Caswell County Railroads
Earlier, while discussing Caswell County economic history and the county's prospects, several mentioned railroads -- specifically no Yanceyville railroad. Well, the lack of a railroad running through (or near) Yanceyville was not for a lack of interest by local community leaders. On several occasions a major railroad line through central Caswell County, North Carolina, was considered -- including obtaining charter authorization from the North Carolina General Assembly. Set forth here are accounts of efforts to make the railroad a reality, which never occurred. Note that the timeline is not entirely understood.
Just before the Civil War county leaders addressed the issue:
1. Caswell County Meeting
"A meeting was held in Caswell county, N. C., on the 1st instant, at which Col. Bedford Brown presided, and N. M. Roan acted as Secretary. The object of the meeting was briefly and lucidly explained, which was to consider the important interests of the county of Caswell in the
construction of a railroad from the company shops [Burlington] on the Central Railroad, via Yanceyville and Milton, to Barksdale's Depot. Col. Brown explained the great advantages of this road.
"Mr. Thomas McGehee Smith, of Milton, was called on, who entertained the meeting by a very admirable and practical speech, setting forth the great advantages of this route over every other, connecting the various sections of the country.
"Brief remarks were made by Mr. Wm. Russell, Richard J. Smith, Esq., Walter J. Jones, Esq., and others, warmly approving the enterprise.
"On motion, the meeting adjourned to meet on Tuesday of April Caswell County Court, and that the friends of the road, in and out of the State, be invited to attend on that occasion."
Source: Richmond Daily Dispatch (6 March 1861).
2. Caswell County Legislators Introduced Bill in the North Carolina House of Commons
"The bill to incorporate the Milton and Yanceyville Railroad, to connect with the North Carolina Road at the workshops [Burlington], introduced in the North Carolina Senate, passed its third reading Monday by a majority of eight. It is without restriction, and gives the privilege of a connection with the Richmond and Danville Railroad. A bill introduced to incorporate a similar company, and which has passed its third reading in the House of Commons, provides that any connection with a Virginia Railroad leading to the city of Richmond shall be a forfeiture of the company's charter, and restricts the gauge of the road to the same as that of the North CarolinaCentral Railroad."
Source: Richmond Daily Dispatch (14 February 1861).
3. Charter Approved
"A large meeting of citizens of Caswell and Alamance counties, North Carolina, was held at Yanceyville, North Carolina, on Tuesday last, to take in to consideration the contemplated railroad from Milton to the Company Shops [Burlington], on the North Carolina Central Railroad.
"Col. Jones, of Danville,Va.,delivered a speech of considerable length on the advantages and beneficial effects of railroads, exhibiting facts in railroad statistics instructive and truly encouraging to the friends of the Milton Railroad. At a rough guess he placed the cost of the contemplated road at $600,000, and glancing at the wealth of Caswell, which he estimated at $8,000,000, he thought this county could well afford to take $250,000, if not $300,000, of the stock. He cited the example of other North Carolina counties of less wealth through which railroads now passed, and could not believe that the people of Caswell would be found less enterprising and mindful of their own interest.
"It was resolved that the Commissioners appointed by the charter be requested to open books for stock immediately, and that said Commissioners report progress at a meeting to be held at Yanceyville on Wednesday of Caswell Superior Court, (8th day of May next.)"
Source: Richmond Daily Dispatch (8 April 1861).
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Of course no such railroad was constructed. We do not know how much was raised to finance the enterprise, which would have been by the Commissioners referenced above selling stock (shares) in the railroad enterprise.
The the full weight of the Civil War obviously had an impact.
4. Danville-Greensboro Connection
The railroad built was from Danville, through Reidsville (Rockingham County), to Greensboro. This is the Piedmont Railway.
In 1862 the route was surveyed and stock offered in the Piedmont Railroad, with a Virginia line, the Richmond and Danville, acquiring ninety-nine per cent of the interest. The work proceeded slowly. Engineers needed a labor force of 2,500, but had only a fraction of the number. Included in the force were a small group of slaves, a number which would have been larger had Governor Zebulon B. Vance not refused to impress them into service. Iron was difficult to come by. Eventually rails were ripped up from other lines to build the Piedmont. Even before it was finished, it was already a primary supply route, its gaps bridged by wagons. On completion in May 1864, its value to the Confederacy was incalculable. One writer has estimated that it “added months to the length of the Civil War.”
