The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-23
SPLENDID NEW
ROAD OPENING UP
Richmond and Chesapeake Bay
Road Soon to Be Working to
Ashland ~ Good Work Of
Enduring Character-Big
Event for Greater
Richmond.

way from Richmond to Ashland Is an
important event in the history OF this
city. Eventually the road Will open up
to trade and traffic section of coun-
try which, while near to the capital
Of the State. has always been as far
commercially from the merchants and
tradesmen of this city as II it were In
some distant Commonwealth.
The products Of the Rappahannock
River country have been and are find
ing a market in Baltimore. and the
merchants OF that section have known
nc other market. They reach Baltt-
more by steamboats, and they have
no means of reaching Richmond ex-
cept by roundabout way. The new
railroad will change this condition IN
measure, and when 1t shall be COM
pleted to Tappahannock. where the
waters Of the Rappahannock River
spread out to immense proportions and
mako the river really a part OF the
Chesapeake Bay. splendid farming
and trucking section will be In easy
reach of Richmond, and although the
road will be operated by electricity 1t
will be great freight hauler
Rich Undeyelopcd Section.
The distance from here to Tappa-
hammock by the surveyed route is
fifty seven miles. and the entire sec
ton is rich in timber and farm lands.
which. on account OF the lack of trans
pcrtation facilities. have not been de-
veloped This road passing through 1t
will be the cause OF immediate de-
velopment that will add greatly to
the wealth of the State. 1t will give
the people a market. and they VIII
raise stuff to sell as they never did
before. The line has been surveyed to
Tappahannock. and as soon as the
fifteen and siN-tenths miles from here
to Ashland which Is rapidly nearing
completion, shall have been finished
up and put In good running order
work on the extension beyond Ashland
to Tappahannock will be commenced:
and IL 1t is rushed along with the
same quiet vigor that has character
lied the operations on the now prac-
tically finished end, the Rappahannock
Ftiver country will be at Richmond'si
door in a little more than year.
There is plenty Of capital behind
the company, and men are at the
head of it who can command any
amount OF money The officers are:
President. Frank Jay Gould, OF New
York; Vice President, Henry w. AM
derson, OF Richmond; General Man
eyer, William Northrop. of Richmond;
General Auditor and Assistant Treas
urer. G.. B. Williams, of Richmond:
alTeuSuTeT, guy TulllIpSs Ol NOW LUZ
Chief Engineer. j. III. Mcclure. OF
Richmond: Road Master. G.. w. Jones.
OF Ashland.
The Finished Work. As
The road from here to Ashland is
nearly completed, and will be in run
ming order, with the magnificent cars
that arc now standing on the track
Just beyond the long yiaduct making
the trip to Ashland every hour in the
day within months time. The man
agement had hoped to be running by
the first Of July, but the unfavorable
weather of the spring and early sum
mer upset their calculations. The
track-laying has been finished. and
now largo forces Of hands are doing
the work of surfacing up and ballast
ing the track. while other forces are
setting the poles and stringins the
trolley wire to carry the electric
Virginia Passenger and Power Com
pany's plant. Largo forces are also
busy completing the stations on Broad
Street In this city, and at Ashland.
These VIII not be entirely complete
when the cars begin to run. but near
enough to admit Of use by the patrons
OF the line. s ss3
The Richmond station is splendid
two-story brick building on Broad
Street costing 100000. and 1t is
equipped with every convenience for
an up to-date station, In outward ap-
pearance the building is an orna-
rnent to that part of Broad Street. The
waiting rooms, ticket offices. parlors,
and other rooms Will be handsomely
furnished. and everything will be in:
the latest STYLE In fact 1t Is likely that
in the matter OF depot facilities. con-
svenences and comfort for passengers
the new road Will set pace that 1T
would be we'll for the old lines and
the big railways to follow.
The Ashland End.
The Ashland station Is a colnmodi-5
Gus frame structure now being pushed
to completion by Hunt s. Perrin, WE'LL
known contractors and builders Of
Ashland 1t Is patterned somewhat
after the Henry Clay Inn, being q two
story building with sheds all around.
There are waiting-rooms arranged ac-;
cording. to the letter and spirit of tEa8
room and business Offices. In the sta
ton there Is also an electrlc-rooni,s
in which will be Installed the neces-s
sary machinery for the Distribution
of electricity for the lighting Of this
streets and houses of Ashland. The
company, In connection with the Vir-S
ginia Passenger and Power Company.
has entered into a contract to light up
Ashland when the road Is completcd.:
The electricity will DO carried from;
hero to Ashland by the trolley wire OF
the road. and from the distributions
room" TO be installed In the station
lighting current will be distributed
throughout the town. Thus Ashland.
gains in more ways than one by this
completion or the line to that College
town. But more light" for Ashland
is another story. IN Il
The Ashland station Is 81 feet by
"a. and the shed surrounding, which
is a handsome attachment that ought
ia hav va mora y,natis Ssh Gle.