Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1903-01-08
Affairs of the Railroads.

There have been good many ru-
mors about our new railroad the past
week or two. 0nei is to the effect that
while the Shepherdstown cutoff is sure
to be built, it may be delayed for
couple of years, until the cutoff from
Hancock to a point on the Pittsburg
and Chicago is completed. Be this
az it may, Major Hunter, right-of-way
agent, is going ahead slowly but sure
ly with his negotiations with the land
owners, and came to settlement with
one or two more the past week. 1t is
also stated that the persons who
have agreed with the railroad compa-
ny as to the price of land have been
notified to get the buildings on the
line out Of the way and to cut the tim
Der from the right-of.waY. The indi-
cations are pretty strong that active
work will be commenced in the spring.
Mr.. Sisson's corps of engineers were
in town again this week, and ran a
new line for the switch to connect the
B. & o. with the Norfolk & Western.
1t is said that the B. & 0. station will
be located along the pike, just west OF
the cemetery.
Close on the heels of the appoint
ment of n. D. Maher to be general
superintendent OF the Norfolk & Wes-
tern Railway in place of James Q.
Cassell, who held that position for
many years, come rumors from sources
that would appear to give them some
credsnce that a general shaking up IN
the high offices of the Norfolk and
Western is contemplated, and that be-
fore long there will be several changes
in the heads of the various depart
ments. 1t is said that the system Is
in badly congested state, and that
unless something is done to relieve
the present state of affairs the sltua-
ton will grow worse. Shippers and
the travelling public are aware OF the
existing conditions on the road, and
there is loud cry for some relief.
Among other rumors is one that Pres
ident Kimball will put Pennsylvania
Railroad men in the places of some of
the high officials after the annual
meeting this month.
Passenger train No. of the Nor
folk & Western Railway, which passes
here southwark at lao a. m, had a
narrow escape from being wrecked
early last Saturday morning by run
ming into big landslide. The front
of the engine was badly damaged and
the steps of one of the Pullman cars
were torn off. The train was bespat-
tered with mud from end to end and
presented a badly disfgured appear
ance. The engine struck the mass,
throwing mud in every direction and
over the cars behind, and stuck fast.
Harvey Gardner was the engineman.
He did not see the obstruction until it
was too late to avoid striking it. The
impact brought the train almost to a
standstill and threw the passengers
from their seats but no person was in
jured. The engine was pulled out
and owing to its damaged condition
had to be taken off from the train,
and another engine took the train on
to Roanoke.
The Western Maryland Railroad
will Immediately begin the construc-
ton of new line of its own through
|. the city of Baltimore to reach its Hill
len Station terminal, in order to be
rid of the charges made upon it for
using the Pennsylvania Railroad tun-
mel. The Western Maryland has to
pay 80 cents for each ton of freight
and 10 cents for every passenger it
hauls through the tunnel, amounting
to about 100000 year.
James c. Cassell, formerly general
superintendent of the Norfolk & Wes-
tern Railway, has been appointed as
sistant to General Manager L. E. John
son. He will assume his duties when
he returns from a months visit to the
West Indies. Theodore Lowe, former
ly superintendent of the Shenandoah
Valley division of the n & W., has
been made real estate agent Of the en-
tire system.
The locomotive drawing passenger
train on the Norfolk & Western Rail-
way blew up last Saturday night near
Bedford City, Va, and Engineer j.
W. Myers and Fireman Ernest Gill
were both instantly killed The entire
train was thrown from the track, but
not passenger was hurt.