The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-13
WASHINGTON-AtWP0RT
NEWS LINE CHARTERED
New Company In Nature OF Holding
Company For Virginia and Mary
land Corporation.
GREAT STEP FOR TmEwArER
Construction of Railroad From New
port News to Washington Means
Tremendous Development For East
ern Virginia.

What is generally regarded as an
important step toward better rail-
road transportation for Eastern Viz
GINA and Maryland was taken yester-
day when formal application was
made to the State Corporation Com
mission to charter the Washington
Newport News Short Line.
This company. IL is ofncialiy an,
nounoed is to be the consolidated
COMPANY of the Norfolk, Washington
and New York Railway and the Po-
tomac River and Baltimore Railway.
These two companies. both or whicn
have already been chartered. are part
of the same system, but as one is
to operate in Virginia and the other
in Maryland, the financial Interests
backing the new enterprise deemed II
best to organize q consolidated COM
pany for the two.
AS soon as practicable after the new
charter has been granted by the Cor
poration Commission, construction
work 10 expected to be begun on the
railroad. This will be pushed rapidly,
not only because of the recognized
needs of the sections through which
it viii pass. but also because the
rights OF way decided the companies
contain provision that the line must
be completed and In operation by De-
cember ii. 1919.
Discussing the plans OF the Wash
ington- Ne,sport News Short Line yes
terday. Claiming u. Ward, president
of the Norfolk, Washington and New
York Company, gave out the follow
ing statement:
Those OF US who have been in
terested In the economic development
of Eastern Virginia are satisfied that
the charter OF the consolidated COM
panY marks the last preliminary to
actual construction.
''As the name indicates. the two
lines covered by the charter OF the
consolidated company will give snort
line transportation from Washington
to Newport News From Newport
News, where we have met with every
encouragement, the line will pass
through the town OF Hampton and
Elizabeth City County. will cross the
York by a bridge to Gloucester Point
and proceed thonce through Glouces-
ter. Middlesex Preaching Saluda) and
Essex Counties, TO the Rappahan-
mock, near Leedstown. across that
river by bridge. and through West
mcysland and King George TO Metom-
kin Point on the Potomac, which Is
also TO be crossed by bridge. North
OF that river the line Will SO through
Charles and Prince George Counties,
Maryland, will pass Indian Head and
will finally connect with the Shepard s
branch OF the Baltimore and Ohio AT
the District OF Columbia boundary
line, affording through transportation
via the Pennsylvania as well as the
Baltimore and Ohio. From Leeds
town a branch Will run through West
moreland. Richmond, Lancaster and
%or.hum beriand Counties To Chesa-
peake Bay little later we hope TO
tsta blish connection at Newcastle on
the Pamunkey with the extended
Richmond and Kappa hammock Rail-
way.
we have been much encouraged
at the support given us and are con-
ddea, Of success in An undertaking
that will open one Of the most fertile
and certainly one OF the most isolat-
ed sections of the Atlantic seaboard.
Who the Direesors Arc.
The nine directors of the new con-
sol!dated company. whose names are
signed to the articles OF incorpora-
tton inclnds prominent Northern ana
virginia financiers. together with
some Of the most distinguished men
in Tldewater Virginia
The president is Frank s. Cannon.
of New York, who Ia head of the
Montana, Wyoming and Southern
Railroad AID formerly prominent
Official of the Baltimore and Ohio and
Southern Railroads, and considered
one OF the best railroad executives
in the country Mr.. Cannon Is con-
fidenf OF the success OF the new rail-
road Matters" he says. ARE shap-
ing as they never have TO give Tide
water Virginia f3rst-ciass railroad,
and. notwithstanding war conditions,
there Is excellent reason for assuming
that construction will be under way in
1915 have gone ahead with the en-
terprise on my faith that the people
would make good the promises made
when I took IT in hand, to furnish
tho right OF way. which must be done
before can go any farther. am
under a pledge, based upon repre-
sensations made by the original
owners OF the franchise TO provide
the right OF way. When this equity
ia In hand I can use II to raise the
necessary capital. / cant expect TO
succeed IL fail in my first promise
to those who stand ready TO back me
to the end. I am In this undertaking
TO succeed. and l never felt better
over the prospect
r S. Cannon Jr.. prominent New
York attorney, is vice-president OF the
company. and William S. Seibert, his
partner. 10 the treasurer.
The Virginia incorporators are:
Richard Armstrong. of Hampton.
president OF the Armstrong Land ana
Improvement Company and OF Arm
H1rOnK bECIheEbs walAdEl - S0i 'cOr
OF Richmond. president of the
Gloucester Bank and large land owner
In Virginia: Hon william A. Jones OF
warsaw, member Of Congress. First
District OF Virginia. who has taken a
lively interest in the road and has
given II much announcement; James
NJ Lewis. of Tappahannock. bank
president and tust named secretary
of the State Board OF Fisheries; Wal
ter B. Livezey, president of the Old
Dominion Land Company, OF Newport
News and OF the Light and Power
Company. of that city: Albert L.
Powell. president Of the Colonial
Bank and Powell Trust Company. OF
Newport News. and Charming NJ.
Ward. of Richmond. president OF the
Norfolk. Washington and New York
Railway Company.
HOLD TAG DAY" FOR
JEWISH WAR SUFFERERS