Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-11-13
The Progress OF the Tuscarawas
.l Valley Extension.

Inc Cleveland Herald OF MOnuay, has
the following report of an interview be-
tween their reporter and Mr.. Oscar
Townsend, the general Manager of the
Tuscarawas Valley Railroad, who had
Just returned home from trip over
their extension to Wheeling:
"Well, how did you find the work pro-
crossing, Mr.. Townsend?"
.fVery well, indeed, and we are push
ing it as fast as we can with the men we
have; we are very short of hands. l eX-
pect the grading will be finished by the
first of next month; the track is being
laid at the rate of about half mile a
day. Bridging is going on as rapidly as
possible. We have now about $50 feet
of the tunnel to drive, and we are doing
it at the rate of ten feet day. We
have put double gangs of men on, and
are working day and night. The total
length of the tunnel is 1900 feet. and it
is situated as nearly as possible midway
between Urichsville and Wheeling"
How many stations do you propose
to locate along the line?"
"We have not yet determined exactly,
but I expect there will be as many as
twelve or fifteen. The extension runs
through hilly country, with but little
facilities for railroading, and the cOmpa-
ny have thought it advisable to put the
stations close together"
Apropos to the above, it may be stated
that the track for the extension has al.
ready been laid to Tippecanoe, thirteen
miles east of Uhrichsville, and the
tracklayers are pushing eastward about
two-thirds of a mile day. The east
end of the line, from Bridgeport tc
Gummere's tunnel, a distance of fifteer
miles, is graded, and the road-bed level
ed up-the masonry nearly finished-five
or six of the largest bridges acros:
Wheeling creek completed, and every
thing ready for the ties, which are load
ed on barges down the river, awaiting
a rise before they can be delivered. I'm
mediately upon their arrival track-lay
ing will begin at Bridgeport, and by the
time Gummere's tunnel is reached, il
will be completed, so that the workmer
will not be delayed in passing that point
The work west of Gummere's to Cald
wells distance of ~ miles, is progress
ing rapidly, and can be finished with tn,
present force, under contractor Win
spear, inside of forty days. Upon thi!
part of the line the abutments for eigh
bridges are yet to be erected. Beyond
4 GnlI 10 ln~ hn owl
is well nigh finished, and ready for tht
tracklayers. AT Flushing, the grea
tunnel, fifteen hundred feet long, i.
within seyenty-five feet of being through
the hill, and already the wOrkmen from
either side greet each other with tht
sounds from their implements through
the distance, so that it may be safely
said that the laborers who have steadily
pursued their way for two years in thi.
work, will see light ahead within the
. next twenty days. Next to the tunnel
one of the most difficult works on the
line is the tresseling, which begins at
point on Trail Fork of Saltwater, ont
mile west of Flushing Within dis
tance of two miles there are sever
tressels, which will require over a mil
lion feet of lumber to construct, varying
in length from 800 to 100 feet each, anC
in height from 80 to 90 feet The tim
bers for these are framed and ready fol-
raising. Notwithstanding there is con
siderable touching up to be done, anC
some heavy work yet to be completed, il
is considered by the management, thai
barring severe weather, and unforeseen
delay, that most of the track will be
laid by the first of January, and that
trains will be run for traffic in the early
spring. Doubtless the people who live
along the line Of this route who have
encouraged with material aid its con.
struction, are beginning to feel that the
era is approaching when they will be
more than repaid for any assistance they
have rendered toward its building. II
will give an outlet to fertile region
which heretofore during at least por.
ton Of the year has been locked in by
bad roads and weather. 1t will afford
people convenient and ready markets
and in fact will open before them a new
life, upon the prospective entry of which
they are certainly to be congratulated