The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-03-13
AIR LINE ROAD
TO TIDEWATER
New Outlet for the West
Virginia Coal Fields.
MILLIONS BACK OF IT.
Belmont and Stokes Will Finance the
New Venture in Railroad World.
TWO HUNDRED MILES SAVED.
The Proposed Road Will Penetrate an Undo.
yelopcd Section OF Virginia and Cat
Down the Hauls- Thousands
OF Acres OF Land Sc.
cured by the Syn.
TWO HUNDRED MILES SAVED.

new outlet has been found for the
coal field of Western Virginia and Of
West Virginia, and road that will OK
lend across the Old Dominion and a por-
tion of West Virginia has been deter
mined.
This new road mas the millions of the
well known banking houses of
Belmont & Co and Stokes & Co. behind
it. Its building is assured. The new
road viii extend from Elkins, ". Va,
TO q point on the Chesapeake Bay between
the Rappahannocl1 and the York Rivers,
and will. it is claimed, shorten the pres
enI haul OF the Chesapeake and Ohio
by approximately two hundred miles
The new road, it is stated Oh good au-
thority, is already undcrwrttcn for lif-
teen million dollars by these two well
known New York banking houses and
these houses viii finance the deal.
STORY OF THE ROAD.
The history Of the proposed new road
is one filed with interesting details in
which men al one time or another were
prominently identified with Richmond
and Virginia interests.
Some years ago a mar named j. w.
Rineharc came TO Iichnond from New
Jersey as the auditor of The old Iich-
mond and Allegaany Railroad. Later he
resigned his position TO accept an i'm
portant post in the Treasury Depart
ment of the United States, and in turn
-elinauished that position for the auditor
ship Of the Atchiscn, Topeka, and Santa
Fe Railroad. He remained with the cor
poration for some years, serving in the
capacities of second ana first vice-presi-
dent, and finally president. He re-
7naired at the head OF the system for
some time, but then resigned and located
in New York City. He vas a recognized
organizer.
While in this city Mr.. Rinehart made
an exhaustive study of the mining ard
industrial possibilities OF Virginia, and an
air line road from the coal fields to
the tidcwater has always been q pet
scheme of his. About 1855 d charter was
granted by the Virginia Legislature to
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Com
pany This road was 10 run between
Harrisonburg. Va. and Elllins, W. Va.
The road was destined to connect with
The Baltimore and Ohio at a point near
IIarrisonburg and with the West Vir
gina Central at a point near E,;fins
Some time after The granting of this
charter, work on the new road was begun
and to-day about twenty-seTen miles
have been completed
The Chesapeake and Western. as it is
now operated. extends from Harrisburg
To Bridgewater- The gauge OF The road
IS As IL ana The rolling stock consists OF
i've locomotives and forty-eisht cars.
The principal offices Of the company are
in New York.
DE WITT SMITH INTERESTED.
About a year ago De Witt Smith, for
,nerlv president of the Richmond, Peters
burg and Carolina. became interested.
and IS the present president OF the road.
Soon after Joining interests Rinehart and
Smith acquired q charter from the Nlr-
cIH:a Legislature for the Tidewater and
Nest Virginia Railroad. This was grant
ed in the winter Of 1900, but yesterday
Judge Wexford Of the city Circuit Cont,
granted the company permission to
change the name of the road to the Ches-
apeake and Western,
During the final session OF the special
session of Legislature just held a charter
was granted to the Chcsapealle-W Western
Company. with Edgar Madden as presi-
dent On the granting OF this charter.
which WAS to an allied corporation OF
the Chesapeake an. Western Railroad
COMPANY, individual purchases were con-
soiidated and the Chesapeake-Western
COMPANY now holds about s60,0o0 acres
Of 1l,e most valuable anthracite coal
lands in Virginia and West Virginia
counties.
II is claimed that these lands have coal
deposits that compare faTorably with the
most valuable III Pennsylvania. II is
stated thai the surveys OF these lands and
their purchases have been going on for
the past two years.
AESORBS THE p, f. AND P.
Another interesting feature Of the road
IS that the Potomac, Fredericksburg and
Piedmont Railroad viii be absorbed and
made \ standard gauge road. This road
is now narrow gauge. tfirty-eiGht miles
IN length. extending from Fredericksburg
TO Orange Courthouse. The Chesa ap"ake
and Ohio was at one time reported 20
have purchased this road. hut the report
has since been denied. With the acuusi-
tipn of this road access practically 10 deep
water has been secured and only about
s,fts miles OF construction wil! i?e needed
to the cast.
Il, all the road will be about $40 miles
IN length ana Will pass through 4 rich but
ril.deyeloped section of the STATE
Another local feature OF interest is t!,:'t
Ar. Il q. Seymour. formerly chief en-
gineer of The Richfnond. Petersburg and