Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-05-22
NEW RAILROAD
LINE IS ASSURED
3. & o. Closely affiliated With The
New Railroad With Which 1t VIII
Connect Near Rorney.


Cumberland. Md, May 1e.-The
money for the construction Of the
Hampshire Southern railroad, through
the South Branch Valley OF the Po-
tomac, has been raised and the work
OF construction will begin early sn
June. The road penetrates fertile
grazing valley. now without railroad
facilities. The country is also rich
in timber and iron ore The line viii
connect with the Baltimore, and Ohio's
Romney branch on the Harrison farm,
one and half miles below Romney,
and will go to Petersburg, by way OF
Moorefeld. The Frank H. Blodgett
Construction Company, of Wheeling,
has the cantract to build the road,
which will be 40 miles long. II is pro-
posed to have the road in operation in
Q year.
There seems no doubt that the Balti-
more and Ohio is giving the project
substantial aid, nd this for the first
time, as the building of this road had
been undertaken in the past by sew
eral concerns, but this is the first
time anyone has been able to make
favorable traffic arrangement with
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
So friendly s the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad toward the construc-
ton OF the road that it will furnish
the iron for the line and will take
bonds to the value OF the iron-ahout
1925, 600. The Baltimore and Ohib, it
is understood has an option on the
line, and can take it over at any time
upon its completion. William Trap
nell. superintendent of the Baltimore
division of the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad, has been secured by the
company to oversee the construction
of the line. and it will be built under
his supervision.
At the election recently Hardy coun-
ty, West Virginia, voted to take $50,
900 of the first mortgage bonds and
Grant county $4,000. The balance of
the amount necessary to insure the
road between 100000 and 100000
will be subscribed by capitalists OF
New York and Washington. Among
the latter are M. e. Allies, vice-presi-
dent of the Riggs National Bank and
j. H. Small Mr.. McEldowney, Of the
New York City National Bank, is also
said to be Interested The money was
subscribed at a meeting held in New
York a few days ago. 1t is said the
United States Leather Company which
has tannerles in this locality, Is also
encouraging the road, as 1t will pro-
vide facility to bring bark to market.
The road will follow the west bank
of the South Bronch to the upper en-
trance to "The Trough" where it will
cross the Potomac river and follow the
eastern bank to Moorefield, thence to
Petersburg.
The proposition for the building of
the road was promoted by ex-State
Senator John ]. Cornwell. editor of
the Hampshire Review, of Romney,
and his brother. William B Cornwell,
of Fairmont, both attorneys who
started three years ago. The latter
is president # he road, and the for
mer is treasurer and chief counsel.
Duncan Sinclair, of Fairmont, former
ly of Midlothian, Md. where he was
superintendent of the New Central
Coal Company and was also commits
sioner for Allegheny county AZ one
time, has large timber holdings in the
south branch valley.
General Manager Queen, OF the
BIodgett Construction Company. will
60 over the route and by June l will
have 400 men at work on the right
of way Engineer A. Spates Brady, of
Fairmont, established the route. II
is said the iron deposit in the coun-
ties through which the road will run
is the largest south OF the Great
Lakes. The Allegheny coal deposits
are not far distant from the right OF
way. The road will also be of great
value to Pendiston county, where the
people now are obliged to haul their
As miles by wagon to-
Harrisonburg, Va.