Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-12-06
OUR CHARLESTON LETTER.
The Oil BOOm-Tne New Rail-
road PrOject-The Black Jack
Railroad Gone Up - Judge
Smiths COurt-General News.
,orresp0ndence Of the Register.

above here, on the Elk River for some
time past, and on Thursday morning last
amessenger was hurried to the city to an
nOunce the success OF the scheme. Oil
in paying quantities, that is to say a
thirty barrel well was struck at the
depth OF some five hundred feet Char
lesion has not been so excited over any
thing for long time as this, All day
long carriages were seen going and COM
in. from the wells, and to-day We have
many oil kings. We talked with Capt.
Allen, the experienced superintendent,
this evening, and he informs us that the
prospect for a great yield is very fine.
Specimens of the oil are now on exhibit
ton at the Hale House, and are pro-
nounced by oil men to be of the best
quality. We are now expecting TO have
a little Pennsylvania or an oil city OF
our own, as it were, very soon.
THE NEW RAILROAD PROJECT.
seems to be solid. The history OF il, so
far as we have learned, is that it is to be
built by the grain merchants of the
West, beginning at Cincinnati and fol-
lowing the Ohio, kanawha and Elk
river, and thence on through to Balti-
more. Several parties connected with
it have been in this city for several days
and are now, together with some OF our
own engineers, viewing the route up the
Elk river. Several millions of the bonds
have been taken upjn England, and the
rest are owned by the gram merchants
of Cincinnati. Their object is 10 have
road to ship their grain to the sea-board
and thence To England, Independent OF
the G.. Il o. and Il. K o. and all other
roads that have a monopoly and charge
exorbitant rates for freight. The Shinn-
bergerS, Of Cincinnati, probably the
wealthiest grain merchants in the United
States, are at the head of the scheme,
and from all we can learn We believe the
road will be built, and that too as soon
as it can be done. 1t will be a standard
gauge, and pass up on the lower side OF
Elk river from here, taking about the
same route as the West Virginia Cen
trail Railroad that was char
tered here several years ago
when John Brisben Walker started his
little Chicago on the lower side of Elk,
that portion Of Charleston known as
the West End.
THE "BLACK-JACE' RAILROAD,
otherwise known as the Potomac and
Ohio narrOw-gauge railroad, that begun
here and was to end at QuantiCO on the
Potomac, has gone up. The grade was
made last spring and summer some ten
miles up Ell, and II Northern connec-
tion with this city was considered to be
4 certainty, but it suddenly collapsed
and left several of our citizens in the
lurch. Two of the gentlemen, one the
Secretary of the construction company
and the other q sort of fsub-superintend-
ent, are still here, and say that the road
will be- completed, but with all due re-
Spect to them, there seems 10 be no hope
Oi it, because everything belonging 10
the company has been attached land sold,
even To the fills in the road,
THE PARKERSBURG AND CHARLESTON RAIL
ROAD,
While We are talking about roads, we
will mention this much-needed, long
talkcd-Oi and will-be railroad. We have
heard very little talk OF il here since the
"Black. Jack road was started, because
everybody thought it would give us the
connection with other parts Of she State
that was desired to make Charleston
prominent as the capital OF
West Virginia. But now
since it has proven failure, 1t is time
some connection with Parkersburg and
Wheeling should be accomplished. We
notice quite boom for IT in different
State papers. The STATE Journal and Jdck-
soH Herald especially are Jealous in their
agitation OF this important move, and
We hope our Charleston papers will help
the boom along, aud keep the necessity
OF this road before thepeople.
JUDGE SMITHS COURT
still grinds out candidates for Mounds
Vile. Eight or ten have already been
sentenced, and still there is more to fol-
low. lie is putting in full time while
judge Jackson is absent. lie will not
likely adjourn his court before the holi-
days.
GENERAL NEWS.
The miners along the railroad have
struck, and great number OF miners
are idle.
The Kanawha river rose several feet
last week, and the tow boats are busy
dropping out coal, but as vet there is
no water i'm Elk or Coal rivers sufficient
to get out lumber, &c.
Hon. John T.. kenna has gone 10
Washington to enter upon his duties at
the convening Of Congress.
II. :. Walker is still absent, and 1t Is
reported here that he sold his kanawha
lands to eastern parties for the round
sum Of hall a million dollars. Whether
this is only q rumOr. or Walker
boom, We cannot vOuCh, but II comes
from an employe OF the Courier office,
We would be- delighted to hear of it being
true for this is the only way success will
ever attend Mr.. Walker i'm this district;
as for political success heCan never hope,
General Sam'l Cary, Of Ohio, was here
and delivered several lectures week be-
fore last. The GreenbaCkers here have
no special love for the General. \ pro-
minent Greenback official denounced
him 70 me to-day in the most bitter
terms, charging him with the defeat OF
the Greenback ticket in Ohio. His mis-
sion here this time. however, was to
lecture in the interest Of the Southern NJ.
T.. Church. and therefore he did not deal
in politics very much. We learn that he
is to return here during the winter TO
lecture again in the same interest.
Perennial spring still exists here. This,
the first day OF winter, is as bright and
warm as summer. JENKINS.