The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-04-18
The wheeling Creek Project.
Editors Of the Register.

Editors of the Register.
1t is better at once to put aside inn
practicable schemes and let the atten-
ton of the public be turned to those
which will prove both practicable and
useful. I was myself at first led TO hope
that the cut or the tunnel might pay
and leave to US q fine space for the I'M
provement aud beautifying OF our city.
But figures coon dispelled my hopes
Estimating the distances as your cor.
respondent gives them, 1000 feet is the
space between creek and river. Now
su ppose 200 feet at each end OF the
work to be cut to 80 feet in width by
40 feet in depth, for we must descend
below the Level of the creek bottom,
and there must be space for 3 to 4 feet
at east OF very solid masonry on each
eide OF the openings. My reason for
going below the level OF the creek on
the eastern side OF the hill is to prevent
damage to Fulton in case OF heavy
rise in the creek, limited very much at
the outlet by the work 10 question.
These dimensions would give us not
less practically than $4,000 cubic yards
of excavation, which being largely
composed OF rock, and all 10 be lifted
up from below would cost not less cure
ly than $4,000.
There would remain 500 feet OF tun'
ueling. The safety OF Fultoh would re-
uuire that the tunnel should not be less
than 70x4O Iect, which would give us
about 10000 cubic yards. The cost
Of this excavation could not possibly be
estimated at less than s. 50 per cubic
yard or $425,00O
The masonry along the entire dis
tanca on each side, rising to the height
of the excavation, between 40 and &c
feet, and the arching of the tunnel
could not be reasonably estimated at
less than 5000, 900.
These items will give us an aggre-
gate OF cost reaching S675,OOO. Now
the ground redeemed, forming the pre-
sent bed OF the creek, would be worth
lust nothing, the cost OF filling being
equal TO the value when filled / take
the figures Of your correspondent
making the distance 1880 feet. Sup
pose this creek to average 200 feet in
width, thirty ieet to be filled on the
average, you would have in the entire
fill OF nearly three millions OF cubic
Yards at cost Of twenty-five
cents Per yard, or $75O,OOO.
The surface redeemed, 1880 by 200
feet would equal 2,6j0.0OO square feet,
which, divided into $50 lots, 100 by 81
feet, could not be expected to bring on
the average more than 5 900 each, or
$3.50 900, which is less by quarter OF
million than the cost OF filling. II
YOU raise the price Of these lois to 81 ,4l5
each on the average, YOU merely reach
the cost OF filling. And this allows no
space for streets, no cost for sewerage
and carrying off the large quantities oi
water flowing from the Reilly hill. Coal
run, the west side OF the Peninsula and
the east side of Wheeling hill. We
should thus have a cost OF at least
three-fourths OF million for the tunne
and the adjuncte OF the work, and nc
offset whatever except the advantage
OF very enlarged building room east anc
south OF Wheeling hill, and fine un'
obstructed entrance into the CITY from
| Fulton. But this cost OF S75OOOO ID
not allowable by the Constitution and
therefore it appears to me it is scarceI
worth the while to consider this proiec
fnrther, unless in the following con
nection
The Baltimore aud Ohio Rsilroac
Company hss been named in Connec
ton with the tunnel. Offer the entir
bed OF the creek to that company 70
its depot, work shops, &c, provide
it will undertake the changing Of tn
path OF the creek. To them it can b
made OF immediate value; the filllni
may be done very gradually and Wiz
little cost, aud with perfect pTo:ectio
10 the health OF the city. They ca
dispose sdvautageously OF their preser
lots. Tomorrow | will invite sttentjo
to another project. X