The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-09
SOUTHERN is STEADILY
IMPROVING ROADBED
Judge William l.. Rhen Gives Results
of Recent Official In
spcctiOnE.
WEST POINT LINE IN GOOD ORDER
New Ties md InlInst Being Placed ON
Main Line Hctwccn Rlchmopd and
DanyiIIc.

by next fall tho Southern Railway
line between Richmond and Danvi!lc
will be one of the tcst pieces of track
in Virginia" said Judge William l..
Rhea. OF tho state Corporation Com
mission. in speaking yesterday OF the
inspection made by him Of this rail
way on Thursday AT the present
time tho line is being put in first
class condition. Thousands of new
ties have beon laid, and ballast is be-
ing steadily placed
y little more than six months ago
Judge Rhca made an inspection OF
the Richmond Danvillc road. which
caused him tn make percmptory de
inanoS upon the Southern Railway for
improvements. Without exception.
said he yesterday, the railway has
done everything ordered by tho COM
mission.
Tho line between Richmond and
West Point has been practically re-
built in the last six months" said
Judge Rhca The improvement made
is astonishing. inspected this road
Twelve months ago and found 1t ia Il
very unsatisfactory condition. Upon
receiving my report the Southern i'm
mediatcly began the rebuilding OF the
line. ] found yesterday that the old
hit%-siN pound rails have been re-
moved and have been replaced bv
ciGhty-pound rails. while new ties
nave been substituted for the old ties
III nearly every instance.
1t is now finely ballastcd, and al
though we Travelled at the rate of forty
five miles an hour over it, the riding
was comfortably steady"
TRAINS ARE NOW OPERATED
ON MoRI: nt:GULAR SCHEDULE
judge iihca also announced yesterday
the result of the count kept recently on
sol l,tln
Danvillc division of the southern Rail-
way lie announced that by actual
sporting the trains of the line have
been arriving in Richmond almost uni
fornly on time. AMI that the Service
has been greatly Improved
Tho new officials of the northern die
trict. who werc recently moved to Rich
mond from Greensboro. y. c., made a
good impression upon Judge Rhca by
| their Willingness to fulfill amy reason.
able regulation imposed by tho State
Corporation Commission. General SUI
pcrintcndent L. t.. simpson. who accom-
panied Judge Rhca on the Inspection
told him that his office is prepared TO
make any improvements tho commits
sion desires in the Southcrn's lines
about Richmond.
For tho last thirty days the commits
sion has required the railway to keen =
report OF the arrivals and departures
of passenger trains from Main Street
station. The report rendered yesterday
, shows great Improvement in train
service and one which the officials
promise will be bcttcrcd in tho future
Tho richmond anvillc division like
the West Point road. Is being practi-
callE rebuilt, says Judge Rhca Ecrin-
ming to- day, ono carload of stone bal
last will BIO placed on this line every
day until the entire line has been ro-
ballastcd. The State Corporation Com
mission is we'll pleased by the rcspons @
made by the Southern to it's demands
while the commuters who live on the
Danvil!c division express pleasure over
the new schedule, which adds one train
daily into ana out OF Richmond