Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1845-07-11


that there Is an advantageous route to rarlcrs-
burg and that tiere Is no route at all practiCa-
bic 10 WhceliiT' But it is a remarkable fact
that tile only one oithose routes whichhas been
sufficiently eXain.,icd to bc pronounced uu-
doubleday practicable, is that which ;erini-
mates at Wheeling. Nosuvey has been made
by the Company IN Western Virginia since
the City OF Wheeling was selected as the point
OF termination on tue Ohio. 1t has not been
thought necessary, by those who have acted
Tor the Company, even to make reconoisances
or cateful examinations Tor tile purpose of cs-
ccrlaining whether desirable route might
not b. found through the'State to the termi-
nus which had been selected or whether il is
practicable To construct railroad TO that ter
mlnation which has recently cngrosscd the cx-
elusive favor of the late President.
But a distinguished engineer, Jonathan
Knight, Esq, has ascertained by actual exam-
matlon that the road can lie constructed to the
city oi Wheeling nv route which is ,iot only
practicable, but which is recommended by adj
vantages superior to amy which can be claimed
Tor the route TO Parkersburg. The result of
his examination and estimates (Which were
substantially verified by the subsequent exam
nation OF Ii. +. Latrobe, Esq. } shows that
the average cost, per mile, of this route inclu-
III
pretended Is impfacticeble, would be S2.7i3
less than the average cost OF the road between
Harpcrs Ferry anl Cumberland. Yet the
means of the Company are said 10 be- made
quate To overcome obstacles and difficulties
thus shown TO be less formidable, by far. ,lan
those which have been already surinountcd.-
IL Is graNcly assumed To be impossible 20 con-
struct road over distance of only nifty or
sixty miles, after large extent oi the same
work has been completed at mitch higher
average expense
On The oihcr hand in the comparative lcrnth
of the Wheeling and Parkcrsburg routes. the
dil1ercrcc Is III favor OF the iorWer; the dis
tnn"' nom Cumberland to Wheeling being POS
mhcs, aud rom Cumberland TO Petersburg.
by Tie shortest route yet examined. 223 miles.
In the ascents tn be overcome the ADVANTAGE
* equally decisive III iayur of the route IN
Wheeling, According to tile report of Lieut.,
irim5lc the ascents westward on the ParlSe rs
burg route amount To 3Si2 feet, the dcseuts
To 3oSl total, 1723 feet. On the Wheeling
route the asccnts in the saline direction amount
to ol2l ieet and the dcsccnis to the same tt,-
tai 6Sll ieeti making difference i'm favor of
the latter oil 81 feet So that, imperfect and
IN some respects erroneous as the information
heretofore published in relation to the Parkers.
burg route is known TO be, il is certainly
manifest that since il has been CONTEMPLATED
as Desirable, the route to Wheeling is. at least
practicable, and not 50 expensive as the favor.
tie one 10 Parkcfsbug.
I'm justification Of tie coufse wli;ch the Gen.
erai Assembly has pursued it must be added
that, uot only Is the route which il now grants
TO the Company entirely practicable, but il
terminates at the most eligible point on the
ONO. his terminus commands the com
merce oil the Ohio river at least as advantage
ousiy as any other point north of the Little
hahawha. Ihis assertion needs no proof 10
OMAN the assent OF every impartial mind IA
milir with western navigation. Ii misht be
deemed oi some importance that Wheeling is
a city clfesdy built, witliall the improvements
and conveniences required for numerous
population and extensive trade that il is a
manufacturing city, and In the midst of a
country Astounding in agricultural and mineral
wealth, and that il is already connected with
many distant places by various public improve
menis. But i'll an enlarged view of the trade
and travel OF the great west il is more in,er.
esung to observe that this CITY is precisely in
mat line which, by works already constructed
or projected, mtcrsccts all the chief roads and
Canals OF Ohio, and leads directly through th.
capital towns 81 the States lying between the
ONO and MISSISSIPPI rivers. IL admits also 81
tne shortest and easiest connection between
Baltimore and the northern lakes. The ex-
IRENE southern bend of lake Erie has long
since attracted the attention of all competi
Tors Tor the Immense commerce of the fertile
region lying around and northward and west
ward OF lakes Erie and Michigan. Cincinnati
Is rapidly approaching the most southern bend
oi lake Erie by railroad nearly comple,ed.-
Boston, New York, and Philadelphia fully ap-
Preciate ITS commanding importance, and look
forward TO connection with il by improve
ihents less liable To interruption than the nav
igation OF the lakes. A glance at a man will
convince every one that Baltimore NAV be-
connected with that point, through Wheeling
by line OF works far shorter than any possi-
bic route To the other cities near the Atlantic
The grand conception Of thus intcyceptioa ,be
srade whicH must always concentrate at the
southern extremity of lake Erie, or pass close
around IT, peponderated, as we have always
understood, over all other considerations i'm
tie minds OF the intelligent officers of the com
pany, when they formerly selected Wheelino
as the terminus OF the road The works which
nave peen since constructed and are now i'm
progress through the State of Ohio in the d.
rection oil lake Erie have greatly enhanced tbo
importance of that consideration. If * oh
servable also that since the passage of the law
now under consideration the people of Ohio
have been awakened TO renewed activity in
ihe prosecution OF the various practica bic plans
Tor connecting Wheeling with that lake.
The tuil importance Of the position of the
cry oil wheeling has been heretofore apprecia.
yea 10y The Company. They not only cstab
lished that point as the termination of their
road on the Ohio; they confined themselves nv
contract, to that terminus, exclusive of ali
Others; and they resolved to reach il through
fcnnsylyanla, although by law of the State.
this cUiid only bc done upon condition OF their
constructlnga lateral branch TO Pittsburgh. In
the annual report OF 1893, Mr.. President Nc
Lane elnPhatically declared that "the city of
wheeling has always been regarded as am all
most indispensable termination of the road.
and, as II is understood, lormeda principle i'm
ducement with the State OF Maryland aud the
Guy oil Baltimore III contributing their aid To
Tie completion of the road. Indeed Che adds)
without reliance on the trade from that poini
II Is not 10 be supposed that the CITY conld
nave b'en prevailed upon to afford the liberal
assistance which the Company has received