Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-04-30
Save tho Seven Pines Line

SaNS thc Sctcn IlneS Line
Is Richmond to lose another OF its SUBJ
i urban transportation lines? Thcre is
grave and well-founded fear that II will nm
less local capital can be Interested and that
quickly.
The Richmond and Seven Pines Electric
Railway is for sale-placed on the open
market by the United States government,
which has no further use for It now that
war activities are at an end. 1t will be
Knocked down to the highest bidder, and
OH the result Of that sale hangs the future
or many hundreda OF suburban dwellcrs
and the future value of millions of dollars
worth OF property. If the new owners see
in it paying investment and decide to
operate it. then all will be we'll for the
prosperous and populous territory through
which the road runs, and for Richmond, to
which 1t is a feeder. II it is scrapped, as
has happened to its affiliated road, the
Richmond and Rappahannock, and to the
Tidewater and Western then the loss will
be incalculable
There seems to be reason why oper-
alton of the Seven Pines line. with its rs
miles OF trackage and monthly traffic of
10000 paid passengers, should not be
made profitable investment for either local
or foreign capital. However, the fact
stands out that it's returns in the past have
not been sufficiently large 10 attract in
Vestors Several years ago the road was
taken over by Joseph Willard. now ambas-
sador to Spain. who planned to make 1t a
link in his road extending to the Pamunkey
River. That plan was changed, the Seven
Pines line remained an individual unit, and
Richmond sorrowfully recalls that after n
brief period Of operation the Pamunkey
line was scrapped. With prices going
higher and revenues falling off after the
outbreak of war, the Seven Pines line was
abandoned by its owners. to he taken over
b" the Housing Corporation of the Federal
government in order to furnish transport
taton to its operatives in the Seven Pines
bag-loading plant. With the end OF the
war, the plant was closed, and the Seven
Pines real estate anu building boom dissi-
pnted, but the government continued oper-
alton of the line. Now it will dispose Of
/, to the highest bidder, and it depends on
Richmond whether 1t will go for junk or
continue TO operate as one of it's valuable
feeder lines.
Conditions affecting this line are in some
respects not dissimilar to those surround
ing the abandonment and later rehabilita-
ton OF the Chesapeake Bay line running
to Ashland That road failing to pay, was
! abandoned by the Gouds and later sold to
a Richmond syndicate actuated largely by
its loyal desire to serve and further build
up populouS territory That road now is
in operation, and under economic and mod
ern methods OF management is understood
to he vindcatng the judgment of its new
owners. Along the Seven Pines line have
! sprung up hundreds OF suburban homes,
occupied mostly by Richmond workers OF
moderate means. and several prosperous
communities, while at its eastern terminus
/ Is one Of the Souths most famous battle
fields, visited annually by thousands OF
! tourists. This territory has been built up
, by reason Of easy and cheap transportation
to and from Richmond, and abandonment
OF the road now would be TO these suburban
! jewellers nothing short OF calamity. Also,
it would be calamitous for Richmond to be
cut of from another Of its producing sec
tons. Already it has lost more than it
can afford.
( 1t behooves Richmonds substantial bust
ness interests and citizens generally to be-
/ stir themselves for the retention of the
Seven Pines line. In other instances when
Richmond was threatened they have demon
strated what their sound judgment and
loyal activity could accomplish; they can do
it again il they will To save the Seven
Pines line is an object worthy OF the city's
best united endeavors.
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