N&W 1909 - ACL

[NW Mailing List]

Gordon

They must have gotten this off the 'Wire' because June 26, 1909 was the date of the 'Official Announcement'.  The ACL contacted N&W President Johnson in March 1909 and asked him to buy out the Southern's half interest in the Southbound.  Sam Spencer had entered into an agreement with Col. Fries, who had built the Roanoke & Southern, and the ACL in  May 1906  to help build the WSS.  After he was killed and because of the 1907 financial crisis, Mr. Finley was not willing to spend any money.  Col. Fries had been given the go ahead the day before, June 25.  The formal contracts with the N&W  and ACL were signed on July 20, 1909.  Construction contracts were let in August and the final spike was driven 15 months later on Nov 23, 1910.

Dick Kimball

"
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
June 26, 
1909
 
ATLANTIC COAST LINE TO HAUL POCAHONTAS 
COAL
------
Contract With Norfolk and Western Furnishes Short 
Route From Cincinnati to the South
 
    It has become known from an official source 
that the Atlantic Coast Line railroad has entered into a contract with the 
Norfolk and Western railway to connect with the latter line at Roanoke and 
thereby establish a short route from Cincinnati, Chicago and the west to 
Charleston, S. C.
    It is understood that the contract has been 
signed by both roads and that the Coast Line will soon award contracts for the 
construction of secondary road links.
    At present the Coast Line owns a branch road 
from Wadesboro to Charleston, running through Cheraw.  It is reported that 
this road as far as Florence from Wadesboro will be straightened out, the grades 
reduced and ninety-pound rails put down.
    This road will be extended from Wadesboro to 
Winston-Salem.  At Winston-Salem the road will connect with a road now 
controlled by the Norfolk and Western to Roanoke and at Roanoke the connection 
will be made with the Norfolk and Western.
    It is reported that the Norfolk and Western 
has agreed to route port shipments over the road to Charleston.  It is 
reported further that the road will haul coal from the Pocahontas fields.
------
[The road between Winston-Salem and Wadesboro became the 
Winston-Salem Southbound Railway, controlled jointly by the N&W and 
ACL.]
 
Gordon 
Hamilton"



      
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