The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-12-13

Pittsburgh Desirous OF Penetrating West
VIRGINIA with Railroad and Securing
n Better Trade.
To the Editor Of the Pittlbursh Telegraph.
The completion ofthe Pittsburgh q Lake
Erie Railroad seems to be hailed with de-
light on the part Of Pittsburgh. No doubt
1t will be agreat advantage in the way of
transporting home products to market.
But will the opening Of this new route de-
yelope any new source Of wealth to Pitts
burgh? Already several railroads extend
to the lakes by which every species of
manufactured article can be sent 70 mar
ket, and yet the raw material out Of which
Pittsburgh must make her saieaDle pro.
ducts, Is situatedhundreds Of miles beyond
the railroad termini on the lakes, and
which even then must be reshipped twice
before reaching Pittsburgh railroads.
With this new route, about which so
much has been said, Pittsburgh will not
be within reach OF the raw material, and
hence the price OF transportation can not
be much reduced, and she will not become
the centre OF cheap, manufactures until
the rich ore beds, wood and stone fields
are cheaply accessible. The Pittsburgh
4 Lake Erie Railroad Is oil right rs far as
1t goes. II being completed, let the Cham
Der OF Commerce, representing the BUSH
ness Of the city, 90 TO work In earnest ef-
forts To extend this railroad up the Monon-
gahela Valley through the mineral fields
OF West Virginia, on 10 the South. In
this direction Pittsburgh has never yet
turned her earnest attention. The West,
or Northwest, has done all that can be
done for Pittsburgh, in the way OF trans
portation, and Il Is now question
whether many OF the great cities OF the
West have not been builtto their present
state OF prosperity at the expcnse OF the
city OF Pittsburgh.
ANY causal observer can see that what
ever new impulse may be given TO Pitts.
burg must come from a new source, and
the only source not developed is TO tho
South ria the Monongahela Valley. Blythe
extension ofthe Pittsburgh and Lake Erie
Railroad up the honongahela river to
West Virginia, and thence by connections
now in existence, the city Of Pittsburgh
can yet retrieve, in some measure, that
which has been lost by inaction. Let the
new enterprise cross the Monongahela
river above the mouth OF the Youghiogh- |
eny river. It can then have almost q Tree
route, and will find many friends TO lond
helping hand With half the energy al
ready displayed In reaching Pittsburgh, 1t
can be pushed to the wllds OF West
Virginia In short time, where are wait
ing untold millions Of wealth. The South
needs the products OF Pittsburgh and she
will be enriched beyond measures by tho
formers consumption,
The spirit manifested by the authorities
OF this new lake route is commendable,
and with the same energy continued, il |
would In 0 short time have, within its
grasp q Southern trade. not now. to be
measured. The upper Monongahela has
lost confidence in the success OF the Pitts
burgh, Virginia and Charleston Railroad,
and It's people have been watching with
no little anxiety tho progress oil, the Rit!s:
tho former company has been sleeping
over an effort to raise thirty thousand dol
lars to extend It's railroad "a, Brownsville,
tho lattpr company have raised means to
build and equip o irst-Ulass railroad from
the lakes to Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh already
has an outlet by way OF the Ioughio-
gheny, and has nothing TO gain by another
railroad in that direction; but everything |
10 gain in the direction Of the upper Mon
ongahela. V.