The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-05-17
OUR NEXT RAILROAD.

Survey for the Extension of the ST.
CIaiTsyiIIe Narrow Gauge 10
BFidgepOrT-Ehat IL would Cost
and what il wOnId Come IO-The
Narrow Gauges are EmphaIicRlly
the Peoples Lines.
Editor of the Register.
ST. CLAIRsyILLE, Msy l6
For the information of your readers L
herewith give the result of the survey
made last week for the proposed extern
sion Of the St. ClsHsvIIle Narrow Gauge
road to Bridgeport via Overbsugh's gap.
The line from Qlincy-the present ter
minus on the B. " .. rosd-to the sum-
NIT of the hill above Overbsugh's gap
shows route of very easy snd cheap con-
struction, with maximum grade OF l45
feet. which is somewhat heavier than the
grade at Humphreys in our present
working line. With the line rs run now
Moss Run would require to be crossed
with trestle.
The point Of crossing st the summit is
43O fee. elevation above Quincy. The
ridge at this point is quite shvrp, and
would be passed with short cut st a
deptb of 80 TO 40 feet. From the summit
eastwardlv the line was run on the left
bank OF Whisky Run. A deep rsvene
putting in from the north required detour
to be made to svoid II, and farther down
that Whisky Run should be crossed by
trestle work to get back to the east side
of the run, or south side OF Wheeling
creek. From this point to Bridgeport
no difficulty is encountered the line
would oil be side cutting Of cheap cha--
actcr; some small rayines are 10 be
crossed which can be done with Gull
verts and fills. In consequence Of the
dense underground it was extremely
difficult to determine in preliminary
| survey. the most desirable route. The
results thus fac, and subsequent Informs
! ton. shows that taking the esst side OF
Whisky Run and making detour around
! a ravine on that side-sOmewhat similar to
! the one found on the west side-wll,
avoid the crossing OF Whisky Run, and
| lower down dispense with trestle and
prove a better line. By equalizlng the
! grade between Bridgeport and the sum
| nit. maximum grade Of not over
| twelve feet per mile can be had. Inc
total length of line, as OF the preliminary
survey, is six miles and $500. By
sdoptlne the east side of Whisky Run
will not increase the line, bat probably
| shorten it.
To build this line will cost about sixty
thousand dollars.
The line from st. Csrsvllle TO Quincy
has been in operation one yesr, with all
the difficulties attending the opening OF q
new route, and with the doubts IN the
minds OF many as to the safety OF travel
! ling on narrow gauge roads, and, in ad-
dition three weeks lost by the July strikes,
with all these drawback our road car
ricd lT72l paying passengers during the
first twelve months OF It's operation, and
earned II per cent. on Its entire cost
By the extension of the line to Bridge
port, we can still accommodate our pres
emit trade, and add At least fifty per cent.
to our passenger, and three hundred per
cent. to our freight traffic, while we
would not increase our expenses more
than twenty per cent, if that.
With our road to Bridgeport we reach
the trade of Wheeling, Bridgeport and
Martins Ferry, which we now have but
q small portion Of.
Extend the line to Bridgeport, and the
inducement to carry the rosd north to
New Athens and Cadiz, and eventually
to connect with the narrow gauge system
now reaching from Lake Erie at differ
ent points for the trade OF Southeastern
! Ohio.
The moro we see of the narrow gauge
system the more we are impressed with
! the conclusion that it is the Peoples road.
Passengers are carried more comtorta-
| bly, and with more safety, and Il! less cost
than on the standard gauge roads; and
the same applies to freights. In word,
/ the narrow gauge can do all you require
of it at much less to transport and one.
! hqif tie cost to build.
Shall we build the extension of the st.
Clairsville road to Bridgeport, must be
decided by those most interested, viz:
the citizens OF Wheeling, Bridgeport, ST.
Clairsville, and those residing on and
near the route. No better time than the
present for purchasing material and OBJ
! tanning labor at low rates can be select
ed. The amount is mere bagsteIe TO
the community interested
Shall we do it? |. II. PATTERSON.