Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-11-19
The West Virginia Central
Railroad.

tors Davis, Bayard, Window, and
others interested in the new West
Virginia Central r. r.. to Elk
Garden, the point to which the
road has been finished. We take
the following observations Of the
trip from a correspondent of the
Cumberland News:
Elk Garden is about II miles
above Piedmont and is on a
branch of the main line, which il
joins at SHAW" formerly Deep
Run about 10 miles from Pied
mont. The contractors are at work
on the main line beyond SHAW"
20 miles Of j. being under contract
The Line issurveyed nearly to
Fairfax Stone, 40 miles from Elk
Garden, and will ultimately be
constructed to the Fairfax re-
gion, and is expected to ultimate
ly connect with the Richmond and
Allegany road south, and perhaps
may have a connection to Pitts
burg. The line over which we
passed ran very smoothly, and re-
fleets great credit on Master of
Construction w. r.. Porter. The
branch which, is about 2 miles
long, runs to the foot of an inclin-
ed plane leading to the foot of a
narrow guage road which in turn
runs to the mine, half a mile futh-
err. The incline is / 500 feet long
and part of it runs at an angle of
25o. 1t was built under direction
of the veteran coal man, Major
Alex. Shaw, who is justly proud
of the substantial and thorough
character of the work.
The headquarters Of the direc-
tors and officers and their guests
is at the cottage, a few hundred
yards above the mine. The cot
tagelis builtsin the Swiss style, is
commodious and possesses every
modern convenience. The view
from the side porch of the build
ing is one of the grandest ever un-
folded to mortal eye. 1t is made
up Of steep wooded hills, immense
gorges, the winding silvery Poto-
mac, and far-otf mountain ranges,
which enchain the tourists gaze
at once. A telephone line runs
from Piedmont TO the cottage, and
the capitaIists,in 50 wild and lone
~ Il spot, wee served with TIE
latest stock quotations just az
though they had been in Will
street.
The mine WAS inspected by
number Of TIE visitors last even
ing, your correspondent among
the number. inc mine has Just
been opened and only extend a few
hundred feet. About forty miners
are at present employed and $50
tons are being taken out daily and
shipped to Baltimore. This guam
tity will be rapidly increased. The
mine is 50 to speak, lovely one
1t is fifteen feet high to the roof,
though the management speak O
it as II feet vein, and is very
easily worked. The coal is of su-
peri0r quality, tree from impuri-
ties ANA Mine Inspector Brown
was enthusiastic in his praises
of the vein. Chief Engineer Sick
les, who was in the mine with us,
the quantity of coal |
which could be taken out from |
this opening at 10000, 900 tons.
The coal is taken from the MI"
to the top of the incline ,aro hv
cars drawn by a .to apc< IF y
locomotive rnlch looks as neat
ana I'm As toy engine-but it
Goes the work.
TIE correspondent also gives
description of u trip from E!k
Garden, along the proposed line of
the West Virginia Central 10 Fair
fax Stone, Snd tells something
about the rich veins of coal, fine
timber and SC. along the route.
He concludes as follows:
In conclusion | would say that
the start made toward developing
the magnificent resources Of the
nOrthern end of the Cumberland
coal basin is mainly due to the en-
ergetic aud intelligent efforts OF
Senator III. G.. DAVIS, u no is build
ing himself a lasting monument
| in the line of iron rails which are
being stretched from Piedmont to
| Fairfax. As the Senator was rid
ing through the woods with pick
over his shoulder somebody re-
marked that he was genuine pi-
oneer, and this remark will be en-
dorsed by hosts of the Senator's
| friends and all who have witness
ed the results of his enterprise in
| West Virginia. He is assisted by
a number of staunch capitalists,
whose means and enterprise will
make the West Virginia Central
one of the great lines of this cOun,