History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900, Part 45

Author: Stewart, William H. (William Henry), 1838-1912
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1054

USA > Virginia > City of Norfolk > City of Norfolk > History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900 > Part 45

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nect with the electric roads fast encircling this great inner basin and eventually ascend the James and York rivers to the new and old capitals of the State.

The Norfolk & Southern Railroad con- nects Norfolk by a road 18 miles long with the most famous Atlantic Ocean all-the-year- round resort,-Virginia Beach,-running through rich farm lands, studded with little stations, each of which is fast growing to a suburban residence section.

At Kempsville a branch road starts, which runs for some 25 or 30 miles to deep water on Currituck Sound, tapping the great duck- ing and fishing grounds of North Carolina, and by its connection with the Norfolk & Western terminal track furnishing a through outlet for this immense traffic.

Another terminus of this road is on the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth and runs to Edenton and Elizabeth City, tapping the great truck and fish section of Eastern, North and South Carolina. It connects with innumerable steamer lines running in the sound and rivers of this section, thus furnishing an outlet for all this business.

The Norfolk & Western Railway runs form Norfolk to Roanoke, Bristol, Lynch- burg, Richmond, Petersburg and Radford. It connects at Norton with the Louisville & Nashville, at Kenova it crosses to Portsmouth, Ohio, where it connects with the Cincinnati & Columbus, and at the latter place with the Ohio, Cincinnati & St. Louis, and thence with Chicago and the West. From Bristol it con- nects with the Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia, and at Lynchburg with various other lines running south. Through the Louisville & Nashville important western connections are made. This road taps the great grazing and farming country of Western Virginia, North Carolina, Eastern Tennessee, Kentucky and the Lake and Central States, the coal and mining region of the backbone of the East, the grain fields of the West and the cotton and lumber regions of the South; iron, steel,

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coke, tobacco and other valuable products are also brought here in great quantities by this road.

The Seaboard Air Line connects Norfolk and Portsmouth via AAtlanta with Jacksonville. Florida, and Havana, Cuba. Through Central North and South Carolina and Georgia it takes its way, through the cotton and tobacco belt. and via Atlanta connects with Pensacola. New Orleans, Memphis, Chattanooga, Nash- ville. and via Macon with Savannah and all of Florida's principal cities. At New Orleans it connects with the Southern Pacific and Texas Pacific. thus reaching Southern California and San Francisco, whence it runs, as occasion de- mands, solid through trains to Norfolk and Portsmouth. A branch from Monroe runs to the heart of the Alleghanies in "The Land of the Sky." as Western North Carolina is appro- priately termed. Branches also connect it with Wilmington and Charleston on the Southern Atlantic Coast, with Raleigh via Weldon and with Richmond via Ridgeway, and soon it will reach Washington and the North. while from Boykin's a branch to Lewiston, North Caro- lina, connects with the sound section and vari- ous other spurs make the whole Southern field open to its trade. The iron mills of Alabama and Georgia, the health resorts of the latter State and the Carolinas, and the wonderfully productive sections of Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas are also contributory. This road is still young, but, like a young giant, it grows with rapid stride, and each year finds it more a power and a benefit, thanks to the policy fol- lowed by its management.

The Norfolk & Carolina Railroad is the Atlantic Coast Line's feeder from Norfolk and Portsmouth, and its outlet to deep water. The road has grown from a small lumber road to be of considerable consequence, and now' reaches a field of export and import commen- surate with its opportunity. The lumber regions of the Tar, Roanoke and other North Carolina rivers are reached by it. and the cot- ton, peanut and truck sections traversed by it

are very rich. The road is prosperous and well run.

The Atlantic Coast Line has its Norfolk terminus at Pinner's Point, along with the Southern Railway and the Norfolk & Caro- lina, which road picked this spot in the "eighties." Of this main line may be said :

The 15 Southern roads that make up what is known as the Atlantic Coast Line system. with an aggregate of 1,216 miles, traverse a region that is infinitely rich in undeveloped and partly developed resources, agricultural and in- dustrial. The territory of this system extends from Norfolk and Portsmouth on the north to Charleston, Columbia, Orangeburg and Den- mark, South Carolina, on the south, the main line and its widely ramifying branches reach- ing into almost every part of this area.

