The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1913-12-05
OUR COAL Fields.
Shipping Facilities Inadequate
for Handling Output.
Some Of the Biggest Undertakings in
Railroad Extension to Begin
Next Year.

WHITESBURG, KY, Nov. 2S.-
The year 1914 will see the beginnini
OF some of the biggest undertaking.
attempted in railroad extensions il
recent years in Eastern Kentucky
The main purpose of the recent triI
OF the coal magnates, John c. c.
Mayo, Paintsville; johnson N. Cam
den, Versailles; ]. j. Johnson. Bal.
timore; j. w. NJ. Stewart, Ashland
Clarence w. and George T. Watson
I Palrmont, w. Va; j. H. Wheelright
Baltimore; G. Bascom, West Vir-
ginia, and several others, was to Sc
cure better shipping facilities for
their output to all the principal
markets of the whole country North,
South, East and West.
! To do this it will be necessary to
build number of railroad lines,
makes extensions. increases, ETC.,
which will necessitate vast out
lay of capital. The main connection
Is wanted with the cities and mark
cts of the South Atlantic seacoast
The one line, the Chesapeake and
ohio's Big Sandy extension, is in
adequate to haul immense tonnage,
supplying the cities OF the North
and Northwest, and something must
be done to facilitate the handling of
the coal in that direction.
The solution to the problem is,
first, the building of an extension of
the Lexington and Eastern from its
terminus at McRoberts about TWEEN
ty-eight miles via jenkins, and so OF
down Elkhorn creek to Elkhorn
city. connecting with the new line OF
the Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio
Tor the Seaboard air line, common
ly called,) soon to be completed and
put into operation, giving direct
outlet TO the cities of the Southeast
the growing cities OF the Atlantic
seacoast-coal trade centers of note.
Second, the paralleling its entire
distance of the Chesapeake and
ohio's Big Sandy road by the Bal
umore and Ohio. a subject discussed
by railroad people for some time,
and which has been under advise
ment. To do this it will be neces-
sary for the b. and o. people to
bridge the Ohio river at Ashland at
considerable expense, 1t is under
stood that for months the b. and o.
has been financing the building Of
a parallel line with the C. and o. in
order to get slice of the big coal
tonnage going out from the great
Elkhorn coal field around jenkins,
a branch of their road, the Sandy
Valley and Elkhorn, already carry
ing the Consolidation Coal Com
output from their mines in 1
and around the industrial city of
jenkins and delivering it to the G.
and o. at Shelby Station, 80 miles.
The Baltimore and Ohio, as a re-
suit of their Shelby-Jenkins branch,
would have to build about 100 miles
Of road, but considering the to-
geography of the country this would
mean gigantic undertaking. At
this time the B. and o. is preparing
TO start the construction of a 25-
mile branch line from Hazard 20
Beaver Creek to parallel, new line
Of the c. and o., now practically
in order to get part of the
arge coal shipments soon to be
coming out from the mammoth plant
If the Elkhorn Coal Corporation and
he Beaver Coal and Gas Company
md the other concerns getting in
eadiness to begin coal shipments
rom Weeksbury and Allen, new
ities on Beaver creek. At least ten
niles of steel has already been laid
N the new Beaver branch of the c.
nd o. and the remainder of the
york is being rushed with all pos
ible speed. ,
The Lexington and Eastern ex-
ension from McRoberts via jenkins
nd down Elkhorn City, would pen ]
trate an immensely rich coal and =
mber section yet untouched. 1t !
as the purpose of railroad officials o
Ho years ago to extend the road in i
) Elkhorn City, strategic point OF \
ltlet for vastly rich coal distri
irrounding, both in Kentucky al
irginia, the survey having several 1,
mes been made. This further ex- y
nsion Of the l.. and b.. would ]
ily parallel, the Sandy Valley and Y
lkhorn road entering Jenkins from N
'nkins to Shelby Gap. distance of ],
K miles, the remainder of the route "
ing through almost untouched 1,
,lds of timber and extensive coal q
Ids. Louisville Post. =,
M