Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-04-03
V|RC|N|AN RAILWAY IS
FORMALLY OPENED
Event Made Notable By Presence
Of Many Financiers and
Mark Twain.
SPECIAL TRAIN BRINGS VISITORS
New Line Opens UP Large Coal Ter
ritory Hitherto Inaeeess'b'e-oay
Taken Up With Inspection OF Ter
minals ) and observation-disclosures
Tonight at Twenty Dollars Per.
Rx Associated PreSs1


NORFOLK. VA, April 1.-THE
op,.nin. of the Virginia Railway. eN-
,endin. from Sewalls Point, Virginia.
20 Dccpwa,rr. W. Va. on the k"nawha
river a distance of i+i miles. took
place. today with most auspic'ous
celebration here. made more notaDi"
bv the presence of II. Il. Rogers. VINO
built the Eir2inian at cos OF ab""'
$40, 900 Gao: Samuel l.. Clemens
MARK Twain ana several promineh;
New York finanCirrs Interested with
Mr.. Rogers in the undertaking.
The celebration festivities began
with the arrival early in the day OF
,,i people from along the line of the
new system, on i special train OF
twelve coaches and two Pullman cars.
II was an enthusiastic crowd III!
wearing the Virginia coio!s, orange
and white. The arrival of the eX-
curs.on train was followed two hours
later bv The arrival OF Mr.. Rogers ana
his guests on the New York steamer
Jefferson.
A large party gave the distinguished
visitors a marked ovation.
inspection and Reception.
The day was filled with events OF
interest, the program OF entertain
mcnt for the visitors including an
inspection of the Norfolk harbor. the
new Virginian coal piers at Sewaiis
Point: the largest in the world. with
a dumping capacity into ship bot ossS
of $4,000 tons per day: and finally 4
public reception to Mr. Rogers and MS
guests.
Cost Tag on Dinner.
Mr. Rogers will be the guest OF
honor at a SEQ per plate banquet here
tomorrow night.
The Virginia Railway. begun IN
March 1892. was completed February
II, 1909. More than l.0O".O"O acres
of coal lands in West Virginia nave
been made accessible by it. and the
road has opened up country never
before enjoying railway facilities
The first foreign vessel to take bun
ker coal at the Virginia Railway $
SewalIs Point pier today was the
Danish steamer NJ. c. Holm. Captain
Hagleberg. from Port Inglis. 10 Lin
hamn.
II. II. Rogers and his party. which
includes Charles Lancaster. fnancIer
of Great Britain and representative
of the Standard OIL Company IN Eng
land. will tomorrow witness the load
ing OF The first cargo steamer at fhe
VirSinian's piers. This will b" the
steamer Everett. OF the MASSACHUSETTS,
Steamship Company of Boston. which
takes on 200 tons of coal.
Strenuous Handwriting.
The reception and luncheon al n"
Board of Trade. where Mr.. Rogers and
Mark Twain shook hands with NOR"
than / 90" people was as near 10 q!
White House reception as Norfolk VIII
ever get. and when the two dIstln-
suished visitors had graspcd every
hand which was extended. their palms
were quite red from the hearty grips
Of the folks from up home.
Mark Twain was first in lin" and
Mr. Rogers was next. They stood up
in the corner Of the large green am
gold room of the Board Of Trade as
the visitors passed for their ereet''.S
There were MANY mistakes made.
for nearly every one mistOOk Marx
Twain for Mr.. Rogers. and as tn"
visitors passed Mark Twain consratn-
latin= him on INC completion NJ th"
virsirian Railway. he did not say a
word.
Speech From Twain.
After the procession passed the
crowd massed itself in the rear Of
the room cTowding ont into the hall
way and in the corners, Then cam"
cries Of speech. speech and quite
as il kc expected il. Mark TWAIN
mounted chair.
The appearance Of his siiv"Ted'
shaggy. head above The crowd com
maniede instant attention.
My friends" he said, while
have been shaking your hands
have listened 20 some very HatterinS
compliments I like compliments es-
p.cialIy those which seem to come
from the hear. as YOURS did. They
vent straight to M heart. and ] thank
yoI ali. could not help nut feel
fattered as you passed me and thank.
cd me 50 sincerely for the splendid
road I had bIi!t through vour state
like compliments gentlemen. and
7 thank Won"
ROGERS Builder. Not Orator.
This brousht forth a merry FoInd
Of laughter and for the first time
those VINO had MIXED Mark Twain NJ
with Mr. Rogers reaiizrd their mis-.
take. When TT. Clemens finished