The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-04-06
A Practical View OrtIe Value Ol
Local Railroads.

Capital.
A Practical View Ofthe Value Of
Local Railroads.
The fact that Notwithstanding the gen
eral depression in business that still ex'
iss throughout the country there should
still 1850 much interest manifested In the
building Of local railroads, shows that tho
facilities and advantages Of this means Of
IocomoiiOn and transportation aresO we'll
understood and appreciated by the peO.
pIC generally that they are willing to
make temporary sacrifices in the way OF
subscriptions and taxes IN order to secure
them. One cause Of this wide spread
feeling, 10 far US this region Is concerned,
ia the iavorOble showing that has been
made on behalf OF the Marrow Gauge
railroads, which roads by reason Of their
comparative chcapnesS in first cost and
far greater economy in actual working
expenses, have commended themselves
to universal public favor. The late re-
port to Congress In favor Of line from
Lake Eric to the Missouri river, in which
elaborate comparisons were made be-
tween tile Marrow Gauge and the Stand
ard tracks, has especially reused public
attention to the fact that local roads can
be built at small cost aud run so rs to
serve the immediate interests Of those who
build them much more satisfactorily than
the Standard track.
As to the general advantages Of rail.
ways to the country through which they
pass, the arguments derived from actual
experience arc too plain to need nmpliii-
cation at this late day. We Observe that
out on the line Of the proposed Bellaire
and Southwestern Narrow Gauge road
they are holding n series Of interesting
meetings, several Of which have been ad'
dressed by Col Sullivan, who certainly
presents some facts TO the people calcplat'
cd to arrest their attention. We observe
that meeting was held at Woodslield
Monroe county, q few days ago, at which
the Col. was present. III the course oi
his remarks lle drew some comparisons as
to the material increase In the taxable
values In ak townships Of Belmont cOlin-
ty as compared with ten in Monroe
county. lie showed the valuation In the
course Of twenty years past had been as
follows:
slx TOWNSHIP H In Belmont Co. A..
along dOi2,5lS sl7,SG5,aG
An increase In wealth in twenty years
Of $GO2O,s5O, or Ol per cent.
Then lie contrOstcd ten townships In
Monroe county for the same period:
Valuation. ....."."s3,6J6iSj stil5,Si1
Which is an increase Of only SITS, 1852
or 20 per cent To have increased Of !
per cent, the same ns in Belmont county,
the valuation in Monroe county should
have been $5,S2S, 200, instead Of S3,415,.
Sl7.
The Colonel then took up the increase
In the price Of lands III the two counties
during the interim between 1854 and
1873. In Belmont the average per square
mile, in an aggregate Of 649 square miles
was slGj. including towns, while In Mon.
roe county, in an aggregate Of AIS square
miles, the average increase per square
mile was only $40, including towns. lie
next produced an exhibit Of tic produc.
tions Of q large number Of townships
along the proposed line, excepting wool
aud tobacco, and showed that their value
was S393,5jj. lie affirmed that with 3
railroad to Bellaire through these town
ships the same products would have
realized to the farmers in either the lIel.
lairc or Wheeling markets the sum oil
$5lO9OO, after deduCting freight charges
or a clear gain Of sil7,44i, this amount
being The difference in prices between The
market In WOodsGeld and surrounding
country, and the markets In lIcllaire and
Wheeling.
The proceedings Of The WOodsaell
meeting referred to were Of such general
interest to the people Of this region Of
country al this time, that we are induced
to make the following extracts from
them;
"Thus II will be seen (said Col. Sullt
van) that our money would come bacl
with good round rate Of interest In
single year. Tolhe above should be addet
the.savihg Of the transportation Of tobacc,
and wool, and the great saving Of tim,
aud money TO droyers IN the lfanspofta
ton Of horses, cattle, hogs and sheep. IL
drive stock through 10 Bellaitc wifi oc.
cupy all Of three days. On a railroad
they would be taken there in three hourS
lie was fully satisfied that the marrow
gauge was thetoad Of the future, and lhAI
such road could 10 made from Woods.
held 70 BellairC and equipped for Sl2 00C
per mile, while the standard gauge y6uld
cost between $25, 600 and $50, 600 per mile
In addition to the difference In tic cost, 4
marrow gauge road can be worked on 4
sharper curvature, sleeper grade, and