The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-12-02
NOW is THE TINE?

of the Wheeling Creek NaIIey 70
The Northwest The Question Free
sentcd 10 us at Last in n Tangible
shape.
10 the Editors Of the Intclligeneer
Every lew years feeling manilests
itself in Wheeling and Bridgeport and
among the people living along the Wheel.
ing Creek Valley, in Ohio, in favor of
seeking IN outlet to the Northwest
through that valley. The route has been
much discussed for many years. Your
files will show that an actual survey was
made OF it as for back rs 1887 by Mr.
Purcell, alta time when the railroad sys'
TEN Of the United States was in its III
fancy, and before any OF thenow, principal
lines had been built. PrObabl lot more
than thousand miles of track had then
been laid throughout the whole country,
whereas now there are upwards oil fifty
five thousand miles OF track, Hundreds
Of important routes, then unthOught Of,
in parts of the country then unsettled,
have since been built; yet still we are
discussing the question raised at that early
day us to whether railroad shall be
built up the valley of Wheeling Creek.
There can be no doubt that such rail.
road will be built sooner or later !;
but il may not be until alter all the old pho.
neers who came up out Of Egypt shall
first diein the wilderness. Just at this
time, however, It begins TO look as If some
Of them might enter into the promised
land. a.rn
The fact has been already noticed in
your columns that railroad is now com.
ing towards us from the north west. It
is known as the Lake Shore and Tusca.
rawSs Valley road. 1t begins for the
present at 0 place called Grafton on the
Cleveland, Columbus 81 Cincinnati rail.
road, about twenty-five miles south west
OF Cleveland, and isnOw running this way
as far as the town of Medina and Is under
contract and will be finished to Dennison
on the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & ST. Louis
(Pan IEandle) road some time next Fall
DGnnison is within iiIty.two and half
miles OF Wheeling by what Is known as
the Big Saltwater, Brushy Fork, Grab.
apple and Wheeling Creek Survey, made
last winter by Mr.. BiCkensderfer. The
road will be built TO that point beyond u
perOdventurC. The question is, will il
come on to the Ohio river at this pOintp
The estimate Is that 1t will cost two
millions of dollars to bring its terminus TO
Wheeling Island. The two millions will
grade, bridge and iron the road between
bridgeport and Dcnnison, and also build
the bridge over Back river TO the Island.
Mr.. BliCkCnSdcrler estimated in his report
OF March last that 1t would cost 81 ,2S1, !.
1913 60 to grade and bridge the road be.
tween Bridgeport and Dennison, and it is
not supposed that bridge over Back riy.
or will cost more than $4,000. Mr.. i.
did not estimate for such q bridge, al
though he commenced his survey on tho
Island at the west end Of the Suspension
bridge.
Of the two millions however that are
estimated as the cost from DennisOn to
the Island thrCc.quartcrs Of n million will
be provided for by the Lake Shore & Tus
caravans Company us part of the expense
necessary to carry the road on its way to
Marietta. This three quarters Of nil.
lion is the estimated cost of the work for
sixteen miles, to place called Frecport,
which is nearly west Of us, nj which point
the road will branch of In case It comes
this way ut all. Frecport Is about thirty.
eight miles from Wheeling, and tho csti
mated cost to that point is million and n
quarter Of dollars or this sum the com.
pany will expect, Ms we arc informed, the
various interests Of this end Of the route,
and between the river and Frceport, to
raise eight hundred thousand dollars.
Within the last few days q conference
has taken place at Cleveland between tho
leading men Of the Lake Shore and Tus.
Carawas Valley Company and u lew Of
the representative men Of Wheeling and
bridgeport At this conference tho pro.
ject of bringing the road here was fully
discussed. Our representatives found the
company fully alive 10 the merits of the
project ande ntirely willing to undertake
1t in case sufficient interest Is manifested
Mt this end Of the route. They are going
10 Marietta with their road or, in. other
words, TO Caldwell, in Noble county, to
which point road is already built from
Mariett, and II the people of Wheeling
and Of the Wheeling Creek Valley in Ohio
sec III to join hands with them at Free.
port, they will build a branch direct to
our doors on the Island. This Is their
proposition, Ind some of the directors Of
the company will be here within the next
few days TO confer with a still larger
number oil our representative people on
the subject and ascertain what prospect
there is Of the city and citizens putting
their shoulders to the wheel.
This brief outline Of the present sta.
tus Of the long.talkedof project of build.
ing a railroad up the Wheeling Greek
Valley to the Northwest. From what
have said II Is easy4o sec that never be.
fore has the project been presented In
such tangible shape The whole work
on our part Is now narrowed down to the
raising ofBufllcient means TO induce the
building of the thirty.eight miles between
here and Fteeport. BY SO doing we will
at last secure an outlet to the Northwest
that we long have sought, and, | might
add, incurred because we found II not"
by assisting to build this thirty.eiglt
miles, we avail ourselves Of the whole
10 miles between Mere and Grafton. But
this is Of course not all, but only very
small part Of tho railroad mileage that Is