1907 - Tidewater Not Out of Business

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Roanoke Times - August 27, 1907

TIDEWATER NOT OUT OF BUSINESS

But Dame Rumor Would Have It That Way

   Rumors were rife yesterday to the effect that the Tidewater is 
about to close up office. Report had it that the company is 
discharging its working force and that for the present, at least, 
there will be no more construction work, and that the road, which now 
is practically completed, will not be completed. It is really 
wonderful where such reports start, when there is absolutely no 
foundation for the thought of such thing.
   The Tidewater, or more properly, the Virginian, has pushed its 
construction with wonderful speed, stopping neither for rain or snow, 
nor bruit of rumor. Men who are intimately connected with this 
railroad laughingly remarked, when approached yesterday as to this 
report, that if the Virginian is going to close up operations they 
know nothing about it. One of these gentlemen is actively engaged in 
the construction of the road which rumor would put out of operation 
and this gentleman was Mr. Johnson, of MacArthur Brothers. Mr. 
Johnson, who can speak authoritatively from the fact that his firm 
are among the biggest contractors along the line of the Virginian 
railroad, stated last night that the line will be completed by the 
last of the year, that many of the tunnels are already finished, and 
that many miles of track are all ready for the trains.
   It is true, said Mr. Johnson, that many forces of men are being 
daily discharged, but that is for the reason that each day the road 
is rapidly approaching completion, and that in many places only the 
track has to be laid, that the heaviest work has been done. The 
forces of men along the Virginian are being paid off and discharged, 
but it would not appear that this is so because the road is going out 
of operation, but rather that is is nearly completed. Trains now run 
from this city as far as Elliston.

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  "But Dame Rumor Would Have It That Way". Dame appears to be what 
the paper printed. Doesn't appear to end in 'n'.....

- Ron Davis, Roger Link