The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-06-16
TO GET CONTROL OF
CLINCHFlELD ROAD
SEABOARD AND CHESAPEAKE &
OHIO INVOLVED IN DEAL.

SEABOARD AND CHESAPEAkE q
OHIO INVOLVED IN DEAL.
Persistent Rumors Of TRANSACTION
Practically Confirmed on Arrival
OF Capitalists.
The State.
Spartanburg, June 12.-The persist
ent rumor of the last few months that
the Chesapeake & Ohio railway was to
lease or acquire the Carolina, Cli2ch-
field & Ohio railway was practically
confirmed, with the amendment that
the Seaboard Air Line is also interest
ed in the deal, upon the arrival IN
Spartanburg over the Clinch1eld Sun
day night of party including Edwin
Hawley, Frank A. Vanderlip and Geo.
W. Stephens, president; Decatur Ak
tell, vice president; Frank Trumbull,
chairman of the board, and other dl-
rectors of the Chesapeake & Ohio, and
S. D. Warfeld, formerly one of the re-
ceivers Of the Seaboard Air Line. They
were accompanied by M. J. Caples,
vice president and general manager,
and T. H. Phetteplace, general SUPER
intendent of the Clinchfeld. The party
were met at the station by a commit
tee of citizens. One of the entertain
ing committee mentioned to Mr.. Haw-
ley that it had been rumored that the
Chesapeake & Ohio was going to take
over the Clinchfeld.
"That's what We are down here for,
that's what this trip means" said Mr..
Eawley. The acquisition of the
Clinchfeld by the Chesapeake & Ohio
will doubtless result in the construc-
ton in the near future Of the extern
sion of the Clinchfeld from it's north
ern terminus at Dante, Va, to a con-
nection with the Chesapeake & Ohio
at Elkhorn City, KY, from which
there is a straight run to the Ohio
river at Kenova.
The contract for the extension,
which will be about 35 miles long, was
let two years ago, but held in abey-
ance until it could be learned what
was to become of the Clinchfeld. The
leasing of the Clinehfeld by the
Chesapeake & Ohio and the Seaboard
will make it the shortest route be-
tween Chicago and Florida.
The Seaboard connects with the
Clinchfeld at Bostic. Fear was ex-
pressed here that the Seaboard might
divert by way of Charlotte the traffic
which otherwise would pass through
Spartanburg. Experienced railroad
men said, however, that the conditions
were such that this would be mad
visable For one thing it would be
unduly expensive for the Seaboard to
place its line from Bostic to char
lotte in such shape as would be neces-
sary to care for the traffic.
Since Geo. L. Carter, builder of the
Clinchfeld road, was succeeded in the
presidency several months ago by
Mark W. Potter, it has been suspected
that a, change in the ownership or
management Of the road was impend-
| ing. This suspecion was strengthened
by the recent inspection trips over the
line by Northern capitalists. The fact
too, that the Chesapeake & Ohio direc-
tors voted not long ago TO issue vast
amount of bonds for the purpose
among other things of acquiring 9TH
er lines, lent color to the report that
the road was interested in the Clinch-
field. which would give the Chesa-
peake & Ohio an important Southern
outlet.
The value of the Clinchfeld road tc
the Chesapeake & Ohio and the Sea-
board Air Line is that it is by far the
shortest rout between the Ohio valley
and the South Atlantic States. The
road is only 243 miles long, and the
largest town north of Spartanburg is
Johnson City, Tenn, which has only
about 10000 people. but the Clinch-
field mas a strategic Importance and
taps the rich Virginia coal fields.
THE JURY.