The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-11-25
GheGmtelIig
Three New Railroads for WheelIng-.
Wheeling TO Toledo, Wheeling TO
Cleveland, Wheeling 70 New York.
Wnnrrnnn Mnu Oh 1924

Three New Railroads for wheeling.
wheeling TO Toledo, Wheeling 10
Cleveland, Wheeling TO New York.
WHEELING, Nov. "a, 1874.
Editors Of tho IntelliEuncer:
"Gault's" New Lisbon letter In Monday
nornIng'sissue Of your paper and the con.
neCtion therein named Of this city with
the Atlantic s. Great Western and the
Eric Railways, suggcsts some matters Of
more than passing intereat to the people
Of Wheeling. By the route referred to BY
your correspondent the distance from here
10 New Lisbon Ia about 70 miles, and BY
another proposed route 1t Is about 90 miles.
In May, 1873, the Atlantic. & South
eastern Railway Co. was organized oBten.
sbly TO construct q railroad from New
Lisbon Ola SalineVille and Hopedale to
Portland, but really 10 build 10 Hopedale
and then 10 connect with the Wheeling 8
Lake Eric for this city. One OF the Di.
reCtors Of this new organization, Col.
Robert E. O'Brien, Is the Chief Engineer
and Assistant General Superintendent Of
the Atlantic q Great Western Railway
Co., from which 1t will be seen that that
company, through one Of its principal Off.
GERS, and in other ways that might be
named, is taking an interest In the ar
rangement. For nearly q year negolia-
tons have been pending between the
Wheeling q Lake Erie Railroad Company
and the Atlantic & Southeastern Railway
Company, by which the latter seeks the
first occupancy oil tho track of tho former
from Hopedale to the river. -
When 1t Is remembered that In May
1873, by q decree OF the Court Of Com
mon Pleas OF Cuyahoga county, the
Valley Railroad Company was authorized
to make Martins Ferry, instead OF Bow.
ersLOwn, Ito southern terminus, it will be
seen that three. neW and liVS Talltpdy
Prg:cs' are pointing to the very doors Of
our city, viz: ... 49, 4
lst The Wheeling s. Lake Erie, from
Toledo, pia. Sandusky, 10 Martins Ferry;
200 miles.
ID. The Valley Railway, from Cleve.
land, GA. Akron and Canton, to Martins
Ferry; 1870 miles; and 80
81. The Erie, Atlantic & Great West
ern, through the A. 8. E from New York,
Via Niles, New Lisbon, Salineyille and
Hope dale, to Martins Ferry, come $50
miles. ..
There ia every reasonable possibility
that the construction OF the first named
road from Zoar in this direction will bring
with It TO the river the other two named.
From sEndusky to Zoar, . distance Of 90
miles, it is already on permanent loot
ing, and $4,000 more Of stock, l conf
IDENTIFY assert, will put 1t on sale footing
from the lakO 10 the river at Martina
Ferry. ..---...-...--..-.-
II this road can be constructed TO Mar.
tins Ferry and connected with the Hemp.
field by bridge at the upper end OF the
city, itWould give us another road 10 New
York, TO our city and TO the B. & o. Il. r,
new, shorter and better road to OleVe-
land, and new, shorter and better road
10 Toledo and 6andueky. ~ [
II will reduce the distance from here 10
Sandusky, Toledo and Chicago more than
10 miles; would put those cities and inter
vening territory on line through this
city actually ITO miles nearer to Balti-
more than they now arc to New York,
and practically more than 200 miles
nearer, il We consider the matter OF
grades, and plant our city for many years,
II not for ages, on the short line from the
great West and Northwest to tide water.
Notwithstanding the many adverse cir.
Cumstanccs arising from. local ,jealousies,
hard times and adverse legislation and
Judicial Interpretation, the Wheeling s
Lake Erie has never relaxed. It's efforts
and purposes to succeed.
The earnest, honest desire OF its officers
and stockholders always has been to
make Wheeling point, but the CONTROL
ing voice and bulk Of stock are gradually
but surely accumulating on the Western
portion OF the line, and the time may soon
be when this end will BIO powerless 10
control the question Of Eastern connec-
tons. earnestly feel that the oppor-
tunitY Of Wheeling 10 passing, or will
soon pass away, TO secure 10 herself net
work Of railways for all time, radiatng
In all desirable directions and offering
healthy competition.
She now has and always has had two
directors in the board, position which
their selt.respect will compel them to re.
linquish II our citizens propose to take
no further interest In the enterprise.
They have two years yet TO servo from
the 18th proximo. Mr. Bell can speak
for himself but the other member from
the city desires to say that he haa grown
weary oI trying to maintain q position In
the Board In her interests with 80 little
stock to back him, and that 1t is his pur-
pose at the annual meeting next month
10 resign and relieve himself OF further
responsibility.
One hundred and fifty thousand dollars
from the citizens Of Wheeling would
secure the construction OF the road 10
Martins Ferry, with satisfactory cove.
nants on the part Of the company to CO.
operate in the construction OF bridge.
1nthe light of the grand strides making
by the Baltimore 6 Ohio Railroad to
draw the trade and wealth OF the West
from New York to Baltimore, and with
tho apparent advantages which these new
enterprises offer TO the two cities in fur
therance Of the same scheme, 10 1t does
seem 10 me that the people Of Wheeling
and Baltimore are asleep 10 their inter-
ests II they do not vigorously cooperate
and seize the opportunities offered.
Ihave stated what l believe to DO facts,
not with purpose or desire to renew or
revive any unpleasant controversies, or
to clash with any other interest, but
briefly to advise your readers OF tho posi-.
ton in-Whieh matters now stand, and,
having done 30, 10 "Stsp down and ont"