Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-12-08

| election for Board OI Directors, etc,
| which must be done within six months
/ from this time.
What more, or whether anything more
/ shall be done with the enterprise, which
now seems to command such attention,
confidence and popular favor, remains
with YOU and the people glong the line
and at the ,ermini.
Respectfully submitted.
JOHN MCLURE, Chairman.
IL. II. COCHRAN, N,crs'Crg.
Judge Cochran, secretary of the cor
porators, reported that the enterprise
had met with the most cordial support
from the newspapers in the counties
concerned. several of which had printed
articles heartily endorsing the proposed
railroad
TIE GOVERNORS OPINION.
A letter was read from Governor
Mathews, who regretted his inability TO
be present at the meeting. The Coy
ernor writes:
"The construction of this railroad
cannot fail 10 confer greater benefits not
only upOn the cities of Wheeling and
Parkersburg, and the counties through
which il will pass, but also upon the
State, by stimulating various indus
tries and enhancing the value of proper
" along It's line. trust that the enter
prise will meet the hearty approval ut
the people generally, and receive liberal
and substantial encouragement from
the capitalists Of the state, Is well rs
from the cities, towns, and counties
Immediately and chiefly interested in
its success.
ID. A RAILROAD MANS OPINION.
We make the following extracts from
an exceedingly iuteresting letter written
by practical railroad man, whose ex-
perience has been with both Narrow
and standard Guages. IL will DE OBJ
served that he suggests three loot and
half guage, and gives strong reasons
for his suggestions:
"YOur favor of the 2Oth is at hand, To
answer your question in way that will
be of service 10 YOU, / must suggest the
kind of a railroad | would build; and
that is a three and one-halt foot suagc,
for the following reasons;
First: Ii is nearer the true guage
than auy other width, and costs no
more per mile than the three-IOOt guage.
You may know that the three and a hall
loot guage is the guagc adopted by Rus
sia. Norway, England and Canada. The
French and Brazilian guage is one metre
-thirtv-nine and q hal inches.
Nclpd The three and a hall loot
guagc gives you capacity Tor speed and
safety, and better prOpOrtiOned locomo.
tiyes and cars, without increasing the
weight of either materially.
TKifl. Ii enables YOU 10 transfer the
standard guage cars % your own track,
and run them safely over it; consequent
ly YOU are independent.
In the construction, the question OF
masonry viii depend entirely upon your
finances and the cost OF building 1t. Ii
the stone is within easy reach and your
finances will permit IL, then
build Of stone by all means.
Ii IL cannot be- cheaply built,
and your finances require economy,
then | would use piing, which will last
ten or twelve years, ut the end OF which
time stone could be transported cheaply,
and the company would have resources
tn put MP such work from time 10 time
without becoming embarrassed. TIM
Der must be cheap along your route,
cOuseguentlv il cannot be- difficult to
obtain, and ] would suppose it could hc
had ON subscription and by donation.
IL may be that some oi your creeks can
be- crossed with pile treStleS, your
a ,trf D
stones can be- had cheap, and tine
banks oi your streams are rocky and
suitable iUr ahutments and foundations,
your masonry would not be- expensive,
and could possibly be- got i'm for s3OOPcr
mile
As tp grade, that will not he a difficult
matter to adjust. Along the Ohio there
are two points to hr observed. one is
ID keep away from the lootS Oi the hills,
when il is possible To do so, To avoid
slides The other is to keep your grade
line above high water mark at any cost.
I'm regard tu curvature. That
YOU can Use shorter curves ou thc mar
row than ON the broad gauge there can
be mo- doubt, and IN passing towns 4
To- curvature Is not objectionable. L
have used ~ or - often, but on the
main line 6 or - should be the limit,
auL as much below Us possible.
Wi.u these outlines, which might be
improved hy examination, ! will give
You am approximate ilca ol what your
roIt WI. cost.
II, The right ot way: / am taking
only forty feet i'm width, and this tlkcs
Az acres per mile ut road AMI ought
not tu cost, with what i donated, over
500 per mile. Your engineering
about 500 per mile. Your general cN-
peuse-stationery, printing, organization
and incidental expenses, ought not To
cost over SO per mile. Your grading,
ii il can be reduced to 5000 yards per
mile, would cost not to exceed $500 per
mile, 500 feet of Howe truss bridge at
Sl7 per foot at the outside figures, about
Sl50 per mile. Piling, if used for the
bridges and other trestles. $3.50 per mile
Cross Ties ought TO be had at l5c of the
kind IN specification | send YOU. You
will REQUIRE 200 per mile, which will
cost SlOl. Rails of 10 los. to the yard
will bee quite suitable, aS YOU can Use an
Is or 2O ton engine. OF such rails II
Will REQUIRE 63 tons per mile, which, by
the time YOU will need your iron, can
Dee bought for SIS per ton, or less, which
would make S2,SS5 per mile.
Sp.r,>, bolts ami spikes 80
lrgA .Ig luE. ,Sg .......--- ~
Cattle guards and v1ad CruSSlnCS............ 100
bl.a>tn- thc trtcA-'''... 80
Fu-, 8uj switches -....................-..... ltO
Cost of .euciug omitted.
Summary for Permanent Way.
-Ht of way per S3tN
Eu-iUyHriug 50
trlyf,.t r\ irllS->
Er,tuHtlpu .... >N
Brid-.u-, pjlu-, tyc>tllug, cattle GUARD,
ami uuad c-.~,i I0N
Cross uy>............. -......''...- 3,'
KTr'- spikes, SVliUH>, bolts, trug- amt
SWITCHES. S........ HlN'
Ily.ug aul HllI>t.ug trlr N................... lh
lu..tuuEl.> .... ......-.. . l.'
At Wheeling and ParkerShurg YOU
ought % be satisfied with passenger and
freight houses that will not cost 10 eX-
crcj $4,000 at each place, with a station
at every ten miles To cost 81 600, and one
every five miles tocoSt 500 each; seven
water stations ut 5000 each; three turn
fables nj $500 each. Rpulir shop at