Of course the Piedmont Railway did run through the northwest corner, with a depot established at Pelham. However, the economic impact is believed to have been small.
5. Next Comes Milton
After many attempts, in 1878 Milton finally obtained railway service. On March 2, 1876, the Virginia assembly incorporated the Milton and Sutherlin Narrow-Gauge Railroad Company, and a year later the North Carolina general assembly followed suit.
The result was a narrow-gauge railroad seven miles long from Milton to Sutherlin Station on the Richmond and Danville Railroad in Virginia.
Convict labor was hired from both Virginia and North Carolina for use in constructing the roadbed, and the stone pillars to carry the tracks across Country Line Creek and the Dan River. The Town of Milton subscribed to stock in the enterprise, and the one engine owned by the company began running in 1878. It primarily was a freight line but some passengers were also carried. Initially, three round trips were made each day.
The Richmond and Danville acquired control of the Milton and Sutherin in 1882 and operated it until 1894, when the Southern Railway Company leased the larger line and also operated the Milton and Sutherlin. The opening of the regular-gauge Atlantic and Danville Railway in 1890 into Danville, through Semora, Milton, and Blanch in Caswell County cut into the revenue of the Milton and Sutherlin route so deeply that its operation by the Southern ceased on September 6, 1894. It was returned to the Milton and Sutherlin Railroad Company and a mortgage of 1880 was was foreclosed; the property of the line was sold on November 23, 1896, and the rails soon afterwards were taken up.
L. M. Warlick purchased all the stock of the Milton and Sutherlin, foreclosed on the mortgage, and had all the assets sold November 23, 1896. Warlick, from Winston (became Winston-Salem) purchased these assets for $6,000 and proceeded to tear up the rails. The right of way purportedly became a public road.
See: Powell, William S. When the Past Refused to Die: A History of Caswell County North Carolina 1777-1977. Durham: Moore Publishing Company, 1977, pp. 505-506.
6. Atlantic & Danville Railway
As referenced above, in 1890 the Atlantic and Danville Railway ran through Blanch, Milton, and Semora, with railway depot buildings being erected in each community. Again, Yanceyville was ignored. There was no business/economic reason for a railroad running to Yanceyville. Thus, even were local leaders so inclined, they had nothing to offer.
The Atlantic & Danville Railway, a Virginia Company, was incorporated in that state in 1882 to construct a rail line from the James River to Danville. Its primary purpose seems to have been to serve the mills and the lumber industry. Construction was underway by the early spring of 1883, and the line was driven west in stages. It was not until November, 1889, that a train ran into Danville on the line, passing through Semora, Milton, and Blanch on the way. The A & D encountered financial difficulties as well as other problems. On August 16, 1893, just outside Milton, while crossing a high bridge over Country Line Creek, a passenger train was derailed. Two coaches and a sleeping car fell from the trestle and the conductor and five passengers were killed while four others were injured. The road was already in receivership and in 1894 some men from London, England, acquired the line, but shortly afterwards Virginians were again in control.
The line began to flourish and in 1899 it became part of the Southern Railway Company's Norfolk Division under a fifty-year lease. In 1949 at the expiration of the lease, the line was returned to Atlantic & Danville officials, and at midnight, July 31, 1949, overnight service each way between Norfolk and Danville was begun. It was at this time that passenger service was terminated. The Norfolk & Western purchased the A & D in September, 1962, and it was renamed the Norfolk, Franklin and Danville. For years, the line proved profitable.
Source: Powell, William S. When the Past Refused to Die: A History of Caswell County North Carolina 1777-1977. Durham: Moore Publishing Company, 1977.
The last NF&D train left Danville on May 28th, 1982. NF&D Abandoned the line from Blanche to South Hill, VA on June 1st, 1982 The day of the Norfolk Southern merger. From Blanche to Danville, the line would be operated by Norfolk Southern out of the rail yard in Danville. In 1995, Norfolk Southern abandoned the line to Blanche, keeping the part in Virginia near Danville to serve Goodyear and the gypsum plant. Source: The Atlantic and Danville Railway Company: The Railroad of Southside Virginia. by William E. Griffin, Jr.
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Of course it would be inappropriate to ignore the role that Caswell County's Calvin Graves may have played in diverting a railroad from Caswell County, whether not it would have run through Yanceyville.
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