The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-11-30
LETTER FROM WAYNE.
The Marrow Gauge Railroad.

The Narrow Gauge Railroad.
Editors of the Register.
The enterprise initiated in this county
a few months ago has become a fixed
fact, and is no longer project on paper.
A narrow gauge railroad will be
built in a few months from the Ohio
river at Ceredo up twenty-five miles into
the coal fields OF Twelve-Pole river.
The company is organized, the money
raised, and the engineers are now run
ming the lines to ascertain the most
practicable route into the coal fields Of
the counties of Wayne and Lincoln.
Ceredo is three miles from the mouth
of the Big Sandy, on the bank OF the
Ohio, and eight miles below the mouth
of the Guyandotte, and at the mouth
of the Twelve Pole, a river ninety miles
long, rising in the mountains between
the Guyandotte and Big Sandy, and
running northward as those two streams
do. The valleys of the two latter, as
many of your readers know, are filled
with coal and iron ore. Sandy, being
the largest, has been long known for
its rich iron ore and coal beds, but the
difficulties of navigation have prevented
anv extensive operations for profit IN
mining coal or iron ore. Excellent
coal and ore has been found in abund.
ance, but the river was too crooked and
uncertain. Everybody knew a rail-
road was needed. The iron and coal
are also abundant in the Twelve-Pole
Valley. and have long been known to
residents and travellers who have visited
them, but the accounts Of the quality
and quantity even less than the actual
facts, appeared. exaggerated, and when
"the one-half was not told" the stories
would not be believed. Now, however,
the country has been discovered" and
fortunately by men Of means.
Twenty FIVE miles Of road will reach
section where the best quality o.
spliut and bituminous coal shows in
veins of six feet of the black diamonds
and pure camel coal three to four feet
thick. The iron ore is also abundant,
and of the kinds required for profitable
use in the manufacture of iron. The
whole section referred to abounds in the
finest specimens of oak, hickory aud
poplar timber.
The general plan Of the enterprise
and the operations thus far have been
laid before the Cincinnati Chamber Of
Commerce, and here is what that body
thinks OF the project:
From the Cincinnati Enquirer, Nov. III
THE CEREDo MINERAL AND RAILWAY CON-
| PANY.
The committee appointed by the
Chamber Of Commerce on the above
corporation made the following report
on Change, Thursday, which was laid
over until Saturday for final action:
CINCINNATI, November IL, 1871.
C. W. Rowland, Esq, President. and the
Directors Of the Chamber of Commerce;
GENTLEMEN Your committee, ap.
pointed to confer with the officers of
"The Ceredo Mineral and Railway Com
pany" in relation to the value Of their
line to the business interest of Cincn-
matt, beg leave to report that they have
examined certain papers showing the
line of the road and the character OF
the country, as well as the deposits OF
coal on the route. From this examina-
ton and our personal knowledge of the
country, we are prepared to say that
the development OF this region, common
" and we'll known as the Big Sandy, is
of great importance to all the business
interests OF our city. The trade OF this
section, already large, will be largely
increased, and the opening up of an.
other coal field will prove a practical
benefit to every manufacturer and
householder in the city, inasmuch as
the coal famine now upon US has dem.
onstrated that our present coal supply is
in adequate and uncertain. 1t is well
known that coal furnishes motive power,
and without fuel hundreds of mechanics
are thrown out of employment by the
stoppage OF our manufactures, and
almost universally at the very time of
year they most need steady work, and,
owing to the demands OF trade, their
employers most need their services,
thereby causing distress aud disarrang-
ing the trade dependent upon their labor
and support. If Cincinnuti is even to
hold her own as a manufacturing
centre, we must have certain and abun.
dant as we'll as cheap supply of fuel.
We have no doubt at all of the supe-
rior quality and inexhaus,ibility of the
supply Of coal to be reached by this
road, and that the building Of the line
will tend to insure US q full supply at
all seasons of the year, and at moderate
rates. We would also call attention to
the fact that this region furnishes to
Cincinnati her principal supply Of tim
Der for the building OF steamers and
barges and furniture, as we'll as large
quantities of hoops, slaves, anbark, &c I,
used here in our Varied industries.
We are pleased to fiud that this en-
terprise has well grounded hopes of
success, and trust that our people will
extend such aid as they can afford to
the extension and completion OF the
work.
We are gentlemen, gentlemen. your
very obedjenf servants.