The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1875-03-30
r A I + r 0 A d.
N,ElE79:5E3l EN,'l.EEEz5E!|l aea 80 60 a.
The ReIiaire, BealiSVtIle and
WOOGsfi ED Narrow Gauge
Endorsed,

Endorsed,
pursuant to nOtice,a meeting was held
in this place on Friday. the 26Ih inst In
'he interest of the proposed railroad
from Woodshtld to Bellaire. Notwith.
standing the inclemcnt wealher,l ,lhe Court
room was crowded with people from
town and country.
The meeting was organized by elect.
ing Judge j r. MoKRIs, Chairman, and
DAVID OKEY, Secretary.
Judge NORRIS, after stating the object
OF the meeting, with some arguments in
favor of railroad. introduced Col SUI
LIvAN, OF Bellai,e.
Col SULLIVAN spoke at considerable
length. presenting statistics and drawing
comparisons in the material increase be-
tween six townships in Belmont County
and ten townships in Monroe County, for
a period of twenty years. He showed
that the valuation in 1854 and 1874 was
as follows
Six townships In Bel 1854. 1874.
mont Co. along railroad. s654a, ,5ls$i2 ,563, 1868
An increase in wealth in twenty years
of s6,02O,s50, or Oh per cent
Then he contrasted ten townships in
Monroe County for the same period:
1854 1874.
Valuation. $s,836 4s5 Ss.4l5.9l7
An increase Of only S77S,4S2, or 90
per cent. To have increased Oh per
cent, the same as Belmont County, our
valuation should have been S5,S2S, 200
INSTEAD Of what it was in 1874, Wig: $3,-
4l5,917.
He then took up the Increase in the
price of lands in the two counties, be-
tween 1854 and 1874
In Belmont,iu 542 square miles,th av
erage was Sl65 per acre, ,inclading towns.
In Monroe,in 473 square miles,lhe av-
erage was S26 per acre, including towns
The Colonel then produced an exhibit
of the productions of the townships
along the line, and adjoining. Adams,
Center, Franklin, Green, Malaga, Perry,
Summit, Sunsbury, Washington, Wayne,
for the pact year, excepting tobacco and
wool, and demonstrated very clearly
that their value was S393,555. r.~
With a railroad leading to Bellaire the
same products would have realized to
our farmers, in either the Bellaire or
Wheeling markets, the sum of S510, ,999,
sitter deducting freight charges, or a
clear gain of $lI7.444; this amount
being the difference in prices between
the market in Woodsfleld and surround
ing country, and the markets of Bellaire
and Wheeling.
Thus it will be seen that our money
would come back with good round
rate of interest 10 a single year. To the
above should be added the saving in
the transportation of tobacco and wool,
and the great saving of time and money
to drovers in the transportation of hor-
ses, cattle, hogs and sheep. To drive
stock through to Bellaire will occupy all
Of three DAYS; on a railroad they would
be taken there in three hours.
He was fully satisfied that the Narrow
Gauge was the road of the fature, and
that such road could be made from
Woodsfeld to Bellaire and equipped for
Sl2, 900 per mile; while the standard
gauge would cost between S25,000 and
$50. 0.00o per mile. In addition to the
difference in the cost, Narrow Gauge
road can be worked on sharper curva,
ture, sleeper grade, and one half less in
the matter of expenses and dead weight;
trainsrcan run on grade of 100 feet to
the mile without difficulty, and on this
trosd the grade will not be over 100 feet
to the mile at the steepest point on it.
Ii was his opinion that this road would
make money, even though the C o R.
R would agree to carry ireights for
nothing.
Every farmer along the road, il will
ling to bear the expense, car have side
track or platform on hts farm, and ship
his products without the trouble of hav.
ing to haul them to the station.
Application has been made for the
Charter from Bellaire to Woodsfeld. and
in 80 days the books will be opened for
subscriptions; and dshe charter can be
amended at any time when the interests
of the people demand that the road shall
be extended beyond Woods6eld.
At Bellaire $4,000 will be raised by
the citizens agreeing to pay 10 per cent
on their taxable property. -
After stating that the question was
simply whether the people would deter.
mine to have this road, and they could
have it, he closed by expressing himself
1 willing to answer any questions which
any one might desire to ask.
Mr.. KERR inquired if tsx Of ten per
cent on the taxable property along the
route, A miles on each side Of the road
would complete the road w
I Col SULLIVAN replied that that pei
cent applied to Bellaire alone, and thai
his idea was that the people along the
road should fix upon the amount pei
acre that they could pay, and suggested
an arrangement of that nature.
Mr.. KERR liked the plan, and said be
felt sure the farmers would cheerfnlly
'tpay 50 per acre for the first mile on each
side, 81 so per acre for the second mile
81 per acre for the third miles and at the
same rate back to the seventh mile.
In answer to the inquiry, how persons
OF small means could raise the funds to
tpay their subscriptions, it was suggested
by the Colonel that such persons could
pay the amount, they would be asked te
/ contribute, in labor,or by furnishing ties
and other material that would be requir-
4 ed to construct the road.
r In answer to the inquiry as to the
iprobable time this road would be ir
building. Col Sullivan said the e. O. r
r required seven years for its compile
|tion, and that this road could be made
4 in twelve months; the preliminary sur