The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-12-08

Mathews and the Pittsburgh Southern
Plethora OF Money In the Hanks-Th
business Boom.
Correspondence Of the Clarksburg News.
WHEELING. December 3, 1870.
observed Wheeling merchant th,
other day smiling generously. Being in
innate with him and feeling a decided
curiosity To know the source Of his
pleasure, made bold TO ask him: "a
will tell you, Of course; why do YOU
know" he said, "when this Tuscarawas
Valley railroad is completed, that Wheel.
ing, as a railroad centre will have few
sdperiors and as few equals? Just stop
and think a moment; there is the Balti.
more and Ohio, Central Pennsylvania and
New York Central roads, the three great
trunk lines Of the Continent, running
their cars to our doors and competing for
our trade. Besides that we have the Ohio
river several months in the year 10 float
away our staples to the West aud South,
when rail rates don't suit. Then there
are the little feeders bringing stuff and
traffic to our city, as the old Hempileld,
the Bellaire and Southwestern, and now
the people are agttating narrow guage
road along the river to ParkeBburg. |
was thinking OF all this and feeling happy
when you stepped up and asked the ques.
ton. When compared with the facilities
our manufacturers and merchants have
had in past years, the contrast is enough
to make mule smile let alone man who
has any interest in the welfare OF the
CITY,"
"Well, but MIR. -" ventured,
"your Tuscarawas Valley road, is not yet
completed, and your river road il only
talked Of, are You not over sanguine as to
the advantages, both present and pros
pectiYe Of our railroad system, and"
"Not bit Of it." he said, impatiently
interrupting the termination Of my inter-
rogative remark, "With only two com.
peting lines, rates to-day are much lower
than formerly, while railroad officials are
more accommodating and civil by half.
Next spring, at least, the Tuscarawas will
open for business and be begging for PEG.
pie TO give IL a share OF their patronage.
So far, the movement for the building OF
the river road 10 Parkersburg is all that
could be wished, and believe II Marshall,
Wetzel, Tyler, Peasants and Wood coun-
ties (Which must necessarily reap greater
benefit than Wheeling, because more de-
pendant than she) will contribute their
share OF funds, the road will 60 through
like shot. Now is not the outlook en-
couraging for the rapid growth and pros.
perity Of our city, and ought not We all to
sliIc-moderately," he concluded, rs he
gave me sly punch from his thumb lust
above the nth rib, by way Of impressing
it the stronger upon my mind.
! cite the foregoing to show you how we
feel up this way about railroads. Our
community is stirred up about the river
road, as 1t is called, and a committee OF
gentlemen from your sister city OF Parkers.
burg, are to assemble here with the incor-
porators OF the road on Saturday next to
inaugurate practical measures for its be.
ginning.
While l am talking about railroads il
may be OF interest TO your readers to know
what Governor Mathews thinks OF the
prospect OF the pittsburgh and Virginia
Southern" AS you already know, an in
vitation has been extended to him by the,
Pittsburgh Chamber OF Commerce TO name
day when he can make it convenient to
visit their city. Many OF the members OF
that Board arc large capitalists and d.
reCtors Of the P. & V. S. r. R., and they
areanxious that Governor Mathews should
tell them what he knows OF the vast min.
eral resources yet undeveloped in West
Virginia and the advantage such a road
would be to Pittsburgh. The Governor
has not any doubt about the building Of
the road, II the counties through which it
is proposed to build will contribute a rea-
sonable share Of help. The idea originally
was to make it narrow gauge. This has
been abandoned and the standard gauge
is the only one talked OF. The road will
probably follow the course Of TyEart's
Valley river. twill pass Phiippi, Beverly
and Huttonsville, either tunneling or as
cending Valley Mountain, and intersecting
the Chesapeake road somewhere near
White Sulphur Springs. This route would
lead through the great timberedand miner
al region Of the State TO which the Sheffield
ofthe United States has ever had a long
ing eye, and that eye is expanding bigger
and bigger each successive year as her
wants increase and her own contiguous
supplies give out.
nuaISps0