The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-03-05
Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad.

wheeling and Lake Erie Naiiroau.
Editors of the Register:
In the issue of Friday morning,
March |, an extract was published from
a Wayne township correspondent to the
Steubenville Gazette, in which said cor
respondent imagines he gets off some
wit at the expense Of the Dry Fork
route, but if wit it can be called, it is at
the expense Of truth and common sense.
II he is interested in the Piney Fork
route to any considerable extent, he
ought to have sense enough to know
that one Of the positive requisites in get
ting a road or any other improvement
is to come down with the scad-." He
is presuming a great deal upon the lib
crafty OF this county, or rating the
advantages OF the Piney Fork route
very high to conclude that this county
will adopt that route with their raising
the allotted local subscription and in
the face Of all the advantages offered
on the Dry Fork route.
The present situation is this:
Distance from where the road strikes
Short creek to Hopedale, about the
same each route; if any difference, the
Dry Fork route has the advantage.
Grade, Piney Fork, 80 feet per mile;
Dry Fork. first six miles, II feet per
mile, balance OF route less than 43.
Bridging, Piney Fork, I; Dry Fork,
none.
Tunnels, Piney Fork, 900 feet; Dry
Fork, 700.
Subscription. Piaey Fork, about $1,000
per mile; Dry Fork (pledged), $4,000
per mile
Local business (beside coal, which is
equal on both routes, excepted), Smith
field, or Dry Fork route, at least ten
times as great.
No better location for a road can be
found (heavy grades excepted) than the
Dry Fork route for the first six miles
the balance would be harder to con-
struct, but entirely practicable, and no
place harder than the average OF Piney
Fork.
This Wayne township correspond
ent SAYS ION went the surveying
party, needless Of breaking their necks
up a narrow defile that nature had
formed tor railroad (good, amt it ?? to
Smithfeld, and pushed the survey on
past Smithfeld, through the lands Of
n. Hammond to an old potter shop
about two and half miles from Smith
field and there they stopped for some
reason unknown to me" Narrow detile
is good. Wouldn't it apply to Piney
Fork better than Dry Fork, which has
a bottom straight, even, and from ten
to twenty rods Hide2
stopped for reasons unknown to
me-" How strange that a surveying
party should have the presumption to
stop work without starting out runners
to inform every supercillous ass in the
the reason for so doing
Night came on, the party at that place,
and next morning it was too cold and
stormy TO work.
The balance OF the article is not
worth noticing, as it does not amount
to good nonsense.
That both ends OF the line would be
benefited by the change from Piney to
Dry Fork will not admit OF doubt.
The trade from Smithfeld and vicinity,
which is considerable, goes to Fits
burgh via Rush run on the Cleveland
and Pittsburgh railroad. Lumber alone
would yield revenue to the road OF
more per year than all the trade OF
Piney Fork. beside the immense traffic
of produce and trade Of all kinds.
But would not the trade of Smith
field 60 to Piney Fork? No; they have
a better road and only two miles farther
to Rush run and not change business
connections.
Would the Piney Fork trade 60 to
the Dry Fork line2 Yes, because they
have no other outlet by rail.
Wheeling would gain the trade OF
which it has not dollar OF,
and Smithfeld would gain a near mar
ket, which would be an advantage to
both.
The above facts were received from
one of the surveying party and is wor-
thy Of the fullest credit.