Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1903-09-05
MORE TALK
OF RAILROAD
THE ROCK ISLAND AND
SEA BOARD rIAY
COME.
Rumors of Making New
port News the Ter
minus.

The Newport News Timcs-Herald Of
Thursday publishes an article full Of
rumors Of another steam railroad down
the Peninsula. IL Is said the Rock Is
land system may 60 70 that city instead
OF Portsmouth. Here Is what il saws.
Newport News Is 70 be made the
eastern terminus Of the great Rock Is
land Railway system. This Is the sub
stance Of the story told here today BY
western ca,tlsmen.
The ale IS a plausible one and can
not be without 50 me foundation of
fact.
Recently the Seaboard Air Line be.
came part OF the Rock Island system
and II was announced that large terni-
nails would be built AT Portsmouth.
where the Seaboard has had It's deep
water cutlet for a number OF years.
The officials Of the system gave out
no information as 20 their plans and Il
has been sn accepted fact that the Ports
mouth terminals were 70 De greatly en-
larged.
out al s.. Louis a rumOr has gained
circulation among railroad men 10 the
effect that Newport News and not Ports
mouth would be the greater eastern
terminus Of the road.
A charter Is 20 be applied for shortly.
the story goes. tor an electric Ene be-
tween Richmond and Williamsburg
This charter VIII allow The company, II
granted. the privilege Of operating either
electric or steam cars on the line
Toe completion Of this line Will be
foliowes. II is said, by an application
for another charter for line from vii
Eamsburg 70 Newport News. This sue
ccssfully accomplished. IL would De no
longer necessary 20 disguise the fact that
the road. complete from Richmond 70
Newport News, vas intended for steam
railroad and not for ar electric line.
This road would connect the sea
board al Richmond. giving a direct out
let 10 the sea for The Rock Island sys-
TEN. Large piers would be built here
and the terminals equal. II not greater.
IN SIZE 70 those OF the Chesapeake &
Ohio Railway. constructed.
1T IS further stated tina; the proposed
| Jamestown, Williamsburg, Yorktown
road. work upon which IS 20 be com
meDoed shortly. has some connection
with this gigantic project
This IS the tale brought here By cat
tlemen from the west, where II Is said
20 have general circulation. IL Is a
likely story and sounds more plausible
than any Of The songs Of The Wabash
which have been heard here many, many
times.
1t would be Impossible, OF course. foi
these plans, II they really exist. 20 b,
cousuumated within two or thre years
time The establishment of such Ter
ulinals here even within five years OF
more would aid materially IL the growth
Of the section and would doubtless have
some immediate effect upon SIS pro
gress."
| IL vii * remembered here that wheI
Mr. o. .. Jackson. Of Norfolk. appisC
for q charter Tor his road through thu
| CITY. he withdrew i because the Cour
Gil would not allow the use Of steam OF
the streets as a permanent locomotive
! power. IL was then said that the pro
uoters Of the electric road were workinl
% secure a right 81 way for a steam
| road. The City Council wiE not gran
a right OF way through either Of the thre
main streets for a steam railway, bu
viii DO 50 tor an electric line withou
| hesitation.