▁of ▁the ▁company ▁was ▁held , ▁and ▁former ▁Confeder ate ▁General ▁Williams ▁Carter ▁W ick ham ▁was ▁elected ▁over ▁long time ▁president ▁Edmund ▁Font aine ▁by ▁ 3 6 4 ▁votes . ▁ ▁In ▁recognition ▁of ▁Font aine ' s ▁dedic ation ▁and ▁service ▁to ▁the ▁rail road , ▁the ▁stock hold ers ▁resolved ▁to ▁grant ▁Font aine ▁and ▁his ▁family ▁free ▁tick ets ▁for ▁life . ▁ ▁Font aine ▁was ▁un anim ously ▁re elect ed ▁as ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁company ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 6 ▁and ▁ 1 8 6 7 . ▁ ▁Ch es ape ake ▁and ▁Ohio ▁Rail road ▁Since ▁before ▁the ▁Civil ▁War , ▁the ▁section ▁of ▁the ▁line ▁between ▁Jackson ' s ▁River ▁Station ▁and ▁Cov ington , ▁a ▁distance ▁of ▁about ▁, ▁had ▁remained ▁incomplete . ▁ ▁This ▁section ▁was ▁necessary ▁for ▁further ▁west ward ▁expansion , ▁and ▁by ▁July ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 1 8 6 7 , ▁the ▁last ▁of ▁the ▁track ▁was ▁laid ▁and ▁placed ▁in ▁operation . ▁ ▁Re aching ▁Cov ington ▁enabled ▁connection ▁with ▁the ▁Cov ington ▁and ▁Ohio ▁rail road , ▁which ▁at ▁that ▁time ▁was ▁still ▁under ▁construction , ▁and ▁provided ▁for ▁the ▁future ▁mer ging ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁companies ▁as ▁specified ▁by ▁an ▁act ▁of ▁the ▁Virginia ▁General ▁Assembly ▁passed ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 8 6 7 . ▁ ▁On ▁August ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 1 8 6 8 , ▁the ▁Virginia ▁Central ▁was ▁merged ▁with ▁the ▁Cov ington ▁and ▁Ohio ▁to