The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-05-17
The Proposed Extension Of the
sc. ClairsViile Marrow. Gauge
From Quincy 70 Bridgeport
Report Of President Patterson
Az 10 the Result OF the Recent

Survey.
ST. CLArRsvnLE, May 16, 1873.
Editors IntsllIgenee.
For the information Of your readers l
herewith give you the results Of The sur.
yey made last week, for the proposed ex'
tension Of the St. ClRirsville narrow
gauge road To Bridgepor, via overbaugh's
Gap. The line from Quincy Jour present
terminus on the B. 4 o. Road) to the
summit Of the hill above overbaugh's
Gap,shows route oftery easy and cheap
construction, with maximum grade Of
l45 feet, which Ia somewhat heavier
than the grade at Humphrey on our
present working line. With the line "a
run now, Moss Run would require to be
crossed with tres.le. The point Of cross
Ing at the summit Is 43O feet elevation
above Quincy. The ridge at this point
Is quite sharp, and would be passed with
short cut at . depth Of thirty. to
forty feet. From the summit east
wardIy the line was run on the left bank
OF Whisky Run. A deep rayine putting
10 from the north required detour to
be made to avoid II, and, farther down,
that Whisky Run should be crossed BY q
tres.le work to get back 10 the east side Of
the Run or south side Of Wheeling Creek.
From this point to Bridgeport no diff.
Guilty IL encountered. The line would all
be side cutting Of q cheap character.
Some small rayines are 10 be crossed
which can be done with culyerts and fills.
In consequences OF the dense underground
It was extremely difficult TO determine on
preliminary survey, the most desira-
bic route. The results thus far and sub
seauent information show that taking
the east side Of Whisky Run and making
q detour around ravine on that side,
(some what similar to the one found on
the west side), will avoid the crossing OF
Whisky Run lower down, dispense with
q trestle and prove . better line. BY
equalizing the grade between Bridgeport
and the summit maximum grade OF not
over 120 feet per mile can be had.
The total length Of the line BY the pre-.
limipary survey Is ak miles IS 100.
Adopting the east side Of Whiskey Run
will not increase the line but probably
shorten it.
To build this line will cost about sixty
thousand dollars. The line from ST.
Clairsville 10 Quincy has been in opera
ton one year, and Notwithstanding all the
difficulties attending the opening OF new
route, and all the doubts in the minds Of
many as to the safety Of travelling on
narrow gauge roads, and Notwithstanding
three weeks were lost by the July strikes,
vet, with all these drawbacks, our road
carried 17,72l paying passengers during
the first twelve months OF Its operation,
and earned over IL per cent on its entire
cost.
By the extension Of the line to Bridge
port we can still accommodate our pres
ent trade and add at least fifty per cent
10 our passenger and three hundred per
cent 10 our freight traffic, while We would
not increase our expenses more than
twenty per cent, II that. With our road
10 Bridgeport we reach the trade of
Wheeling, Bridgeport and Martins Fer.
~, OF which we now have but q small
portion.
Extend the line 10 Bridgeport and the In.
ducement will be to carry the road north
to New Athens and Cadiz, and eventually
TO connect with the narrow gauge system
now reaching out from Lake Erie at dill
ferent points after the trade of South.
eastern Ohio.
The more we see OF the narrow gauge
system, the more we are impressed with
the conclusion that it is the Peoples road.
Passengers are carried as comfortably,
and with more safety, and at less cost than
on the standard gauge roads, and the same
remark applies to freight. In a word,
the narrow gauge can do all you require
Of il at much less cost for transportation,
and at one half the cost OF construction.
Shall we build the extension OF the st.
Clairsyille road to Bridgeport this must
be decided by those most interested, viz.
citizens OF Wheeling, Bridgeport, st:
Clairsville, and those residing on and
near the route.
No better time than the present for
purchasing material and obtaining labor
at low rates can be selected. The amount
is a mere bagatelle to the community
interested. Shall we do III
/. q. PATTERSON.