The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-11

amendment and extension because, as
lie held, the charter was liable to for
| fixture to the State OF Virginia for fail
ure to complete the thirty niles of road
| by April, 1904. and the commission was
practically remittinG a forfeiture which
| the Legislature alone could do. The
! Court of Appeals reversed Judge Price
| on the ground that he had no jurisdic-
| ton in the matter. While the South and
| Western was thus satisfied that the ac-
ton of the Corporation Commission was
proper. it deemed it advisable to remove
! any doubt that might still exist in the
| minds of any person about the validity
\ of it's charter and of Its acts, and there
! fore applied to the Legislature in the
(, bill above referred to offered by Judge
| Phlegar to remove that doubt by remit
ting any right the commission might
| have to enforce the forfeiture.
Not to Make Fight Here.
Now enters tho question of the Vir-
| GINA and Southwestern, which attacked
/ the validity of the courts. The repre-
sentatives OF this road have been in
1 Richmond recently. but decided not to
| make a fight In the Legislature.
| The Virginia and Southeastern, new
/ concern, IL the road is ever built. VIII
| practically be an extension of the Virginia
! and Southwestern, an older concern WIN
/ a road in operation. from Irmon, va, 10
| Toms Creek, where the parties who con-
1 troll the Virginia and Southwestern own
! large coal lands. The ms and outs OF the
] situation nre rather complicated ana dli
| ntult of understanding to one not IA
! miiar with the ground, but apparently.
i through it's connection with the South
! ern and Norfolk and Western, the Nir-
! GINA and Southwestern, owned by the
| Virginia and southwestern, after reaching
| TOMS Greek will be able to distribute
the coal from this field and reach the
\ Atlantic seaboard by way of Norfolk
/ Meanwhile the rival South and Western
/ with the Clinch Valley lands behind 1t ~
! striking out In the other direction, with
Southport, ~ c., as the objective. 1t Is
something like race to the seaboard
4 with this difference, that while the
South and Western is working at full
speed the Virginia and Southeastern has
i not began It's task
This release granted in the bill passed
| by the Senate to-day said Judge Phlegar
4 last night discussing thesmatter, assures
1 the building Of the South and Western
! road as, soon as the work can be nc-
4 complished and in no way impairs the
/ right or power of tho Virginia and
/ Southeastern to build It's road IL 1t so
| desires.''
What 1t Means.
| The development OF the vast coal lands
] of Southwest Virginia Is the Important
! fact behind tho whole matter, so far as
| the public Is concerned. BY securing an
outlet on tho Atlantic scaboard tho South
and Western will furnish to the Clinch
| Valley fields advantages for development
| certainly equal to those enjoyed by the
1 Pocahontas fields through tho Norfolk
| and Western, running to Norfolk. At
/ the present time tho Clinch Valley lands
i arc very little developed, and the neces-
sary use OF tho Norfolk and Western,
interested In a rival mine, to get to tho
/ seaboard, has been a handicap. The
/ South and Western Furthermore, 1t Is
4 hold. by striking for Southport instead
4 OF Norfolk, Is gaining tremendous ad-
vantage. Southport is 700 miles below
Norfolk and nearly half that distance to
tho south OF the dreaded Hatteras. Ships
that now bravo Hatteras to go to Nor
folk to get coal can get the Clinch Valley
coal Mt Southport without having to pass
4 TIatteras and stand In danger OF ship
q wreck, certainly no small inducement.
At least $l2.C0oOoO. and probably more.
& will be required to build the South and
4 Western road. Unlimited capital, how
A ever. Is said to be behind the company.
The construction is now being pushed
4 with two or three thousand men at work
i on the SOulllSlue Oh llc due 1Nld6c, III
North Carolina. The Virginia end of It
4 lis also being rushed. Tho road will be
3 very costly. and the construction of It Is
i. in some respects q remarkable engineer
4 ing feat. Mountains have to be tunneled
A and gotten round In some manner. Here
i and there 1t has been necessary to go by
very clrcultous routes on account of the
impossibiity of cutting through the hills
4 or tunneling, In one place, about forty
three miles Of road will have to be built
4 to so q distance OF about twenty-five
miles, In North Carolina the road Is
lighting with the Southern for locations
4 In Scott county, Va. a contract has been
let ana work has begun on 400 foot
tunnel. 1t is expected that the entire
road will be complete In about two years
4 A Matter of Taste.
sNo wonder the doctors prosper,
a growled the old bachelor to u friend he
e met about Noon at the soda fountain,
!, nJust look at that line OF young IDIOTS,