The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-28
RECORDS SMASHED
IN RAIL WAY TRAFFIC
-----,
All Roads in State Have Had Ua-
precedented Co -gest.on.
dANY EXTENSIONS OF LINES
dANY EXTENSIONS OF LINES
Important Changes Made in the Railway
Comp mics Withia Past Year-The
Chesapeake and Ono Eui ding
Line 10 Tap Coal Fields.

There have been marked changes,
progress aid extensions OF the iaiIoa
systems entering Richmond during the
past year. aid IL keeping Win the deNcl-
o;snltnt of t1iesc ..ncs tie local business
has Increased TO SO great an extent as
to enable both freight and passenger de-
partments to declare al this time that
the records OF all previous years nave
been broken.
The cry mas been since September for
more equipment TO handle the business
In and out OF the city, ard according to
officials of the freight departments of
several OF the roads the congestion has
been constant s-nce that time.
The year besides being remarkable for
Increase III tonnage and revenue. has
seen great changes in the railroad prop
critics The most conspicuous is the ac
QUESTION of the Louisville and NASHVILLE
system by the Atlantic Coast Line Rail
road. which places the absorbing com
pan, among the greatest systems of the
nation. The Coast Line owns valuable
property in Richmond, which Is the
northern terminal of the system, ard at
this end has made and now has under
course of construction extensive better
nlents. The double tracking of the line
be,ween Richmond and Petersburg is
part Of the road s Improvement. This
work is being pushed to completion.
Within tbs last few months an extern
slvL electric block signal system has
beer installed by the company, operated
over the Richmond yards. Pstersbtrg
bridge and a portion Of the Manchester
yard tracks
TAP NEW TERRITORY.
BESIDES this great consoIida ton Of the
Atlantic Coast Line and Louisville and
ht-ytJ Ia T., n,
felix and Western and Se'board Air Line
have been making wonderful progre:s
In the way of extending thsir lines into
valua bic and rich unopened country.
Particularly has this been true of the
Chesapeake and Ohio and Norfolk and
Western. which roads enter the coil
fields OF West Virginia and Southwest
Virginia
Various extensions have been made hv
these. which in the year to come VIII
prove a source Of great income.
The Southern Railway has just closed
the grea test frsigat year in its history.
so far as Richmond is concerned. having
herdled from the wholesale houses of t c
city excessive tonnage, and at the same
time delivered here the gre1te<t amount
OF freight the Inns has ever handled into
the city.
Sou'hern 7awav.
The industrial development along the
lines of the Southern Railway might be
Ncll shown by the following extract Gom
the last annual report Of the president:
There were located alonS or adjacent
to tie lines Of the company during the
year Industrial plants and developments
representing an aggregate capital of Sl12-
44l.5t9 of which there Were completed and
l,ut in operation industries costing $500
Sc. and there We're under course Of con-
Stluction other industries CosanG $-3.5'O.-
Coo
The Industrial plants and developments
completed and put in operation numbered
566.
The growth of textile industries, which
has been such q marked feature OF South
ern development for several years, has
continued. There were placed in opera
ti.tn forty-two new plants and there Were
fhirty-seve:l additions to Old plants. rep
resentins an increase OF $50 looms ana
36S,S4o spindles, with an aggregate capital
OF sG.670.3J0
There We're under construction at the
close Of the year twenty-one new textile
plants. representing an aggregate capital
OF s6.S9oolo. which. when completed, will
place in operation 1860 looms and 3422o
spindies.
The tonnage of cotton factory products
hauled by the company increased 20.3I
per cent, over that 6f the year preceding.
THE solicitation of immigration has oc-
cupied prominent place III the work of
TIE industrial department OF the company
surinG the year. Five hundred and eighty
tn ee Northern and Western farmers are
recorded as having purchased f7i.255 acres
OF farm lands. asgreGaung in value s.
10000. located and adjacent to the
companys lines
a iannic Coast Lire system.
The statement below shows tic result
Of the opera ton of the Atlantic Coast
Line system:
Gross earnings from July to October
81, 1892. Atlantic Coast Line Raiiro d
Company, s5.SG9l1S; gross earnir IS in
crease over same period previous year.
S9.91l3.20: net earn rgs from July !.
to October 81 1902 Sl.sS4, 473: net earrires
increase over same period previous year,
sa2277 20 22ce.3S
1t will be noticed that TIE
Atlantic Coast Line shows an increase
OF 20 per cent. in gross aud IS per cent.
net.
Che zapeaka & Che.
Though tie sta Ike in the West Eir~
Einia coal feds has caused the earning
of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway TO
chow decrease during several months |
of the past year. this temporary falling !
OFF Of business has net prevented a re-