The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-01-12
southern Railway Connections.
From the Philadelphia Gazette.l

EAOih tAA0 GAllduCipiilu S'hSOheS.I
The people OF Wheeling voted
recently on proposition to subscribe 30
much of $225, 900 on behalf of Ohio
county as may be necessary to grade
and bridge the proposed Pittsburgh,
Wheeling and Kentucky railroad from
the city to the Brooke county line,
about twenty-five miles. The original
scheme from which this sprung con-
templated only a branch to Wellsburg;
and it was not until President Scott was
chosen to manage the Pittsburgh, Gin
cinnati and ST. Louis road that this idea
was expanded into a road to Wheeling.
and down the left bank of the Ohio to
the Big Sandy. The project does not
terminate here, but enters Kentucky to
secure connections with the Southern
Pacific road, when that is
constructed, that will bring its
eastward business to the Pennsylvania
Central at Holidays Cove. The people
of Wheeling had, however, no more to
do in tie matter than decide whether
they would build eleven miles, the
Pennsylvania Central agreeing to COM
plete the work, equip the road and run
it at Cost. Brooke county, lying north
of Ohio, in which Wheeling is situated,
had subscribed 100000 on a total val
uation OF only twenty-eight times that
sum; and Ohio, asked for $225, 900, has
a valuation of $22, 100000. The pro.
portion was made, voted on, and rejected
at Wheeling last spring; but reflection
and clearer knowledge Of what may
be gained by the connection, caused a
change of feeling, and many who were
bitterly opposed to the plan at the out
set came to commend it heartily.
The Southern Pacific road thus intro.
duced as q vital factor in construction
so near to our own limits and in such
connection with our own industries,
runs now only from Shreveport, in
Northwestern Louisiana to the Sabine
river, in Texas. The distance between
Shreveport and Monroe, Louisiana, &C
com lished, the road is connected with
Vicksburg, jackson and Meridian and
north. The western extension is
steadily advancing, and may be safely
reckoned upon to reach the Pacific
eventually, though not in a day. 1t
opens a new and fertile country, and the
territory bordering any line from the
river into Kentucky is opulent in re-
sources. This connection, however,
though it may be powerful with the
management of the Pennsylvania in
melting them to the efforts they are
making, had but small weight with the
voters Of Wheeling.
Wheeling has agreed TO proposition
that cannot fail to be Of great local
advantage, opening mines and stimu-
lating business, irrespective Of other
considerations. But when the day
arrives that the Southern Pacific trains
pour their freight through Texas and
Kentucky to the western extreme OF the
Pennsylvania Central, then magnified
bv whatever is done over the Northern
Pacific and the great transportation OF
the Union Pacific, even now chiefly
brought over the western portion OF the
Pennsylvania Central, and soon to be
attracted more over its eastern division
then certainly we shall be able to
claim for our State and this port an
unquestioned and incontestible suprem-
acy in all railroad facilities, and long
before that our steamships will con-
tribute their aid to the current.