Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1917-03-29
New Railroad Chartered.

That the railroad which has recently
been surveyed through Jefferson and
Berkeley counties will be built seems as
sured by news from Richmond, Va, that
a charter has been granted for the con-
struction of a railroad from Newport
News, Va, 10 Harper's Ferry. This is
the eastern section of the proposed new
line which is proposed TO be built from
tidewater at or near Newport News to
Morgantown, this State, which will fur
nish connections 10 the Fairmont coaI
regions of the State and on to Pittsburg
and the west. The road is chartered
from Newport News to Harper's Ferry
across the State of Virginia only, as a
new charter will have to be secured for
West Virginia. The Baltimore Sun OF
Saturday last has this to say concerning
the project:
Considerable interest was aroused in
Baltimore Friday by Richmond dispatch
stating that a charter had been granted in
Virginia for railroad line from Newport
News to Harper's Ferry. 1t is said the
line ultimately will extend TO Morgan
town, w. Va. The charter was obtained
by Washington capitalists who, it is said,
will finance the road, the capital stock
being placed at 100000. William B.
Emmert, of Washington, will be presi-
dent OF the new company.
1.-THE name OF the Western Maryland
was used in connection with this new
project, as it was asserted that the road
would secure through it an outlet for its
coal and other traffic to Newport News,
in addition TO the market it now has in
Baltimore, and that il would also enable
il to reach Washington, goal which all
railroad systems strive for.
"When the matter was placed before
President Carl R. Gray, of the Western
Maryland, he at once said that the Rich
mond proposition was not one OF the
activities OF his road. He intimated that
it might have some connection with the
extension OF the Washington and Old
Dominion Line, which has been seeking
connection with the Western Maryland.
"The Western Maryland, however, is
not directly concerned in the building OF
the road, he said, though il is not denied
that such connection, if II can be formed,
will be OF benefit to it.
1.-THE Dominion line, with which Mr..
Emmert and his associates are connected,
extends from Washington TO Bluemont,
Va, and is now operated as an electric
road, though il is said that it has all the
facilities for use as steam road and can
readily adjusted for operation in coniunc-
ton with any steam operated system.
This company has made survey from
its Virginia terminus to Williamsport,
Md, where it would make connection
with the Western Maryland. This would
give the local road an entrance into Wash
ington from the west, and would also en-
able it to establish aport for its coal either
at Georgetown or III Alexandria.
at is known that engineers have been
going over this ground for some time and
the impression prevailed in some quar-
tiers that they working for the Western
Maryland. Some are OF the opinion that
a railroad proposition OF this magnitude
could hardly be carried through success
fully without some strong financial back
ing, and this the Western Maryland may
be able to supply. if il becomes interest
ed in the project. The intlmation OF
President Gray would indicate that it
may not be averse TO having such a con-
nection, although it may not be one OF its
immediate activities at the moment.
1.-THE line would be OF undoubted value
to the local road by affording it another
coal outlet at one OF the largest coal ports
on the Atlantic coast. The Western
Maryland gets into Morgantown and other
parts OF the Fairmont coal region OF West
Virginia by traffic agreement with the
Baltimore & Ohio, using the tracks OF
this last-named system from connec-
ton with its own line. Many assert that
it will be much more desirable for the
road TO have its own tracks or those
which it can more readily control for
train movement"