Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-01-06
RAILROAD GOSSIP.
Contract for New C. & o. Steamer
Not Yet Awarded.
Fine Z. NJ. ca. Bundims-Ihoc 4. * o.
General Onice. Mt Richmond
Presidents Fink and lnsa,ls on
Outioo. for Futurc-No.o,.

The contract for the new Chesapeake
and Ohio steamer to ply between this
city and Newport News has not yet
been awarded. Mr.. w. S. Morris, SUI
Iperintendent Of motive power, has gone
to Boston in connection with the build
ing OF the new boat. 1t is probable
that the contract will be awarded to
r. T. Keough, the shipbufder OF that
city.
The Railroad Young Mems Christian
Association, of Clifton Forge. boasts of
having the third best building of the
kind in the United States. The library
is composed of about 1900 volumes.
and the membership is about 400. Sec
rotary S. d. Weeks and his assistant,
c. l.. Gilmore. are quite popular, and
are doing 4 most excellent work.
1t is possible that the general offices
of the Chesapeake and Ohio will not
be located in the Pace building. Rich
mond, from which they had to be re-
moved on account OF the fire there
Tuesday.
The lease OF the building expires on
the last day of the present month. 1t
has not been renewed. The company
has received offers of other buildings
for general offices from several own
ers. There have also been offers made
to erect a building for this purpose.
None OF these offers have been nc-
cepted, but it was officially stated yes
terday that the lease for another term
T1YfJt hot yet been signed. The official
referred to could not say that it would
be.
President Fink. of the Norfolk and
Western, and President Ingalls,. of the
Chesapeake and Ohio. have recently
given their opinions as to the outlook
for railroad traffic i'll 1900. President
Fink is quoted as follows:
Compared with the calendar year
1898. the gross earnings for 1899 will
show an increase of about IL per cent,
and The net earnings an increase of
about &c per cent, November and De
cember estimated. Local passenger
traffic increased about IL per cent.
| Such increase may be considered as one
Of the best indications OF the prosperi-
ty of the country traversed by the
road. About s625, 900 have been cXpend-
ed during the year for additional
equipment, and about S2.000.O00 will
probably be expended during 1900 for
the same purpose, contracts aggrcgat-
ing S1,50O,000 having already been
placed.
| 81 expect an increase In the volume
OF traffic and revenue during the next
year by reason of local developments
OF industrial enterprises, especially OF
the larger number of blast furnaces
that will be in operation during next
year. There will be twenty-t three new
furnaces in all in operation next year"
In his opinion President ingalls, says:
I'VE have bought for the Chesapeake
and Ohio and the Cleveland. Cincin-
natl. Chicago and ST. Louis lines some
thing like $4,000. 900 OF equipment about
20 per cent. OF which has been charged
up to operating expenses and the pay
! ment of the balance reserved for future
years. Just now indications point to q
| very large increase in tonnage and
revenue from local development. While
the proposed advance in rates will in
crease earnings, the chief gain for the
looming yea4-is-RaiHE- ta-hss=i i-tla=la=
cal business which will more than
counterbalance the increased cost of
operation. Generally speaking, the
outlook for the roads is decidedly good.
the past, the present prosperity is good
for three or four years"
S. F.. Magill has been appointed gen.
cral agent of the Georgia railroad at
| Atlanta.
Mr.. c. L. Ewing has been appointed
superintendent of the Knoxville division
of the Southern Railway, succeeding f.
X. Huger.
| The Mobile and Ohio Railroad Com,
pany has determined TO build 100
| freight cars at lis own shops at Whist
Ter, Ala. They will be of 1000 pounds
capacity.
| The Missouri. Kansas and Texas
| Railway Company has made arrange
ments TO secure 1,540 box cars and 100
coal cars from the American Car and
Foundry Company, of ST. Louis The
| order represents in value about ST.
| 100000, and Is to be furnished as soon
as possible.
According to the report OF the cor
| poration commission OF North Carolina.
the railroad mileage built during 1899
was los. The assessed valuation OF
railroads increased s10,7690 900. while
the railroad earnings amounted to
! Sl3, 254 900, an increase OF 81 800, 900 over
the preceding year.
Festival Of Epiphany.
To-day in the church calendar being