Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-12-13
|C.& 0. MAY ERECT
100000 SHOPS
. ON RICHMOND SITE
Officials Abandon Plans
for New Buildings at
Clifton Forge.
DECIDE THEY SHOULD BE
FARTHER EAST ON LINES
Harahan's Influence Likely to
Prove Conclusive Factor in
Locating Plant.
BOARD To MEET THURSDAY
Railroad Owns 800 Acres OF Land
Near Fulton, bought
Years Ago.
DECIDE THEY SHOULD BE
FARTHER EAST ON LINES
BOARD TO MEET THURSDAY
Railroad Owns 800 Acres OF Lan,I
Near Fulton, bought
Years Ago.

Reports OF the most reliable char
acter were being circulated here ycs
terday In business circles that
through the influence OF william j.
Harahan, newly elected president OF
the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad,
the sl.0oo.00o shops OF the company
which II was proposed 10 build In
Clifton Forge, will. Instead. he
erected In Richmond
u is definitely known that the
company has abandoned its plan to
build the needed shops at Clifton
Forge. aud railroad officials declare
the influence OF Mr.. Harahan NJ the
next meeting Of the board OF dircc-
New York Thursday. Will be sum
cient Y" swing the location to the
capital OF Virginia.
Want shops Farther Ea.t.
According 10 reports. the company
uoes not own sufficient property at
clifton Forge to erect fhc proposod
buildings and the only suitable sit.
Tor thein would ncccssitntc the tear
ing down Of part of mountain. II
~ the proposal OF the company to
BRING the shops farther east. and IL
~ pointe! out that Richmond ig an
ideal location. The company owns a
strip oi land OF about 200 acres be-
low filton. not five miles from the
Stat" Capitol Building. ideally To-
Gated for the purpose at hand and
purchased several years ago. prob
ABLY with the idea In view of utill-
za:ion later In expansion.
Richmond business men last night
expressed confidence that Mr. IInra-
han viii do all In his power for this
CITY IN connection with the location
OF the proposed shops here. This
work does no, include the remodel
ing Of the office buildings of the
company at Clifton Forge or en-
larSement OF the present shops there
That work. IL is estimated. will cost
between $500. 900 and 5000, 900.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Rail
road here employs several thousand
mcn and its monthly pay roll
amounted to more than $4,000. 600 be-
for the Increase granted railroad
men by the wage board last summer
became effective. Several hundred
people are said TO be employees in the
offices Of the company here alone.
No estimate on the number OF en-
ployes the new shops would bring
10 Richmond could be obtained las,
night. as many officials OF the road
We're out OF the city. and ii was i'm
possible 10 get in touch with any one
who could verify the report.
Pledge Mutual Co-Operntton.
However. It is felt certain that Mr..
fiarahan will do all possible for
Richmond in the matter OF selecting
new location for the shops needed.
John Kerr Branch. president of the
Chamber OF Commerce, accompanied
by u. G. Laird. ]. j. Marcuse. w. T..
Dabney. h. S. Goodman, and other
officials OF the Chamber Of Com
mcrce, called on Mr.. Harahan LAST
week. and mutual cooperation be-
tween the business interests OF the
city and the railroad was pledged
IT is believed that the business in
terests Of the city will lend their
support to the proposal that the
shops be located here. II this has not
already been definitely decided.
Every car loaded with coal or
other goods for export along the sea-
board must pass through Richmond.
and this is another argument for the
selection of this city for the pro
posed shops. The company has ade-
quatc equipment farther west to
take care of bad-order cars and for
other work. but has few facilities
near the eastern terminus OF the
line for this work. other than those
already located in Richmond