The Washington herald., 1907-05-16

The usually prOsaic hearings before the
Interstate Commerce Commission were
enIlvened yesterday by the testimony Of
w. y. Page. president of the Tidewater
Railroad ug 10 the time that that road
and the Deepwater Railroad were merged /
into one systematic Virgnian Railroad
and now president Of that system. Under
oath DE told the story, so far as be
knows if. of the inside history Of this
rOad-a road that has been built without
"a bond He told Of having been given "a
letter of credit to the amount Of }lS,W0ggJ
% build tac Tidewater Railroad, and
Of having spent more than $200JCJ0 al
ready on its construction. He told Of
how II. II. Rogers and II. H. Hyams, the
latter a Boston millionaire, were the two
men whom he supposed were backing the
project. and added that there might be
some one else behind H. about whom ne
knew no more than the most casual spec /
tator in the room. This latter man Of
mystery seems 70 be none other. than
John d. Rockefeller
The whole thing came out in the hear
ing Of the cor plant Of the Loop Creek
Coilery Company and the Deepwater
Railroad TO compel the Chesapeake AMI
Ohio TO enter into satisfactory traffic
3ggaemeuts.
Has $4,000, 900 Credit.
Mr. Page first testified as to the owner
ship of the Loop Creek Coal Company,
and then said that he had never sign d
a bond. that he knew that none had been
issued as yet, though the property is 20 be
m0rtgaged I'm q few weeks. He testified
that he had iu his pocket a letter OF
credit on the International Trust Colh-
pauy Of Boston. for SlSWde 200. and that
his drafts on that trust company had
amounted 20 100000 and he yet could
not swear who had put IL there and,
furthermore, that he did not personally
know any one connected with the instI-
tuition. and If he went into the place or
business TO get a check cashed, he wouic
have 90 De identified.
He said that ha was only a tigure-heao
as president OF the road. and owned little
or no stock in IT, but did enjoy c0nfden-
tiaI relations with the men who are
financing &C.
Intended Only Short Line.
Speaking about the inception OF the en-
terprlse he said that Il was not the orig
inal intention Of the people owning the
Virginiau Railroad 70 build 90 tidewater,
but ,o build only "a short line connecting
the Norfolk and Western and the Chesa-
rcake and Ohio. The Chesapeake and
Ohio. however could not and would not
afford his people an outlet, and the Nlr-
Einian Railroad has been the result
He said that the Chesapeake and Ohio
and the Norfolk and Western. through
Presidents Stevens and Johnson, had Of
fered him every sort of proposition If he
would not 20 10 tidcWater. and had Of
ferad 20 handle his traffic on practically
bis own terms if he would not go % tide
water
scores Chesapeake and ohio Road.
He said that the Chesapeake and Ohio
is to-day playing the dog in the manger;
that it IS to-day developing six new
counties. when its facilities are confess
adIy inadequate 20 handle the output OF
the counties it now gets coal from.
He said that on April - the Tidewater
and DeeVwater roads had been consoH-
dated. aud capital stock amounting 90
N3 5a.g1 had been authorized. Mr. Page
said that ne thought that he could pro-
duce documentary evidence TO prove that
ne had brought more capital into the
States Of Virginia and West Virginia than
any other one man had ever done.
Going to Great Lakes.
After he had concluded his testimony.
Mr. Page stated that is was the ultimate
plan 10 extend the Virginian Railroad
through 70 the Great Lakes.
In view Of the testimony of Mr. Page,
1t is believed that the man back Of Mr
Rogers is John u. Rockefeller. II is evil
dent that 10 carry the project through 10
the Great Lakes viii require a great deal
more money than Mr.. Rogers can put up
himself
The distance from Deepwater, w. Va,
the western terminus of the Virginian
Railroad. to Sewells Point. the eastern
terminus. is 445 miles. The distance on
the Chesapeake and Ohio between Deep
water. W. Va, and Newport News is
$50 miles