The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-10-31
pELLAInE To MAR1ErrA.

A Movement to Take the start In wheel
DslIaIro Tribune. lug
The construction Of q railroad from
Wheeling or Bellalre to Marietta and
Parkersburg is again attracting attention,
The necessity for such road is yearly be.
coming more apparent, and the long con-
tinued low water Of this season has about
convinced the peop;e Of Wheeling and
Bellaire as well as the farmers and bust.
ness men along the river, that further de.
lay in its construction will be sacrifice OF
both comfort and money. For years a
large portion OF the supplies for the man.
ufaCtIring population living in this neigh.
borhOod on both sides OF the river has
been drawn from the rich farming lands
along tho Ohio between here and Ma.
rietta, and whenever, by ice or low
water, navigation Is suspended, our sup
plies are cut of and prices advanced.
The immense supplies Of wheat, corn,
oats, potatoes, apples and produce Of all
kinds that are raised in rich profusion
along this fertile valley, are entirely cut
OIL from market, and the industrious far.
meEs are suffering quite as much loss be-
cause they cannot reach q favorable mar.
ket as are the operatives referred to, be.
cause the market is fully supplied. During
quite One-tourth OF the year, commnniCa.
ton is entirely destroyed for this whole
section of the country, and during the
other three-fourthso Of the year the method
Of travel afforded ia nearly half century
behind the age. Too much time is oCCu.
pied in going to and returning from mar.
ket A farmer living near Marietta starts
TO market at 8 o'clock in the morning. ar.
irving at Wheeling at or after midnight,
attends market in the morning and
II he finds ready market leaves for
home at II o'clock, and il nothing
happens to cause delay gets home at night,
having consumed two days and night in
going to market. With a railroad he
could have left home at five o'clock in the
evening and returned at twelve o'clock
next day, spending about the same time
in Wheeling or Bellaire. To the people
along the line OF the river we say, you
cannot longer afford to do without rail.
road. You are losing both time and
money every month you are without one.
There is scarcely any room for contro-
very as to which side OF the river this
road should be built upon. The wealth,
improvements, population and business
are all very much greater on the Ohio side
than on the Virginia side, and in addition
to this great deal OF money has already
been expanded in the construction OF cuI-
verLs, fill, &C., for road bed on the Ohio
side that would greatly lesson the cost Of
construction.
A Narrow gauge road could 10 con.
structed to Marietta for little il any more
than s, 900 per mile, and it is not credita.
BILE to the wealth intelligence and enter
prise Of the people OF Ohio living be.
tween here and Marietta that steps have
not been taken before this for the construc.
ton OF such road. OF one thing we
apprise them, and that is, il they do not
move in this matter now they will lose
their opportunity. A railroad will be con.
structed on one side OF the river before
long, and ii they delay on the Ohio side
until movement is organized on the Vir.
ginia side, it will be too late to profit by
the special advantages they enjoy. Only
one railroad will be constructed and the
side OF the river that gets this road will
outstrp the other very rapidly in the de.
velopment OF its resources, the growth Of
its population, and the increase Of its
wealth.