The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1877-12-01
RAILROAD :!
Look Out for the Loco
7llOtico.
The People Interested.
Railroad Speeches.

railroad meeting which met at the
Court House on the Sd inst, adjourn
ed to meet at the call of the President
of committee of ways and means
then appointed. Hon. w. T. Wiley,
the chairman of that committee and
alsoschairman of the meeting, ISSUED
a call for another meeting to be held
on the 22d inst, at the Court House,
which call was published in the New
DOMINION last week. The 22d Qast
Thursday was one of those disagree
able days that never fails to give
everybody the "blues.n Rain fell in
cessantly nearly all day, and it was
one of the wetest and dampest rains
that was ever sent upon an unotfend
ing community. Nevertheless, the
people who are determined to have a
railroad did turn out and the meeting
was large, enthusiastic and respect
able.
The meeting was called to order by
Hon. w. L. Wiley, who acted as
president. After stating briefly the
object Of the meeting, Mr.. Wiley in
troduced to the audience Mr. Hayes,
ne of the officers of the Pittsburgh, Cas-
tie Shannon and Washington Rail
road, who made an earnest and able
speech in behalf of narrow gauge rail
roads generally and especially spoke of
the character and capacity Of the road
which he represented, if completed to
Morgantown, to meet the wants of
the people. a long catechism of
questions were propouuded to the
speaker by interested citizens, which
were answered promptly and satisfac-
torily. The original intention of this
road was to come up the Monongahela
river, but they were cheated out of
this franchise by the Monongahela
Valley Company, and were opposed
by all persons along the river who
had any interest in the Slack Water,
consequently they left the river and
propose coming across the country by
the nearest practicable route to Nor
gantown and thence on to the South.
Mr.. Hayes next spoke of the advant-
ages of narrow-gauge over broad
gauge roads. First, of their compar-
alive cheapness of construction. The
cost of constructing narrow guage
is estimated at from $4,000 to $4,000
per mile. Second, the axles of the
narrow-guage are shorter, and conse-
quently are stronger The trucks are
lower and less liable to be overturned.
The cars are shorter and will conse-
quently make shorter curves with
more case and less danger As to the
speed, they can, if necessary, make
just as fast time as any broad-gauge.
They can do all the business of any
road, and more too. Mr.. Hayes de
clared that with double track and
sufficient rolling stock he could carry
all the freight and passengers that
passed over the Pennsylvania Central
Railroad during the Centennial Elk
hibition, with as much expedition
and with less expense. For doing
the business of an ordinary broad
gauge road the rolling stock is too
heavy, and the expense of hauling
the dead weight of cars, &C., is greater
than that of the freight There is
no use ST going to the spring with
five gallon bucket to get a quart of
water" is the illustration used by
Mr.. Hayes. The speaker also argued
the ability and willingness of the
Castle Shannon" road to iron and
stock this proposed road in accord
ance with this proposition, if the peo-
pie along the route will grade, bridge,
and tie it, or this company will take
$40, 900 in stock and will give good
or collateral security for the
of the road to Morgan
own. Mr.. Hayes gave his hearers a
great deal of information, and was
listened to with careful attention.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Hayes
speech Prof. l. c. White, by request,
explained the character of the coun-
ny through which this road will pass,
which he declared to be one of the !
inest natural routes he has ever seen.
Prof White is well known in this
county, having been reared in Bat
ellie District. He is one of the nu-
nerous White progeny of the Dun
,ard Valley. He is a graduate of the
University, having graduated in the
lass of IA. Since which time he
las been employed along with DIR.