Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-04-16
rlonterey,Va. friday.Apr. TO- 1905
MOST ENORMOUS OF EXPERIMENTS

iment ever undertaken in this coun-
try and may result in demonstra-
ton which will change radically the
method and principal of American
railway building. 1t is now under
stood that one of Mr. Rodgers pur-
poses is to prove that a great trans
portation line can be built and OPP
Grated on ordinary business princi-
pies and be vastly profitable. It is
a notable fact that he has refused
to seek profits by any of the means
or methods customary among rail-
road promoters or builders.
When this road from way-sta-
ton in west Virginia to Norfolk har-
Dor was in Mr.. Rogers mind and his
purposes unsupported he could have
gone into the coal fields his road
would have served and brought en-
ormous tracts of coal lands at low
prices, realizing on the transaction
sufficient profit to go far towards
paying the cost of his road, he de-
clined to buy or to become interested
in an acre of coal land. With the
weight of his name and his far reach
inc business influence and connect
ions, he could haye placed issues of
stocks and bonds which would have
brought into his pocket, perhaps,
money enough to build the road
and leave him in possession OF the
securities really representing the
cost of the property. AS every OBJ
server knows, this has been done
time and again. Shrewd capitalists
have induced the public to build
lines for them and pay the cost
while they themselves hold the ow-
nership. Mr.. Rogers has not foated
security of the Virginia railway
anywhere. He paid all the cost from
his own resources and the road is
his, owned and controlled by him
personally. Probably it's securities
represent more nearly the actual
cost of construction than those of
anv railway built in this country.
Mr.. Rogers theoryis that a rail-
road can be built just as house is
built by wise business man, with
full provision for immediate require
ments and future demands, with
out pinching or scanning anywhere
or waste, extravaganza or graft.
He believed that a road built,
equipped and operated to serve
the public, to open up new fields
and resources and to haul freight
and passengers at fair prices will
pay good profit on the investment.
So far as we know, no other railway
in America ever has been built with
that sole idea. All the 9th
ers have been constructed With the
view of some side or special profits
have sought investors and offered
them prospects of profits aside from
those to be earned by legitimate
and regular business.
Mr.. Rogers is one of dozen men
in the world with the power to un =
dertake such an enterprise founded
on such principles, Probably he is
the one man in the world with the
nerve to undertake it on his own
responsibility and al his own per-
sonal expense and to stake more
than forty million dollars OF his own
money on the success on the under
taking. We believe he will sue
coed. He is doing what the News
Leader has urged presistently that
other railway owners and builders
do. He has built and is operating a
railroad more than four hundred
miles long on strict, fair, clearcut
business principles. If he succeeds is
the demonstration and example Will
be of enormous impressive impor-
lance. 1t will change the whole
trend of thought and the whole sys-
tenn of action of the railway bull
ders and operators of the future
and will be of value to the public
and the country beyond she power
of figures to express or of magma
ton to realize. 1t is an experiment
which must attract the atten ton
and earnest interest of every think
ing man on this continent.
Virginia is to be congratulated
that she is the chosen scene of such a
gigantic and memorable undertak-
ing, but the fact that the new road
comes through this state is but in
eidental after all. The great consid,
Grafton is the method by which the
road has been built and it's policy
directed and the purposes it rep
resents. 1t is important, however
that the people of Virginia under
stand the full meaning of what has
been done and is being done and O
the effects thereof. Keeping these
in mind they will do their part tt
see that Mr.. Rogers road shall
have a fair showing and full oppor
tunity, that the success of the huge
experiment shall not be hindereC
or marred by any improper or un
fair or unconsidered interference
of local orstate authority Rich
mond News Leader.
People past middle life usual.
have some kidney or bladder disor