The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-03-27

| "S>N'
on the six o'clock A. N. train on the Z
& p. road, run up to Mingo, thence OF
the Panhandle road to Urichsville, and
there take the cars of the Cleveland
Tuscarawss Valley and Wheeling road
The excursion will pass leisurely over
the route to the northern terminus at
the mouth OF Black River on Lake Erie,
remain there over night and return next
day.
In referring to report made over five
years ago, on this enterprise, by COM
mittee composed of Cayt. JOHN McLURE,
henry L. LIST, NJ. REILLY, G. OGLE-
BAY and THos. SWEENEY, We find some
facts Sc. forth that may be of interest to
repeat here and now:
We regard the result of this enterprise
as fixing and settling the destiny OF the
city of Wheeling for q generation to
come.
That the G. T. V. & Wheeling Kali
road Company will extend their con nee
ton to the Ohio river at some point in
the vicinity of Wheeling is as certain
as any other future event. Whether 1t
shall be at Bellaire, at Portland, or at
| Wheeling, is the question that Is now to
| be determined.
We say that this enterprise fixes the
es.iny of the city, beca lsc the business
and population of manu- acturing or
commercial city depend essentially upon
| the extent of the country which It's trade
ard business can command, Dy the facili-
ties Of trade and travel to and from 1t.
The population OF the city Of Cleveland
in 1850, was 5000.
The population of Wheeling in 1850
was u little less than 1900.
The population of Cleveland in 1870
was traction under $4,000.
The population of Wheeling in 1870
was a little less than 24,00O.
Thus it will be seen that while the
population OF Cleveland is nearly six
times as much as it was twenty years
ago, the population of Wheeling is only
twice rs much as 1t was at that time.
If we now permit the city of Cleve-
Ian to come to our very doors and take
the trade we now have without provid-
ing ourselves with facilities ior compet-
ing for it, the disparity in the rate OF H.
crease will probably be greater IN the
luture lhau it has been III the past.
Ii will be seen by reference TO the map
of Ohio that the Panhandle railroad
leaves the Cleveland and Pittsburgh
railroad five miles below us, and both
run westward nearly parallel to each
other for about fifty miles, and then COM
mence to approximate one another until
they come together at about one hundred
miles from the river. The country be-
tween these roads, about thirty miles III
width and from fifty to sixty miles IN
length, is, perhaps, the richest part OF the
| State OF ONO, when we take into con.
sideration its mineral and agricultural
resources.
All the surveys and explorations
| that have been made Oh the sew
eraI routes from Wheeling to Urchs:
vile show that the road will run
its entire distance from Wheeling to
Urlchsville through inexhaustibIe de-
posts OF bituminous Coal, OF the same
quality as that by which this city is sur
rounded.
But, in addition to this, the recent ge-
ologicsl survey of the State of Ohio,
sho VS. that the Valley of the Tuscarawas
contains the richest deposits OF Scotch
black band iron ore that Is to be found IN
the United States.
Professor Newbury, the chief geologist
of the State of Ohio, in letter To DR..
Strealor, President ofthe Lake Shore and
Tuscsrawas Valley Railroad Company,
dated October 20, 1871, says: "At Dover
we enter the area o! the black baud iron
ore, tie most uatuabte ore, and the richest
iron district IN the State. This ore lies
in the hills; is not continuous, but has
been found in great number OF locali-
ties, and will be unquestlonably opened
in many others. | have seen numerous
exposures OF tins ore. where 1t formed
sheet averaging ten feet IN thickness ana
Hrdcrtytny many acres
The deposits Of black band ore ex-
tend uninterruptedly from Clover Hlllto
Port Washington. The specimens of
this ore which we have snalyzed contain
in the raw state about 25 per cent. OF
iron, and when cslcned over 80 per
cent. The iron made from It is very
highly esteemed, as is proven BY the rep
utation of the Dover and Massilon pig"
The blsckbsnd ore IN Tuscarawss
county occurs in horizontal stratlied
bed four To thirteen feet in thickness;
and appearing near the summit OF the
hill ranges, l56 to 200 feet above the val
lev level, it can be mined BY horizontal
drifting" r. r.
1t will be observed that Professor
Newbury and DR.. Streator were discuss.
ing the resources of the country pene-
trsted by the Lake Shore and Tuscsrawss
Valley Railroad, and therefore they say
nothiIg of the resources Of the country
south of the Panhandle Railroad.
| But the uniform testimony OF the en-
| Cineers who have surveyed the line firm
Wheeling to Urichsville, is that tae de-
! posits of black band iron ore in the VAL
| lev OF Saltwater and Its tributaries are
! equally as rich and as extensive As on the
| Tuscarawas.
The value of these deposits of coal and
iron, as we'll as the salt and fire clay found
on the line OF the road, merely as sources
of profit to the road, by way of freight
for transportation, is incslculsble.
But one of the main elements which 60
to make up the value and Importance o.
this road as q new enterprise, results from
its connection with the Lake Shore Rail-
road.
Undoubtedly the main inducement on
the part of the q. T. V. & w. X. r. and
@. q. Q. s. l. R. K. 60. to making init.
mate connections with the @. 7. V. j
w. r, R. il the increasing difficulty and