The agricultural products of this region have a wide range in point of variety. com- prising cotton, corn, tobacco, wheat, oats, rye, broom corn, sweet and Irish potatoes. peaches, pears, figs, grapes, and almost every fruit and vegetable that will grow out of the tropics. Almost the whole region is underlaid with marl, a very valuable fertilizing material. Cotton is grown in every part of this area, though more largely in North and South Caro- lina than in Virginia. In much of this terri- tory peanuts are extensively grown and make a profitable crop. Clover and other cultivated grains do well. Broom corn is grown to some extent. Sweet potatoes make one of the most profitable crops of this region. Tobacco is one of the important crops of this section. but it is not grown over the whole area. Rice is. of course. a staple, and one of the most import- ant crops of the southern part of this section. Corn is the staple crop in all this area. There is no other product of the soil so manifestly at home in this section as the grape. and nowhere else can this fruit be more easily and more ad- vantageously cultivated. Many varieties grow wild, yielding in utmost profusion,-not the small, sour grapes that grow wild in the North,-but rich, luscious fruit. Grape cul-

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ture and wine making have come to be im- portant and profitable industries. Asparagus. strawberries and truck of all kinds are grown in this region. The area under consideration is also rich in the variety and the extent of its forest growth.

The railroads of this region, as well as the landowners and the people generally, are thor- oughly aroused on the subject of immigration. They do not want any pauper immigration, but they do want thrifty and .reputable farmers to come in and utilize the resources that are lying waste. They realize the great benefits to the whole section that would accompany a large increase in population.

The great Southern Railway has, in con- nection with the Atlantic Coast Line and the Norfolk & Carolina road, its terminal at Pin- ner's Point, and the tremendous plant here lo- cated is worthy a special story of itself. The Southern has wide ramifications and is con- nected with every road worthy the name in the South. Nearly all of this the Southern had before it came to this port. but the port was necessary, as the Southern had no great deep-water terminus, and to keep pace with the time must have one. In looking over the coast line the very natural selection fell here, and the great plant of miles of shifting track, inimense warehouses and other necessary ad- juncts of a port terminal were built.

Let us see what it brought Norfolk and Portsmouth: A through line to Atlanta but a few miles (generally less than 100) further inland than the Seaboard Air Line, and be- vond the Gate City to Brunswick, Georgia, and as far south as Palatka, Florida. Again, its great ramifications connect Norfolk and Ports- mouth with a network of roads bearing the Southern's stamp of the broad-arlow cut "S" in the richest sections of Kentucky. Tennes- see. Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and North and South Carolina. As a result, it pours into its warehouses at Pinner's Point tobacco, cot- ten, lumber, pitch, turpentine, lime, dye stuff. copper bars, pig iron, steel and a thousand and

one products of Southern fields, forests, moun- tains and streams. Nearly 6,000 miles of rail- road through this system directly contribute to Norfolk's greatness, and through its connec- tions probably 30,000 miles more are made tributary to this port. By this road also the Southwestern passenger traffic to the near-by seaside resorts of Norfolk is largely increased, the public promptly availing itself of the chance of reaching this favored section.

The Atlantic & Danville branch of this road, recently secured, connects Norfolk and Portsmouth with Danville and the wonderful copper mines of Northern North Carolina. It runs through the rich lumber and tobacco belt of Southern Virginia and Northern North Carolina, and three things ( principally ) have made this section of the road,-tobacco, lum- ber and passengers. The variety and value of the lumber is very great, and to get an idea of the tobacco traffic it is only necessary to visit Pinner's Point, where there are rarely less than 1,000 hogsheads in warehouses for ship- ment, though steamers are daily lading them as part cargo for Europe: or to simply state the fact that the loose tobacco liandled on the Danville market is only second in amount and generally first in value of any city in America or the world. Cotton, leather and other products, raw and manufactured, contribute not a little to the total shipments to Norfolk and Portsmouth. The Atlantic & Danville makes tributary all the section from Lynch- burg, Virginia, to Goldsboro, North Carolina, and at Danville connects with the Southern Railway, thus drawing to its section and eventually to Norfolk and Portsmouth the products of sections further south.

