The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-12-13
THr new RAlLRoAn,
COL Nan. Jshnsoh Gives His Views on
This Project and othsr na,isra.

Col. Nan. Jshnsoh Gives His Views on
This Project and other Matters.
whileat the Mcclure House, yesterday
morning, a reporter lot this paper fell In
with Col. D. D. johnson, Of Tyler county,
who has been in the city for several days
past on business, Thinking that he might
reflect the feelings Of his section in the
matter Of the proposed railroad down the
river to Parkersburg, we tackled HIN.
Colonel, what is the sentiment Of your
county In regard to the proposed rail.
rOad?"
"Well. sir, | think many Of them are Of
the opinion that II the coTpoutos want a
road through us they can build 1t, but as
for them they don't propose 70 give their
property for that purpose. TheS say that
II the road Is built they will, Of course,
pStTonlEe II, but don't think they will
subscribe 10 It generally"
"But the advantages TO them Of such an
enterprise, have they NOT considered
these2'
ayes, sir. Their logic Is this; We trade
extensively In the Pittsburgh market. In
Tyler county We raise apples, wheat, corn
aud potatoes. These are distributed
through. the following markets; The wheat
comes 10 this city, the corn goes TO Pitts
burgh, the fruits and vegetables 20 10 Lou.
iSvills and points South. Our cattle and
other stock go 10 Baltimore via the North.
western and b, 4 o. We have ample 10.
cililses for dlspoSing Of these either BY the
river or by the d. 4 0. This road, built
along this river. would not materially con.
duCe 70 their benefit, and hence they are
not very ardent on the subject.
"Dut then the river very uncertain and
Is annually becoming more 90. There are
many months In each year that navigation
amounts 10 nothing, and your people are
excluded from market. This will obyiato
these lnconveniences Have they thought
Of thIs?"
"As l said moment ago we, are grain
and stock growing county and our growers
send their products 10 market In the
spring and fall when navigation Is good.
These articles are ready iot market and
shipped to their several places Of sale"
"But will this road not increase the
value oil lands through which 1t passes2'
THAT Is another bjection 10 Il by some.
While they admit that their lands will rise
In value by the construction Of the road,
yet they say that the increase In taxation
will be correspondingly great. They say
that Il the road cost 5000 per mile To
construct, the taxes will DO 80 Increased a.
to counterbAlance the advantages. Ny
NUN nntNtnt, Ia NhaN Nba enaI ,,srt,IJ 80,
pay the stockholders. ltpassess through
two townships In our county that
represent 100000 or 100000 Of the ST..
sou, 900 Of taxable property In our whole
county"
allow does Tyler county compare with
the other counties along the route Of the
proposed road in point Of resources and
wealth"
every iavorably, .sir. As / say, we have
81 800, 900 oitaxa6le property. We have as
good resources rs any other county along
the line, we annually throw into several
markets large quantities Of grain, potatoes
and other produce. Our timber and
lumber resources are infinite. Yes,
sir, Tyler county Is one Of the best along
the river. The road would benefit me, Il
would benefit all OF us. | am here in the
city at present trying to arrange for the
sale OF nail key slaves, and here Is one Of
the disadvantages Of being without some
reliable means Of communication at all
times. This material acCumulAtes. Ieith.
or have to pile 1t up in large quantities at
home, or do the same here, as the river
has lately been 80 uncertain that cannot
readily get 1t of as It Is gotten out. The
same trouble Is experienced In some OF
the large saw mills In our and adjoining
counties. Their lumber and timber IL pit.
ed up, and Is ON ouBe to theowners until
the river renders the market accessible"
what, then, do you think the great
trouble; or, in other words, what Is the
main obstacle to the construction Of this
road"
want Of capital. We have no moneyed
men among ustO signify. Many have large
estates, and theirwhole capital or resources
are tied up in lands. ] told them TO sub.
scribe the right Of way In stock"
"ls there not another road talked oil,
Colonel, in that neighborhood?".
There Is road talked OF, running
from the D. 4 O., or rather the Northwest.
ern branch Of the B. ( o., at Clarksburg,
to some point on the Ohio river, either
Sisterville or Long Reach. This road will
run through Harrison, Doddridge, Tyler,
and would do us more good than the other,
as 1t will develop our timber resources,
YOU"
Other conversation relative to the same
matter followed but all tended TO the
same effect; and the conversation soon
turned to the political problems in the
State for 1880, an abstract Of which will be
found elsewhere.