The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-03-03
An Ola Brooke County Record.

We have been somewhat interested In
looking over q musLy old blank book
kindly loaned to US by our friend W. @
Barclay, oi WellsbuIg, containing the
official history Of the Wellsburg and
Washington Turnpike Company from It's
inception in 1921 down to lie last meeting
on the 18Th day Of last month, q period Of
50 years. Welltburg was once a more
important point, relatively, than It Is now.
1t at one time aspired to the location Of
the National road. II was q well known
shipping point for produce destined for
New Orleans, especially flour. Indeed II
was the outlet for q rich region Of coun-
try and did thriving commercial busi-
ness. Several Of the leading men among
Its old citizens made their start In life by
fiat boating on the river, among them
Peter Curran, James Palmer, Lewis Ap-
plegate, the two Tarrs, and others with
whose names we are not familiar. II
was also known to fame as the home oi
Phillip Doddridge, the great lawyer and
statesman Of West Virginia, and his
brother, Dr.. Joseph DodGridge, author Of
the well known notes on West Virginia.
and Western Pennsylvania. Naturally
thereforea place oI so much business be.
came interested In the project Of Q turn
pike communication with the back coun.
try from which II drew Its trade. Turn
pixies were then the enterprises Of the
day, Just as railroads are now, and ambi-
tious places Aspired to become turnpike
terminl even more than they do now to
be the beginning or end Of q railroad.
There were few canals In that day, and
even steamboats, were not plenty. Turn
pixies were the main reliance for inland
commerce. Wellsburg wanted 10 be
connected with Washington, Pa, an i'm
poftant place in those days and the radi.
ating centre Of rich country. A good
road was therefore indispensable, for in
winter It was terrible atfllction to be
obliged to deliver wheat, flour, apples
and potatoes at WellSburg in country
wagons over clay roads knee deep in
mud. Naturally. therefore, q movement
developed itself among the people in ia
vor of macadamized road, and accord.
Iugly we find by the musty old blank
book before US that meeting was held
in WellBburg on the 29d day Of septem-
Der, 1891, "of number Of the citizens oil
Brooke county to take into consideration
the expediency Of making an artificial
road from Wellsburg to the Virginia and
Pennsylvania line, on the way to Wash
ington, In the State OF Pennsylvania" At
thia meeting Cornelius H. Glst, one Of
the prominent men Of that day in Brooke
county, and the progenitor OF several
well known families Of that name now
residing in that county, was called to the
Chair, and Solomon Connell was appoint.
ed Secretary. A series of resolutions
were drawn up and adopted by the meet.
Ing, the first Of which was that It was ex.
pedient to build an "ar.ifcial road" to the
Pennsylvania line; and, second, naming as
Commissioners to open subscriptions to
the capital stock Of the enterprise the fol.
lowing citizens, viz: Joseph Applegate
(the father OF Joseph and Lewis Apple
gate), Robert Scott, Samuel Herdman,
Joseph Doddrldge. John Brown. William
McCluney, Thomas Grimes, Robert Mar.
shall and William Fowler.
The third resolution was the feature oI
the series, and is calculated TO attract at
tention as showing how primitive indeed
were the days Of which we are speaking.
1t read on this wise:
Res0lred, That all the stock 10 be sub
Gcribed, shall, at the option Of the stock
holders. be payable In the following
articles, or either Of them, and be taken
when delivered to the agents of the said
Company, at the places TO be nominated
by the Directors hereafter to be appointed,
or majority Of them, at the following