The Chesapeake & Ohio Railway has its principal terminal in Newport News, but also a distinct Norfolk terminal, where its local business is handled, as does also the New York. Philadelphia & Norfolk, whose main freight terminals are at Cape Charles City, across Chesapeake Bay, and at Port Norfolk, 'across this harbor ( Norfolk's) and at the

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gateway of the Belt Line, of which railway the Chesapeake & Ohio is also a contributing member.

The Chesapeake & Ohio Railway taps the great West and Northwest. the centers of grain. hay. oats, wheat and other farm products, packing-house products, meat prod- ucts, dairy products, cattle. hogs. horses. Western manufactures, etc., and their immense warehouses here and at the mouth of the James River supply cargoes for several fleets of steamers constantly running.

The New York. Philadelphia & Norfolk Railroad runs from Norfolk to Philadelphia. connecting there with the Pennsylvania sys- tem and through it with great Northern roads, furnishing a territory for Norfolk prod- vets and bringing to Norfolk the manufactures of the North for distribution to other points south.

Its enormous warehouses at Port Norfolk are a credit to any railway system and its fleet of car-floats, tugs, barges, house-barges and steamers of deep red are an excellent foil in number and color to the like fleets of deep yellow fcated by the Chesapeake & Ohio.

The extent to which the Western business cuts a figure with the railroads of the South may he realized when it is known that at most important Southern centers freight from the West has three times the tonnage of frieght from the East, and this is not all, or even half, made up of grain, hay and hog products. as most people think. The miscellaneous freight. other than these items, and not including iron and steel. about equals the miscellaneous freight from the East. The proportion of Western tonnage to Eastern is steadily increas- ing here.

The Chesapeake Transit Company, another projected electric railway, expects to run from Cape Henry to Norfolk and connect to the southeastward with Virginia Beach and the Chautauqua Assembly Grounds, while at Nor- folk it will make connection with the numer- ons ramifying lines running to other growing suburbs and watering places.

The Newport News. Pig Point & Norfolk Railway is, it is understood, already begun. and when completed will run a ferry from Newport News to Pig Point. at the month of the Nansemond River, then an electric rail- way across the wonderfully productive West- ern Branch trucking section and via Port Nor- folk to Portsmouth and via ferry to Norfolk. It will complete the belting of the port with steel and steam.

These, with the Belt Line, are the railway systems Norfolk and Portsmouth present as port adjunets.

The great railroads of the country are cen- tering here, the business of the country looks toward this port and the rails are lengthening into the sunset West, the auroraed North and the land of the Southern Cross, their center and hope being Norfolk and Portsmouth.

The times are ripe for Norfolk and Ports- mouth to become the railroad metropolis of the country. and if relations are properly culti- vated with the capital looking for investment, they will be this and more. But there must be unity and hard and unremitting work. The result will surprise the most sanguine.

One by one the great railway systems have recognized the vast opportunities and natural advantages of Norfolk and Portsmouth as a distributing point, and have not been slow in securing a right of way to our doors, and each new addition to our rolling stock has rendered it more imperative that others follow their ex- ample, and those already here have found it necessary to enlarge their terminal facilities to accommodate their rapidly developing traffic. Steamship and steamboat lines. caught the fever, and immense warehouses and wharf properties have sprung into existence, as if by magic, to facilitate the handling of freight and accommodate the increased demand.

The result has been the rapid development of the business interests of Norfolk and Ports- mouth in every line. the establishment of direct lines to Europe and the vast improvement in our coastwise and local transportation.

In view of the fact that Norfolk and Ports-

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mouth are now the terminus of numerous great railway systems placing them in direct and easy communication with every part of our great country, that through their innumerable steamship and steamboat lines and sailing ves- sels which connect here with every point in Tidewater Virginia and North Carolina, as well as every important city on the Atlantic Coast and in Europe, it is not strange that Norfolk and Portsmouth are fast gaining a world-wide reputation as a distributing point for the products of manufacture and agri- culture.

