The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1878-02-02
An Interesting Letter From Gen.
B. +. Kelley.

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Hor SraIsGs, AsK. Jan. l6, 1878
Editors lntcnigencer:
Inotice 10 your paper ola late DAFT
that our old mutual friend" the ven
cradle Elijah Day. Esq., had recently
been on = visit to friends in Wayns-
burg. Green county, Pa. pnd that be
travelled from Washington to Wayns.
burg on the narrow gauge railtoad re-
Gently opened for travel. l was much
surprised to learn that hc was four
hours making the trip. I presume
however, that tho read is in an uu.
flushed condition, aud unsafc for ma
king quick time. fully concur with
you in your views in regard to narrow
gauge railroads. They drc destined to
become important feeders to the great
through lines Of the country. as we'll as
channels Of commune alton between 10.
ca! towns and villages, afording tacili-
ties for trade and travel, and ship
mcnt Of the productions Of tue neigh
borhOods through which they may
pass, and which heretofore have been
entirely cut of q portion Of the year
by almost impassible roads. Narrow
gauge railroads eau ba constructed SO
much cheaper, that prudeu. capitalists
will adopt lhem between all local
points. .lt..
The FIIOs Springs Narrow Gauge
Railroad extends from Malvern 10 Hot
Springs, % nil es. 1t was constructed
by an invalid who visited the Hot
Springs few years since from Chica.
90, Dir Joseph Reynolds. familiarity
known th hroughout the West as " Dia-
nond joe" Mr.. Reynolds received
so much benefit from tho waters, and
suffered so much in coming here BY
the old stage route from Little Rock.
that he deter mined to make q more
cOmfOr table way for paticuts to reach
the uOt Springs. Accordingly, he
procured charter and contracted u
oacc for the construction Of tho narrow
gauge railroad ut a cost Of about 12,-
zoo to $4,000 per mile # is prob.
ably one Of tue most complete narrow
gauge railrogds 10 the country, both
IN construction aud equipment. The
grade is fine, and with bus few sharp
curves. 1t carried over 10000
through Passengers last year, about
4.00o bales of cotton, and 400 tons Of
other freight. The passenger trains
between Malvern aud Hot Springs US.
aally make the run III one hour. A
number of distinguished railrosl men
were here Ou visit from the North 4
few days sihcr. | was invited by Mr..
Conger. the agsnt, to accompany them
On their return as fur as Malvern.
We nude the run in lohy.fse minutes.
The Hot SPRING narrow gauge railroad
leaves the Iron Mountain and Southern
railroad at Malvern. forly.ivo miles
southwest Of Little Rock, mud follows
up the Valley Of the Quach:to (pro-
ntunced Ifashatuts) in nearly Il
western direction twenty-five miles
to Hot Springs. The country through
which the road runs is quite poor
very little improved-almOst an uubro.
ken forest the entire dislaucc-couse.
quently has but little local or neigh.
borhood trade or travel. II the eoua.
Try between Malvern ard Hot Springs
was as good US tha. between Washing.
ton aud Wayusburg, or between Wash.
ngtOn and WeIIsburg-as thickly set
tied aud rs psoluclivs-thc Hot
Springs railroad would probably pny
better dividends than any roal 10 the
country. us ii is nat Gu expensive road
to keep in repair. B. r. KELLEY.