The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-12-03
n, formal Opening Of the Bsllalre ans
Southwestern Railroad
fran s,Ilalrs to woutsAeIa Over the Marrow
Gauge.
4 sscc,ssful Ending Of a Difficult Va.
dsttakIuv.
s,isIsIug over The Rssult-Thanks and
Congratulations.
BUILDING THE ROAD.


d,e should open up the lower portion Of
Rlmont county and traversing the Clark
Hills Of Monroe should establish perfect
and easy communication with Woodstield
and the rich and fruitful country beyond
u,he Muskingum river. A company was
brnrl for that purpose, subscriptions
re,e made and rights of way obtained
,pd alter an infinite deal oil trouble few
niles OF the road were built from the Bell
nre terminus extending to Armstrongs
Nils about one.third OF the distance be.
vpea BeIlaire and Woodsfeld. There
5li been two changes in the management
btore ,hi, much was accomplished, Col.
Sullivan, and Mr.. f.. r. Morgan, since de.
ceased ,hayingheen successfully atthe head
ol the undertaking, and the prospects Of
Lay completion OF the enterprise were
yeiy unpromising, when Mr.. S. L. Mooney
Of Woodstleld, was chosen as President OF
the road and the management OF its affairs
Iyea into his hands. From this time the
success Of the project seems to have been
assured, although at times since he took
hold Of it its prospects appeared in no.
wise iauering. The completion OF the
few miles Of road above referred to and the
promises aud subscriptions based on the
extension OF the line, furnished some basis
upon which TO issue bonds and ask loans
% assist in finishing the road, but the
pancky disposition with which people at
that time were disposed TO regard rail.
road projects, operated hardly against the
enterprise, and it was only through the
Efforts Of men like Messrs. Mooney, Arm.
Nongand Caldwell, then members OF the
Board Of Directors, coming forward and
4suming large personal obligations, that
the work was prevented from coming to u
,Aldstill. We have not space to recount
he difficulties encountered by these gen.
llemen, in the prosecution OF their work.
hi only Just to them now, however, to
Ea,e that they identified themselves so
ply with its fortunes, that with some Of
them the question OF its completion be-
ame u question OF their own financial
noress or failure.
OPENING THE LINE.
Thursday last the iron was laid and the
construction train ran into the partly
faihed depot at Woodsfeld, but the
formal opening OF the road was deferred
until yesterday, at which time round
uip excursion from Bellaire to Woods
ieId and return was announced. Your
correspondent boarded the train at Bellaire
st 1880 A. NJ, the time announced for its
departure, and found considerable num-
berot the representative men of Belmont
county among the passengers. Among
the latter were Messrs. E. 2. Rhodes OF
Bridgeport; Hodgins, OF Portland;
Hearherington, Baron, Sheets, Tallman,
Saunders, Anderson, Armstrong, Morris
and many others of Bellaire, Judge
Chambers, of st. Clairsville, besides a
good many others from almost every Sec
dou of the county with the possible ex-
cep,inn OF GAINESVILLE.
The train, which consisted OF Engine
No. and couple Of neat coaches, sup.
plemen,ed by gondolas arranged with
vVen seats. was gaiy deCked with flags
and presented very animated appear.
ance as it moved ont of the depot, with
good send off from those assembled TO
FItuess its departure. At Jacobsburg,
AIpsuong's Mills, jerusalem, Ozark, and
other points along the line, the passenger
lst wGs considerably swollen and comfort
able slauding room commanded q pre-
MUM.
Flading President Mooney on the train,
your correspondent availed himself Of that
officials kindness to gather few
FACTS AND FIGURES
eacerning the prospects and present
sir1g OF the road. As to the Latter, it ap-
pears that the new narrow guage as nov
completed has forty.twO miles Of road
way, Together with the necessary switches,
turntables, etc. The rolling stock in
Cludes two locomotives, one OF fifteen and
The other OF eighteen tons, two passenger
coaches and between forty and fifty cars
Ot different patterns and capacities. Two
more pas enger coaches are expected
daily, and the company expects to pur-
EhSse third locomotive within short
time. The greater part Of the road is
Ironei with thirty-ive pound rail, its
heaviest grade is llS, and the radius ot its
shortest curve 4l3 feet. The stock subscri-
pd TO the road amounts to 500, 900, and It is
bonded for like amount, the road fully
equipped costing in the neighborhood OF
1920, 900 or $4,000 per mile. The stock is
held altogether by parties along the line,
aad Its six per cent bonds negotiated
through Baltimore bankers, have been
selling readily at eighty.fvefents, the sale
Of them having recently been stopped in
expectation OF better prices. The work
on the road was done by several con-
tractors, the Gostliest mile'containing a
long and heavy rock cut costing So, 900,
The iron was bought during the low rates
and the most OF 1t cost in the neighbor'
hood OF SS5 per ton.
As to the prospects OF the road paying,
said President Mooney. we have every
reason to believe that it will pay from the
start. The earnings OF the short line, be-
fore the road was completed to Woods.
field, indicated that they would meet the
interest on the bonds and its extension to
Woodstleld guarantees large and cou-
SANITY increasing measure OF business. 1t
will control halfthe tobacco crop Of Monroe
county, which averages 5000 hogsheads
per annum, besides the produce oil large
and fertile section Of It, which has no
other outlet. 1t splits a territory Of about
thirty.five miles in width, lying between
the Central Ohio road and the river, and
you can judge from that which is within
sight how well developed and capable oil
furnishing business 1t Is.
REJOICING OYER THE SITUATION.
Aniving at WoodsAeld little after IL
", tha, staid little town presented the ap'
pearance pi a general muster day
The entire county seemed to have
turned out in honor Of the occasion. A
brass band, which tHcluded the editors O.
the Woodsfeld newspapers, blew sound
ing melodies on the platform, and there
was as much cheering and handkerchief
waving as there used TO be over q return
ing regiment. The citizens generally open,
ed their houses and entertained the Visl
tors handsomely, and at 9 P. N. a large anC
enthusiastic meeting assembled 10 the
handsome Court House building, where 4
was announced some intellectual enter
tAinment would be provided.
oRAToRIcAL PYRorEcuNIcs.
The meeting was called to order by thu
venerable Judge 0key, OF the Court o
Common Piano Hrhn 6aiN In hfa nnantn,