The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-01-07
Ghegatelligsttfer;,
WHEELING CREEK AND STILL.
WATER RAILROAD. 81, "a
An Old Survey Unearthed.S
Report of n Survey Made by Thom-
as r. Purcell % Years Ago. !
Projected Connection with the Ball
timoTe and 0hio.-From Wheeling
TO "Maumee.o

NAmVAN aha AbhA w
10 "Maumee."
" "
The Route Practicable-- Estimated
Cost.
2 '.'' ''@ May eth, 1887.
10 he President aud Directors Of HS StilWdttr
7 HGvlgahON and Railroad eOHipaay;
GENTLEMEN-The undersigned has the
honor n submit for your consideration
the following report on the practicabllity
and probable cost Of a railroad from
Bridgeport, on the Ohio, river, To- Free.
port, on the Saltwater creek, lls"H-
This report Is the result Of accurate sur.
veys and measurements made under the
direction of the undersigned by G, H.
Randolph, ESQ an engineer Of much eX'
perience and practical Jskill, during the
last winter. The route selected will be
found by the accompanying maps 70 be
along tic valley Of the creek called Indian
Wheeling, which streamit unavoldably
crosses several times. The road should
pass up the south fork ofsaid creek 10 the
dividing ridge at the town OF Flushing,
10 cross which tho undersigned proposes
a tunnel Of 5000 feet length, the level Of
which Is coincident with coal vein, and
Is about 40 feet below the summit OF the
ridge.V
The whole ascent of the grades
amounts TO 4607.10 feet In % 2.5 miles,
and the descent To 235 4.10 feet In 10 40
miles.
Very extended examinations were In.
stituted TO determine the proper point at
which to pass the dividing ridge, between
the waters Of Wheeling and saltwater
creeks. Tho operations for this purpose
covered q distance Of about s miles, and
resulted in the selection Of the valley Of
Trailfork, which the line enters by the
tunnel Immediately south of Flushing.
The road thence Is laid in the valley Of
,Traillork to Boggs' Fork; thence down
BoggS Fork to main Saltwater ; along
which stream, crossing 1t several times, Il
passes until II finally terminates on the
flats Immediately south Of the town Of
FreepOrt. The whole length Of the road
from Bridgeport TO Freeport is4l Ii
miles. I1I-A Gal- tlg Wcft
The undersigned has deemed 1t proper
to leave the point Of termination on the
Ohio river to be decided when the work
shall have been commenced Tie quGs-
ton involves considerations depending On
negotiation with individuals, and will Of.
feet interests that require moro attention
than.it was possible Tor him TO bestow on
the subject during mere location OF the
route. Hehas therefore commenced the
location and estimate at q point on the
east side OF Wheeling creek, about Q miles
northwest of the Ohio river.
The general character OF the valley Of
Wheeling creek Is such rs to render the
construction Of a railroad in It expensive.
tie I1umerousand abrupt curvatures occa.
sion alternate deep cuttings aud CORE.
spending Filings, while the whole Is made
more than usually expensive by the fills
needed along the flats, TO elevate the
rOad-bed above the reach Of ireshets.
The summit which divides the Wheel.
ing from the Saltwater will be expensive
but that part Of the road which passes
down the valley Of Saltwater can be
made ut comparatively small expense
and from It's light grades and gentle
curves, Il capable Of being made in the
best manner; and on it locomotives may
be moved ut o high velocity. 4 r
The whole cost Of the road is estimated
at $740, G5j, or an average Of 80, lis IA
per mile. The expense Is arranged thus;
For graduation, masonry and bridg.
yinRsa ....E..aM.. ..t............ 1870, 66I q
For 80 miles S7S feet of single track, at
3, % per mile. .................. 21I,OT IS
For superintendent, land, law ex.
penses, Observation-Disclosures. $1,000 %
Total cost. .......................S I46,60S "
The road, as now projected, Is intended
for two tracks, or. ways but It Is proposed
today bhtonc, atpresent; the other TO be
made when the exigencics ofthe trade and
travel require It's use.
The curves have been made Of as OK.
tended radii as the nature of the country,
and due regard to economy, would nd.
init The average radius Of curvature
Is about 1140 feet, although some Of them
range as low rs 600 feet.
The grades arc generally very light
not exceeding 80 feet per mile In any in.
stance but one, where the descent occurs
from the western end oil the tunnel, down
the, Traillork, and where the grade will
bc53 feet per mile for two miles, and
40 2.8 feet per mile for nearly two miles
more. This part Of the line, embracing
the tunnel and heavy grades, will involve
considerable expenditure that could be
mostly avoided by substituting for the
tunnel and grades three inclined planes;but
To do sowould permanently injure the road,
by diminishing It's capacity to serve the
purposes which u railroad Is designed to
accomplish. The space here alluded to
4 covered by four sections, TO- wit:
Section No. % .sslGsl q Tunnel.