Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-02
H0PEWELL ELECTRIC
ROAD IS CHARTERED
Will Bring Powder-Plant Tow
Within Twenty-One Miles
OF Richmond.
EIGHT MILES TO BE BUILT
President III. D. Eichelberger Says
Line From Chester to Hopcwell,
Crossing AppomattOx Mt Point of
Rocks, Will BE Ready by Spring.

Preliminary surveys have been prac-
tically completed for the construction
OF an electric railway from Chester in
Chesterfield County to CITY Point and
Hopewel in Prince George County.
crossing the Appomattox River at or
near Point of Rocks. The State Cor
poration Commission yesterday granted
Il charter to the Chester and CITY Point
Electric Railway Eompa ny, tyliicI, pro-
poses to build the road, but engineers
have been on the ground for some time.
Fl. D. Eichelbergcr. OF Richmond and
Chester, Il prominent capitalist, who is
president of the new company, stated
last night that the plans call for tho
completion Of the line by next spring mt
the latest. He expressed the opinion
that the construction of the road. which
gives Richmond direct connection
with City Point and Hopewell the site
of the big Du Pont powder plant, will
be project which will mean more to
Richmond than any similar undertake
Ing in recent years.
BRINGS IIOPEwELL WITHIN
TWENTi-OSE MILES OF RICHMOND
The distance from Chester to CITY
Point Is approximately eight miles, and
VIII reduce the route by rail from the
powder plant town to Richmond by ten
miles. From Chester to Richmond is
thirteen miles, making the distance
from this city by the new route to the
terminus OF the new line about twenty
one miles.
While not in IA position to give def
mite figures on the cost of the eight
mile link, pending the completion of
the engineers reports. President Eichel-
berger estimated that $l5O,O00 would
be required to carry through the pro-
ject. This amount includes the cost Of
n draw-bridgc across the Appomattox
River at or near Point of Rocks. The
span will be in the neighborhood OF 100
feet
Mr. Eichelberger said that ample ar
rangements had been made to finance
the road, and that he expected con-
st,uction work to begin at an early
date. y portion OF the preliminary re-
ports have already been made by the
engineers. who are in charge of Chief
Engineer Donnelly, formerly OF the
Seaboard Air Line.
What connection the new line will
make at Chester for Richmond has not
been made public. Mr.. Eichelberger de-
clined to discuss this phase of the stu
alton. contenting himself with the
statement that I'VE will get into Rich
mond all right"
There are three routes from Chcs-
ter to Richmond--thc Richmond-Pe-
tcrsburg line of the Virginia Railway
and Power Company, the Atlantic Coast
Line, and the Seaboard Air Line. Off
cIals OF the railway and power COM
pany said last night that they knew
nothing OF any arrangements with the
rc" company looking to the use OF
their tracks into Richmond or for the
clectriiication of the Chester-City Poin,
road when IL shall have been completed
Il, addition TO Mr.. Eichelberger. di-
rcctors of the road include s. Morris,
oe New York city; B. a. Rufln who is
engineer in charge OF surveys for the
pre- posed railroad from West Point to
Urbanna: John *. johnson. ]. a.
Strachan, y. T. Curtis. a. C. Buchanan.
T. j. Shepherd. all OF Chesterfield
County: and Willis b. Smith of Rich
n,ond and Petersburg. Mr.. Smith is
named as general counsel. and Mr.. Blu
chanan as secretary, The maximum
capital. authorized in the charter. Is
s10C. 900.
Nc announcement had been made Of
tho plans of the company until yester-
day. and the issuance OF tho charter
was the first lntimation that such pro-
ject had taken definite shape. Prcsi- |
dent Eichelberger explained the ap-
parent secrecy with which their plans |
had been surrounded by saying that he |
and his associates preferred to act |
rather than talk" about the PROPOSE |
ticn. He indicated plainly that tho |
company had arranged to proceed with |,
the construction as rapidly as possible, |
and that there was no possibility OF a |
hitch in their arrangements.