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<DIV><FONT face="Trebuchet MS">Bluefield Daily Telegraph<BR>July 17,
1909</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT size=4>DOUBLE TRACK FROM BLUEFIELD TO
COLUMBUS</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=center><STRONG>General Manager Maher Says It will be Finished by End
of Next Year--Other Improvements</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV align=left> </DIV>
<DIV align=left> President L. E. Johnson, of the Norfolk &
Western, accompanied by N. E. Maher, general manager, C. S. Churchill, chief
engineer, and W. H. Lewis, superintendent of motive power, passed through
Bluefield last night on a special returning from an inspection trip west to
Cincinnati.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> Mr. Maher, to whom President Johnson referred
the Daily Telegraph man for information regarding the object of the trip, said
it was a tour of inspection on account of the opening of the double track west
of Welch, a distance of twelve miles through the tunnel district. The
company has been three and a half years in constructing this track, since
the rock work was extremely heavy, and the time required was much greater
than under ordinary circumstances. The new track was opened to traffic
last night and in a couple of weeks more, Mr. Maher says, three more miles of
double track reaching Huger will be completed.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> "We are pushing the double track," said Mr.
Maher, "just as rapidly as circumstances will admit. By the end of the
present year we expect to have the system double tracked west, all except
thirty-eight miles and by the end of next year there will be a double track from
Bluefield to Columbus. We are double tracking also in the Dismal Swamp
region in the Norfolk district, but outside of this, the main work in this
direction is being done west. The work is being crowded just as rapidly as
conditions will permit, and if no unforeseen drawbacks occur the system will be
furnished with double track as stated."</DIV>
<DIV align=left> Mr. Maher was a former resident of Bluefield,
having been connected with the Norfolk & Western in the capacity of division
superintendent before he was called higher. He was the center of
attraction when the special made a brief stop at the passenger station.
The old time railroaders crowded around him, and showed by their actions that
they hold him in loving remembrance.</DIV>
<DIV align=left> The special left at about 7 o'clock to make a
through run to Roanoke. The party was accompanied to Bluefield by G. P.
Johnson, general superintendent, and Division Superintendent Becker.</DIV>
<DIV align=center>------</DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Script size=6>Gordon
Hamilton</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>