The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-08-15

arrest ot such dlstufDefs OF the peace, 10
put them under heavy bonds to mind
their own business in the future, or to in.
dict, convict and punish them for such
ofenses. With the shotgun courage they
can maintain barbarism like that Of Asia
Minor or the bandits OF Sicily. Itremains
to be seen whether they have the higher
kind which substitutes lawful authority
for violent threats and which alone will
enable them 10 maintain civilized State.
The Weston and CIarksburx Railroad.
I " WESTON, W. VA, August Is, 1879.
Edi,OEs IntelliEeneer:
This may justly be considered the
pioneer narrow gauge railroad OF West
Virginia, as It certainly is in the character
Of its construction and its rolling stock
one of the model narrow gauges Of the
nation. 1t has struggled under many dis.
couragements like many other railroads,
but is lust now accomplishing its final
completion. Its track Is laid from the
Baltimore & Ohio depot at Clarksburg to
Jane Lew, Lewis county, Is miles, and as
grading and ties for the remaining seven
miles to Weston are ready, it will be but q
few days until it will reach that town. \
great convenience will be its running di.
Tectly from the B. & o. depot, enabling
passengers to step from the train OF one
road to the train Of the other. 1t will usa
the same depot buildings as the Balti.
more & Ohio, and will land passen.
gers and freight within the cor.
porate limits OF Weston, close to the
body OF the town, rendering omnibus
charges unnecessary at either terminus.
The whole course OF the road is through
the rich blue grass grazing lands OF Har-
rison and Lewis counties, thickly settled
BY prosperous farmers, beautiful valleys
and hills all robed alike in living green,
presenting a landscape OF surprising
beauty. No more attractive railroad ride
miles from Clarksburg it passes the village
Of Mt. Clair, and half way on the line is
the fine Lost Greek valley, where nice
town on the land Of John Sheets, Esq, is
springing up, under the inspiration Of the
railroad. This point is distant only four
miles from West Milford, and will be an
important station. From Lost Creek the
road ascends by grade Of 1872 feet to the
mile to the Curry Summit, and thence
runs to Jane Lew, the center OF the su-
perb Hackers creek valley, the best Sec
tion OF Lewis county. Thence the
road climbs by grade Of l+2
feet to the Fisher summit, de.
sends to the west fork OF the Monon-
gahela river and following it two miles
reaches Weston, having its terminus close
to, and in full view Of, the magnificent blue
sandstone building, the West Virginia
Hospital Tor the Insane. From Weston it is
43 miles to Baxter G. H., only ID miles to
Buckhannon, Upshur county, q to Glen.
vile, Gilmer county, over good roads, and
S. miles to Webster Z. II. The road will
be the line Of trade and travel not only to
Lewis, but also BraxtOn, Webster, Gil
mer, and upshur counties and upper Har-
rison. 1t will be practically the only ave-
nue. OF communication with them, and it
must contribute vastly to their growth
and expansion. The fine unsettled and
cheap lands OF Braxton and Gilmer coun-
ties and the upper part Of Upshur county
are through it brought much nearer
the outside world, and must derive
great benefit from it, This is the
best route TO the Webster Spring, which
is fast gathering reputation for its medici-
nal waters, and is said to be equal to the
White Sulphur. At any rate, its visitors
are growing in number with every year
its waters have been pretty thoroughly
tested, and have sustained their character,
and the town is growing as place of re-
sort for health. 1t reached as high as l50
visitors At one time the present season.
TIE track is laid with q thirty.pound 7,
/ .hc best quality OF iron made by the River.
siGe Iron Works OF Wheeling; the engine
IA a tiiteen.ton locomotive from w. K.
Porter 4 Co.. Pittsburgh, OF excellent make
and Tho .>sEs are from the well known
works m Of +, B,vtmeyer, Small & Co., York,
pa. The mass, >user car is solid and 81
beautiful hnish. o. the combination pat
I tern, seating twenty. eight passengers on
reversible seats, two passengers to each
seat, and one-third OF the car for baggage
1t costthe company 81 800, aud lsSutnc'en'
OF itself to popHlarize the road.
On tho 10th an excursion was mace oSsl
the road, the first trip for the passenger ge
and excursion car. The train carried lU4
excursionists. The Directors held meet
ing on board the train. The trip was very
pleasant and was enjoyed by all present
The road has been laid well is already tol,
erably well ballasted, runs smoothly and
safely, makes now speed OF fourteen
miles an hour, new as II is, and is the
boast OF all who have examined it, and Is
the pride OF It's builders. 1t is hoped that
Iit will be financially q success, as It Ger,
tainly Is in other respects, and that It Will
demonstrate the practicability and advisa'
bility OF narrow gauges in our mountain
State.
It is expected that ere long railroad
north from Clarksburg will be built tc
Pittsburgh. 1t ought to be narrow
gauge, as the mere local trade Of the fine
i Monongahela valley will justify and sup
port and render profitable narrowgauge
but might not a broad gauge; and tht
Weston roads being narrow gauge IS ar
additional reason In favor OF constructing
it OF the narrow gauge, as 1t would giv'
through connection from the interior
from Weston to Pittsburgh and the Pa
Central without break oil bulk. 1t is
moreover 70 be hoped that connection
from Weston 10 Charleston will be mad,
not many years hence, and this ought =
. Iue-PethAPa hVA "ONs " I
have to be-narrow gauge. Indeed
good deal Of work iron
Charleston up Elk has alread
been done for n narrow gauge, and u
the intention OF the company to build
through TO Weston. This would give ur
broken connection from Charleston I
n Pittsburgh, II the extension north troI
It Clarksburg should be narrow gauge. l
, truth, the narrow gauge Is the true plar
anyhow, even perhaps for great uun
. lines; and for the entire road from Charlie
y ton to Pittsburgh nothing else ought 70 !
o thought Of; nothing else Is practicable b.
nothing else will pay. When West VI
!. ginia shall see this work accomplished h,
Is prosperity viii be assured.
of INTERIOR.