fremont and the
Southern and Seaboard at Raleigh. it's
rev road would have more than
equal show for the business passing
over these lines and seeking a deep wa
ter terminus. Besides the Intervening
country is now the seat of great
timber industry and part of 1t is a. fine
farming section.
1t can be seen at glance that this
new line Is full! of promise and posSfs3
bility for Raleigh. Once II makes COM
nection with the Norfolk and SoutheruS
another direct line to the North and
East will have been established, for att
Norfolk connection will be made with
Philadelphia and New York via the
New York. Philadelphia and Norfolk.
The competitors OF the Vanderbilt
system in Eastern North Carolina fully
realize the Importance of this deal, and
they are fastening with all possibIel
speed with branch lines 70 Snow EIiIf.
that they may divert EASTERN going
traffic TO their roads. ~
The Coast Line's branch road. which
is being built by Henry Clark Bridgers
from Tarboro to Snow Hill, Is about
one third completed, and work on Il Is
being rushed with all possible speed
At the last meeting OF the directors
Of the Atlantic and North Carolina
Railroad a vote was taken in fayorScf
building q branch line from L.aGranxa
to Snow Hill Both the State and fiTjs
vate interest except the Tucker stocls.
voted for the proposition, and the routo
has been surveyed.
Snow Hill seems, therefore destineds
in the near future. to become great
railroad centre. and Raleigh is to have
third great competing system.
Verify. the future seems to have graftk
things in store for US. 80
-------------------- z IS iaSts