The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-03-31
THE BETHANY 4 WASHING.
TON RAILROAD.
Meeting AZ Bethany Last Satur.
dhy--RemhRlLs OF the Chief En-
gineeF-A Considerable Amount
Of stock Subscribed.
BEIHANY, March o, 1875.

BEEHAHY, March y, 1875,
EdllnnOi tha Inielllsrncsr;
At railroad meeting held in Bethany
on March 9th, 1875, the President Mr..
A. N. Buchanan, called the meeting to
order, and Prof. W. K. Pendleton intro
duced Mr.. W, McConaughy, Chief En-
gineer Of the Peoples Freight Railway
Company. Mr. MrConaughy began by
saying that the P. +. K. Co. was organized
70 cheaper freights, so rs TO increase the
profit to the producer, and at the same
time enable him to sell his products at a
less price, and thus serve the interests
Of both producer and consumer. He re-
marked that il was obvious that the pres
ent system Of railways could not cheaper
transportation between the East and
West, and that the canals OF the United
States, by the inAeIibility Of their course
and the limited area which they can reach,
and the slow transit through them, only
afforded partial relief. From November
until May the water routes from West to
East are closed, thereby reducing trans.
portation facilities at least one-half, and
that, too, at a time when farmers most
needed means Of transit for the products
Of their farms, and at time, also, when
the present railway arrangements seized
the opportunity Of increasing rail-
way heights to the highest point,
30 that the farmer must either
hurry his crop to market before the
close Of navigation, or submit TO ex'
tOrtioRate rates OF transportation during
the winter season, Ii was TO meet this
want that the Peoples Freight Railroad
Co. was organized. The scheme was
founded on the theory that the general
government alone could not provide tho
means to cheaper transportation, as 1t
would be establishing q precedent Of
doubtful constitutlOnality, and also upon
the further theory that any now railroad
under private corporate control could
furnish no additional element In solving
the problem OF cheap transportation,
And further, new railway from west to
east can be made to carry freight as cheap
as by water, II il DO honestly constructed
for ready cash In the most economical
manner-prOYided that the company owns
the bed and track and furnishes the
motive power to firms or individuals who
wish to become common carriers and own
and operate the trains, paying tho CONF
pany prescribed rates Of toll, so much
per ton per mile, so as to make no dis.
elimination as to the dislance-that Is, q
ton to be transported at Is low n rate per
mile for ten miles as II the distance were
one hundred miles. To build such n road
would not DO difficult task. II 100000
persons take 500 stock each that would
furnish tho necessary capital to build
the road from New York Harbor to the
Mississippi River. In the proposed road
the highest grades were to be found In
Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio.
The route already laid out Is from the
harbor Of New York across New Jersey
TO Point Pleasant, on the Delaware River;
thence westward through Pottsyillc, near
Harrisburg, up Sherman's Valley to
Burnt Galleries; thence to Bedford,
Somerset, UniontOwn and Redstone to
Brownsville, Mount Braddock, Washing
ton; to Bethany ria Brush Run, and from
thence to the Ohio River. Mr.. McCon.
aughy having been over the different
routes from Bethany to the Ohio Biyer
during the past week, decided that he
could secure the desired grade by cross
Ing Buffalo Creek at Mr.. a. NJ. Buchan.
ans, following Gregg Run to the coal
line, tunnelling through to the head Of
the run west Of Mr.. James Agnew's, and
following the course Of said run to the
Ohio River. The grade required Is fifty
feet going west and forty feet going cast.
After leaving the river the route Contin-
ues direct to Celina, Ohio, where the
road will branch, one arm going direct to
81. Louis, the other nOrthward to Chi.
Cago.
After the conclusion Of Mr.. MeC.'S re.
marks Mr.. W. 7. Campbell, chairman Of
the committee to draft the necessary
papers to procure articles Of incorpora-
ton, made his report by presenting the
necessary papers, after which large
amount Of stock was subscribed by those
present. The meeting was large and
much interest taken, and II seemed to be
decided that "a far as the citizens Of
Brooke county were concerned there
should be no failure. A survey will be
made through Brooke county as soon rs
the weather will permit.
The meeting adjourned to meet at the
call OF the Secfet9ry.
AM BUCHANAN, President,
q. SnRtvER, Sceretdry.