Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-05-17
President ". n. Page Given MIL.
Ions 10 Build Road and Knew
Not Source.
NEW PLANS FOR GREAT EXTENSION
Chesapeake and Ohio Played Dog In
Manager, It Is Claimed, and II Was
Then Determined to Build to Salt
Water-Will Extenc Virginia to
Great Lakes.

WASHINGTON D. c.. May 16.-The
usually prosaic hearings before the
Interstate Comcrce Commission were
cnllvoned by the testimony of W. N.
Page, president of the Tidewater
Railroad up to the time that that road
and the Deepwater railroad were
merged into one systematic Virgin.
In railroad-and now president Of
that system. Under oath he told the
STORY, SO far MS he knows 1t, OF the
inside history of this road--a road
that has been built without bond.
He told of having been given let
ter of credit to the amount OF $1S.
100000 to build The Underwater Rail-
road, and of having spent more than
500, 100000 already on it's construc-
ton. He told of how II. II. Rogers
and II. II. Hyams, the latter II Boston
millionaire, were the two men whom
he supposed were backing tho project.
and added that there might be some
one else behind It, about whom he
know no more than the most casual
spectator In the room. This latter
| man of mystery seems to be none
other than John d. Rockefeller.
The whole thing came out in the
hearing of the complaint of the Loop
Creek Colliory Company and the
Dccpwater Railroad to compel the
Chesapeake and Ohio to enter into
satisfactory traffic agreements.
Letter Of Credit.
H6 testified that he had In his
pocket n letter of credit onthe Inter
national Trust Company of Boston
for StS,OOO.O0O, and that his drafts
on that trust company had amounted
to S20,O00,O00 and he yet could not
swear who had put 1t there and, fur
thermore, that he did not personally
know any one Connected with the in
stitution. and IL he went into the
place Of business to get check cash
ed he would have to be identified
| He said that he was only figure
head az president of the road. md
owned little or no stock in 1t, but
did enjoy confidential relations with
the men who are financing 1t.
Speaking about the inception OF the
enterprises, he said that 1t was not
til eoriginal intention Of the people
owning the Virginian railroad to
build to tidcwater, but to build only
. short line connecting the Norfolk and
Western and the Chesapeake and
Ohio. The Chesapeake and Ohio, how
ever, could not. and would not, af-
ford his people an outlet and the
Virginian railroad has been the result
He said taht the Chesapeake and
Ohio and the Norfolk and Western,
through Presidents stevens and John
son, had offered him every sort of
proposition IL he would not go to
Etidewnter. and had offered to handle
his traffic on practically his own
terms IL he would not go to tide
water.
Scores Chesapeake and Ohio.
He said that the chesapeake and
| Ohio Is today playing the dog-ln-the-
manger: that 1t is today developing
six new counties. when It's facilities
are confessedIy inadequate to handle
| the output of the counties 1T now gets
coal from.
He said that on April % the Tide
water and Deepwater roads had been
consolidated, and capital stock
amounting to s33.500,OO0 had been
authorized Mr.. Page said that he
thought that he could produce docu.
mentary evidence to prove that he
had brought more capital into the
States OF Virginia and West Virginia
than any other one man had ever
done.
After he had concluded his testI.
mony. Mr.. Page stated that 1t was
the ultimate plan to extend the Vir-
ginian railroad through to the Great
Lakes
In view OF the testimony of Mr..
Page, 1t Is believed that the man back
Of Mr., Pogers is John d. Rockefeller.
It Is evident that to carry the project
through to the Great Lakes will re.
laujre great deal more money than
Mr.. Rogers can put up himself.