Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1908-01-24
TO RICHMOND BY B. T. o.
RAILROAD SAID TO BE PREPARING TO
SEEK SOUTHERN TRAFFIC. MAY
USE R., r. ANDP. TRACKS.

nAAAhOAD oA1O ~ DE fhEFAhlNG To
SEEK SOUTHERN TRAFFIC. MAY
USE R., +. ANDP. TRACKS
The completion and occupation of |
the new union terminal station in |
Washington will give the Baltimore |
aud Ohio an opportunity to secure
portion If the Southern TRAILS from
which it had been debarred by physi.
cal conditions. This business has be en-
handled for many years through Wa.h.
ingtOn to the North and East and pOr-
tiOns Of the West over the Penn
sylvania lines. This road had direct
connection with the Southern lines at
the depot at Sixth street and Penn
sylvania avenue, and the freight yards
1t controlled from that point to the
bridge across the Potomac river, which
furnished the outlet OF the Southern
roads to the north.
The Baltimore and Ohio tad its
main station on New Jersey avenue
and was never able to make proper
connections for the Southern passen
ger travel and freight traffic. Several
attempts were made by former admin
istrations to do this. One was by way
of Metropolitan Southern, which start
ed at Linden. in Montgomery county,
aud was intended to crUss the Potomac
and connect with the Southern Rail-
waj short distance below Alsxan
dria. This project was practically
abandoned for financial reasons after
the SURVEYS had been made and the
construction work begun.
Another suggestion was to bridge
the Potomac at Sheppards to q point
at or near Alexandria, and there con-
meet with the Orange and Alexandria
road, now part of the Southern sys.
tenn. This has likewise been allowed
to slumber.
The law of Congress establishing the
terminal station In Washington puts
the Baltimore and Ohio on an equal
footing with the Pennsylvania for the
Southern trade, and the management
has been quick to take advantage of
the opportunity. All roads now en-.
tering Washington must have such
track connections as to enable them
to reach this terminal point, all other
tracks having been abolished.
The Baltimore and OHIO, as il
known, owns a One-sixth interest In
the Richmond. fredericksburg and
Potomac road and has equal privileges
in using this line with other companies
in joint partnership. These are the
Southern, the SeabOard, Atlantic
Coast Line. Pennsylvania and Chesa
peake and Ohio.
At the time the Baltimore and Ohio
entered into this agreement there was
no possibility of it's making direct
connection with the South. Its inter-
est in the matter is aid to have been
urged by the Pennsylvania, which at
| the time was assumed to have a con-
trolling voice in the Baltimore and
Ohio's management and policy.
Now conditions have changed. The
Baltimore aud Ohio does meet the
Southern at the same central point.
The management, it is asserted, has
declaI ed its intention of taking advan.
tage of this possibility and will insist
upon the use of the road to Richmond
jointly with the others who have en-.
joyed this privilege.
The management is said to be ar
ranging to put on through trains from
this city to Richmond. 1t may be .
month or two before this can be done,
as the chedule for the train move
ments of the roads now using the line
between Washington and Richmond
will have to be considered before ad-
ditlonal trains can be satisfactorily
accommodated.
| With an entrance to Richmond,
however, the Baltimore aud Ohio can
continue this Southern service to New
York and Chicago and so become an
active rival in this railroad field.
This policy, it was pointed out, is a
most natural one for the company to
pursue. The trade in the South is
valuable and growing, and there is no
good reason why the Pennsylvania
should have monopoly Of it from
Washington now that the physical
railroad conditions in that city per-
init the Baltimore and Ohio to seek its
| share.