Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-11-29
COKE AND ORE FOR WHEELING
VIATaE n A o. RAILROAD.

VIA TRE b. q o. RAILROAD.
A gentleman much interested in the
railroad enterprises Of our city and State,
and whose familiarity with the geogra-
ply and resources OF the neighboring
sections of country gives some weightto
his views, has expressed to us the opln-
ion that there is a much better and more |
profitable project open to the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company and this
city, than the completion of the Hemp
field route.
As the chief source of profit to the b.
& o. Co. and also to the city, in COM
plotting the Hempfeld route, would be
in reaching the Connellsville coke re-
gions by a shorter route than We now
have. our informant advances the Opin-
ion that not only the Connellsville vein
of coal, but also immense beds OF iron
ore that would be invaluable TO Wheel
ing. can be reached by a branch from the
main line Of the b. 4 o. road at or
about Fairmont, running down the
Monongahela river, and making less
number Of miles OF new road to b"
built than would bee required To COM
plcte the Hempiicld.
lie states that actual and thorough
tests have shown that the Connellsvllle
cnal il found i'm narrow basin running
nearly parallel with the mountain range,
averaging in width about five or six
miles, persistent in its character as lar
south as the northern part OF Mononga-
liza county. in this State, where it runs
out. II changes rapidly in quality north
of Connrllsyille, and becomes wholly
worthless Tor iron working long before
the Pennsylvania Central road is
reached. This deposit is wholly distinct
in quality, character and geological rela-
uonship from the Pittsburgh seam, as
seen in Monongalia county west Of the
river. or at Fairmont. or Remington or
! Clarksburg.
To reach this, it would be necessary to
build a branch road IRON Fairmont down
the river To MorgantOwn and SIX
miles beyond, ON line easily construct
eel. the greater part Of which has been
surveyed and cost Of construction
placed at not exceeding $500 per mile
exclusive Of ties and rails, and not ex-
ceeding p miles would tap tins coal and
coke field. and might he extended to
Uniontown 10 connect with the Con
nellsvile road, owned by the Il. K ..
Company, and would pass for % miles
through the very heart Of this great COX
ing coal deposit 1t would also, as We
have stated, pass along the line OF iron
ore deposits in Monongalia county,
richer in quality showing 46 per cent OF
metallic iron and less than 2-lO per cent
Of phosphorus and greater in quantity
ranging from IS inches to . feet than
any in the State. These ores have been
worked in two or three furnaces in that
county. and were entirely satisfactory,
but the furnaces were abandoned Tor
want Of transportation.
This field will be entered by the
! PENNSYLVANIA Central through its south
west road sooner or later, but 1t will
enurr 10 the advantage OF that county
, and that state, drawing trade AMI bust
ness northward, unless the Il. 4 .. en-
tiers the field at once, making it trlbu-
tary To this State, this city, and Ia its
own road, building up the iron indus
, tries OF the State and making Wheeling
independent of Pittsburgh and Connclls-
vile ior her fuel supplies.
The people along that line, will, it Is
asserted, give the right OF way and sub
scribe Literally to such an enterprise.
Indeed, rights Of way have already been
| rendered to the southwest road, So anx-
ious are the people for the road. The
| facts above stated have been procured
| by our informant after careful survey
: of the field and close personal inspec-
, ton, and he expresses surprise that the
| r. ( %. road has not already taken ac-
tive steps To secure the immense advan-
tage that would accrue from branch
road To this rich coal and ore region.
} The project is worthy OF discussion by
our pcople and the b. Il o. Company.