Particular notice should be made of the Belt Line for numerous reasons, and the first of these is, that while it has no terminal ap- parent it has in reality as many as there are railroads terminating in this port. It begins in the middle of the Norfolk & Carolina track and ends in the middle of the Norfolk & West- ern. It is but six miles in actual length, but unites tens of thousands of miles of railways reaching every section of the country. It is not a passenger thoroughfare, but a freight distributor. yet the private coaches of some of the biggest railway magnates in the land pass over it. It is continued by the New York, Philadelphia & Norfolk at the one end and the Norfolk & Western at the other, and thus forms a link in the semicircle of steel and steam from Port Norfolk or Pinner's Point to Lambert's Point or Willoughby Spit. It is the gatherer and distributor of freights for all the roads. one to the other, and has yet a distinct and separate business of its own. Its own equipment is small and is rarely seen on other roads, yet the rolling stock equipment of nearly every other road in the country is to be seen on its tracks. I would not dare say it owned a single freight car, yet probably fully 250 freight cars are hauled over its tracks every working day of the calendar year. At present it is a single-track road but six miles in length. still even now its side tracks, spurs and switches nearly equal its length, and with the continuation of the rapid development of in-

dustrial plants along its territory another year,-for the road is yet an infant in years,- will see those same branches and spurs multi- plied fourfold.

Another curious thing about the road is that while it has fixed charges and does a thriving, rapidly increasing and valuable busi- ness, the greater part of its revenue comes from the railroads of which it is the connect- ing link and not from the individual or in- dustry, the road being to each railroad a toll- bridge extending that road to the firm or fac- tory it desires to reach, situated on the neutral territory of the Belt Line's circuit, for which extension of its rails the road so accommo- dated pays.

Seven great railways form the stock com- pany owning the belt, two of which form its chtrance way and debouchment, and one of the owners must pay the right-of-way charges to the one of the other six to get its cars to the coveted tracks. This, however, will eventually bring about the extension of the belt along the Norfolk & Western tracks direct to Norfolk and possibly through the city.

The Belt Line was long worked for, hoped for and prayed for before it came, and it is chiefly due to the pertinacity of a few men, who early saw its need and the advantages it offered, that it is now here. Several roads at various times were prevailed upon to look at the idea with favorable eyes, but none of them was able to force the situation and take ad- vantage of public sentiment, which was sporadic and intermittent, and the railroads' interest at the same moment until 1897, when the right men in railroad, public and press circles were at one and the same time located and the matter was simple and easy.

The right of way was secured, the road or- ganized, built and equipped, and September I, 1898, was opened. There was no hurrah; no special train, banquet, speechmaking, etc. The road was ready ; the road opened for business and the greatest transportation feat this port has ever known and the one which, perhaps,

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had more of the future greatness of the port in it than any other one achievement in railroad enterprise here. was an established fact.

.At first one small engine handled the 40 to 50 loaded and empty freight cars handed over the track. shifted from one road to another or from factory and mill to the road-way billing the same. Now two big shifting engines of 90 tons each are necessary to handle the 150 loaded and 100 empties which it takes, three trains cach way, per day, to haul.

To the unthinking person, who knew Nor- folk and Portsmouth two decades ago, the de- velopment of transportation facilities to their present importance will seem like the realiza- tion of an " Arabian Nights'" dream. To the person of intellect, who can link cause and effect. they will seem merely like the working out of a single mathematical problem ; the ac- complishment of a result that is certain.

The transportation facilities of Norfolk and Portsmouth 20 years ago consisted of two short railway lines with a total of less than 500 miles of track. In less than a quarter of a century this little mileage increased until the railroads that now reach Norfolk and Ports- mouth have a grand total of 11.739 miles and penetrate to every section of the country. These lines are all connected by the Belt Line that encircles the cities of Norfolk and Ports- mouth and the town of Berkley.

That these great railroad systems have abundant faith in the great future of Norfolk and Portsmouth is evidenced by the substan- tial improvements that they have made and are making at this port. Within the past few years they have invested enormous amounts in lands and buildings. In their purchases they have wisely provided for the future by secur- ing much greater areas than needed for the present and their wisdom has been proven by the large advancement in value . since their purchase. The tendency still continues among the great railway systems to reach tidewater at this port, for destiny points to Norfolk and her sister city as the coming metropolis of the Southern Atlantic Coast.

The transportation facilities by water, both coastwise and foreign, have kept pace with the railroad development. In old days Norfolk and Portsmouth sent out many ships, and the white wings of her trading vessels traversed the pathways of commerce 'on many seas, but the coming of steam has changed the character of their fleet and multiplied their shipping.

