The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-03-08
The wheeling IL Lake Eric Mar
row Gauge.

President Wood, Of the Wheeling y
Lake Erie road. informs us that appIica-
lions from would.be contractors are pour
mug in on him in considerable oi 4 stream,
IN answer TO his advertisement soliciting
proposals for building narrow gauge
line between Martins Ferry and San
iu.kv The time ior receiving these pro-
pasa.s will expire on the 10th pi this
month. after which the Board OF Direr-
tors will proceed to give out contractstor
the whole line, or ior certain parts
thereof as may seem best to them
al the time. There would seem to
b.. very large number oil con-
tractors ready and eager to take hold
IN case the information returned to them
from the office OF the company is salts
factory. The following is the company'S
notice to contractors, issned February
I'D and published in several papers III
different parts OF the country:
uNaE WHEELING AND LAKE ERIE RAIL
ROAD COMPANY invite frnPnsal, uh!ii
MARCH 20, 1876 tcithor separately or eom6lnodl,
ior the Construction and Equipment Of It's line oi
road between Martins Ferry and eandnssy, ONO,
or ior parts thereof: also. iUr Railway Material
Particular furnished on application.
JOEL. WOOD, rrGsidGnt.
As is known to those familiar with the
present status of the Wheeling Il Lake
Erie, it has on hand in the shape OF sub
scriptions, about hall million OF good
assets, as basis upon which to
predicate inducements to contractors.
The original idea, when q standard
track was in contemplation, was to raise
5000 per mile as basis whereon to
bond the road. Now that 4 narrow gauge
has been adopted less amount will AN
swcr. To the hall million thus lar raised
more can be added, il necessary, Tor we
think the road is in more feasible shape
IN the estimation of friends than fur
long time past. The discussion over the
merits Of narrow gauge roads has
populariIed them, and many people now
believe them to be the roads OF the future
The New York journal oi Commerce thus
refers to them.
The railroads Of the future, particular
lv in new and sparsely-settled countries,
will he Of the still narrower e ieet) gauge.
The growing popularity OF this track Is
one Of the most instructive phenomena OF
the day. From its beginning only few
wears ago, this narrow gangC system now
numbers over 1000 miles in operation.
These roads have been built ut 4 time OF
general stagnation, when other and more
costly enterprises would have. received
no toicration from capitalists. Whenever
prosperity returns to the country and
new ventures stand fair chance OF hear
ing we NAV expect to see n sudden deVei-
0pment OF short railroad lines OF the
Lnre ieet gauge in many parts OF the
United States now destitute OF railroad
facilities. The original cost OF this mar
towesl OF gauges is about third less
than that oi the standard. while its run
ning expenses are much less; and mod
crate business, with judiCious managing,
insures dividends. This is now so well
understood that farmers and merchants
OF the West are building such roads out
Of their own pockets, instead Of begging
tor tue money OF the East and bonding
the infant enterprise to death.
In connection with the above, itmay be
stated that narrow gauge roads will not
only be built and run cheaper than those
Of the standard track, but they will be
more apt to rely upon and encourage
their local business. Their mission, for the
present, seems to he to connect all parts
OF the country with the main lines and
toOpen up great numbers Of localities to
active trade with the world. They are
specially adapted to our West Virginia
country, and il our interior counties are
to be penetrated and developed by rail.
roads within the lie time Of their pres.
ent inhabitants, it will be by these cheap