Each year sees a gratifying addition to the sum total of the ships that go to and from this port and. in the steamships for passenger serv- ice. a notable improvement in their general appointments, so that now many of the passen- ger and freight steamships that ply between Norfolk and Portsmouth and other ports will compare favorably with any in America of foreign waters.

THE CLIMATE.

But to return a few moments to an original proposition of this article and expand it to plain view, as the railroad proposition has been spread before the reader, Norfolk Coun- ty's climate and conditions are worthy delib- erate and close scrutiny : such study will well repay the time taken in the glance, and explain one great reason for her attraction to business men.

The following tables and statements are carefully compiled and show plainly: First, the highest temperature recorded by the office of the United States Weather Bureau at Nor- folk during the past 29 years ; second, the low- est temperature during the same period ; third, the temperature and rainfall ; and fourth, some general averages deduced from these figures. The whole was skillfully compiled by J. J. Gray, observer at Norfolk, and his able asso- ciates.

The highest temperature ever recorded during each month was:

Deg.

January 13, 1890

February 4. 1890 S2

March 22. 1894 88

April 18. 1896. 05

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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY

May 26. 1880.

June 9. 1874. . 102

July 10. 1876. . 102

August 5. 1899.

99 100

September 19. 1895.

October 5, 1894. 80

November 9. 1888 80

December 26, 1891.

The lowest temperature ever recorded dur- ing each month was:

Deg

January 17. 1893.

February 8. 1895.

March 14. 1888

April 6, 1898

May 1, 1876 ..

3I 38 49

June 1, 1894.

July 9. 1892.

August 24. 1888.

56 40

September 30. 1888

October 15, 1876 .. 31

December 30. 1880. .

The highest temperature at Norfolk. Vir- ginia. for a period of 29 years was 102 de- grees, June 9. 1874. and July 10, 1876: the lowest was 2 degrees above zero, February 8, 1895.

The following table gives the average tem- perature and rainfall by months, at Norfolk. Virginia. deduced from observations covering a period of 29 years :

Month

Average Temperature degrees

Average Rainfall inches

January

3.60

February

42.

5.55

March

47.

4.54

April

57.

4.01

May

4.47

Tune

75.

4.33

July

78.

6.00

August

77.

5.80

September

72.

4.25

October

61.

3.86

November

51.

2.08

December

43. . 3.60

Average annual temperature for Norfolk. 59 de- grees.

Average annual rainfall for Norfolk, 52.99 inches.

The greatest rainfall in shortest duration of time was five inches in three hours and 45 minutes. August 14, 1898.

Summer rains are usually of short dara- tion and heavy: winter rains are usually of much longer duration and light.

Rainfall is greatest in July and August ; least in November, December and January.

STEAMSHIP LINES.

The route from St. Louis, Missouri, to Europe via Norfolk and Portsmouth is 300 miles shorter than the route via New York. This means a saving in freights. A little sav- ing on small shipments, a big saving on big shipments.

In these days of close competition and nar- row margins the matter of savings in freight charges is worthy of consideration. Nor- folk's port charges are also light. Shippers should study the figures that show Norfolk's steadily increasing shipments.

In looking at the shipping of the port of Norfolk and Portsmouth as the center factor in the great development of this section, no claim is made that Norfolk has it all, as New- port News is a very considerable factor in shipping enterprises, but the greatest energy and greatest local benefit undoubtedly accrue to the inner harbor, and for that reason its statistics will be used as an indication of the whole.

STEAMSHIP LINES.

Norfolk has several foreign transportation lines at present, four of which are of large di- mensions and control large fleets of self- owned and chartered steamships. These are the William Johnston & Company ( Limited) Blue Cross Line, the North American Trans- port Line, the United States Shipping Com- pany and Barber & Company. Besides these and but lately started are the Norfolk & West Indian Fruit & Steamship Company. Huds- path & Company and the Neptune Line, which seven lines sail an average of about eight steamships per week. many of them being of the largest size of freigliters afloat. But one of these lines carries passengers, but the wedge

November 29. 1872.

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History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900, Part 45

Author: Stewart, William H. (William Henry), 1838-1912 Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1054

Author: Stewart, William H. (William Henry), 1838-1912
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1054