Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-05-17
Is. & O. EXTENSION.


Who Shall Foot the Bill for
Damages?-Why Not Those
Who Are to be Benefited?-
Practical Plan to Get cheap
COke-A Narrow Gauge Pro-
posed, and a Bridge Across
the Ohio Connecting the Three
Lake Roads.
Correspondence OF the Register.
In his letter OF May 18th, Mr.. keyser
saws his Company, wishes, at the city's
expense, to cut at Sixteenth street, cross
on bridge at Seventeenth street, cross
Eighteenth street at grade, but will have
to make fill TO bring the road 10 grade
on Eighteenth street, cut two or three
feet on part of Nineteenth street to make
uniform grade from Wood to Eotf street
on Nineteenth and raiss the grade OF
Twentieth street at the north end OF the
tunnel. He also wishes to have a 30
foot roadway from Sixteenth to Nine.
teenth, two lots on Nineteenth west Of
the gas works, a small piece Of ground
on the north bank Of the creek,
+6 foot wide approach on the south
bank OF the creek to the north entrance
of the tunnel, an entire tier OF lots on
the west side OF Jacob street, between
Twenty-seventh and Twenty eighth
etr nd no MI 10 NJ nnhar
the houses between Twenty.sixth and
Twenty-seventh streets, and also under
the Sweeney property on the corner OF
Twenty-sixth and Eoff streets. That is
all we can recollect.
1t is talked into the ears OF our Coun-
cilmen very diligently bs interested par.
ties that all this can be done by the city
for $50, 900. Suppose wetry TO make an es.
innate OF the probable cost, and il our
figures are too high no harm will
be done, as Council, through its pro.
per committee, will, no doubt, get the
actual cost as nearly as possible. We
wish TO have the facts borne in mind
that the city cannot condemn ground
| ior railroad purposes, and that II Coun.
| Gil changes the established grade OF
street, the city is liable for all damages
resulting 10 property on that street from
said change. Four of the lots ON Jacob,
| between Twen,y.seventh and Twenty
eighth streets, have brick dwellings on
| them, and the other four are vacant.
| The south two are now held at 81 800
each, and it is not probable that the city
could buy them any cheaper, as she
would be compelled to give the owners
| price il she wished 10 get them. -Four
vacant lots at 81 800 each amount TO
| $4,000. Four improved lots, the houses
averaging y 500 each, will amount to
| 10000; in all $4,000 for that square.
The two lots on Nineteenth street, on
which 10 build the elegant union depot
which will mark for all time to come
"thr actual Western terminus OF one OF
the great trunk lines OF our great Re
| public Mr.. keyser, TO his credit, is
honest enough TO call il passenger
NatiOn) will cost $1,000 each, or -. 900
for the two. Houses between Nineteenth
and Eighteenth streets which will be
| destroyed in making the road across
! that square, are two brick at 81 800 each,
| and five part brick and part frame at
| 81 900 each, total =, 800; add damage 10
| Bodley's brick yard -, 400 total ii COO;
| houses destroyed on adjoining square,
two brick, $1,000; one part brick and
part frame, II 900; two small houses al
| sS00-total, 81, 600; vacant lot nj Il 900,
| house on corner of Seventeenth and
| McColloch streets, S500-SS, 100; making
a grand total OF So. 100 for the actual
| purchase OF ground along the proposed
. r.al Al "a.
| pieces asked for on the banks OF the
creek. Add to this the damage 10
| buildings between Twenty.sixth and
! Twenty seventh streets (amOng which
are the Sixth ward school house and
Sweeney property by tunnelng under
them, and which viii amount TO at least
10000, and also the damage to property
in East Wheeling on Eighteenth, Nine.
teenth and McCOlloch streets, and on
Twentieth street from change OF grade
S25, coo, aud we will have SlU2, 100 as the
city's price for being made the "termi.
nus" DC.
The item for damages from tunneling
is fair one, as the probability is that
the entire block Oi houses on the square
named will be virtually destroyed. The
survey which located the route alto.
gether, on EDG street, made cut on
that street clear up TO Twenty-second,
before commencing the tunnel, and
there certainly is not sufficient rise be-
tween Eoh and Jacob lone square, 10
enable tunnel to he driven six squares
south of Twenty-second street, far
enough below the foundation OF these
houses not TO ruin them. Mr.. h. says
he wants the grade on Nineteenth street,
wes; OF Wood, to be uniform, and there
fore wishes to cut three feet. The cor.
ner OF Nineteenth and Wood, is at
grade. At Anev +, one hall square
west, the grade of Nineteenth street is
seven or eight feet higher, and from
thence west the grade seems TO be uni.
form. II the grade is TO b. made uni
form from Wood to Eoii, the cut st
Alley + will be not less than ten or hceire
feet, end will be- continued tO nearly the
gas works before running out 10 make
uniform grade az wished for. Ii this is
done, OF course the owner oi the houses
on Nineteenth street will demand dam.
ayes amounting To at least two thirds of
their value, and this. with the damages
TO residences on east Eighteenth street,
which will he practically shut out by
the ill on that'st~eet, and TO the double
brick house on McColloch, which will
also he nearly inaccessible, will amount
to S2j,C0O. We submit, therefore, that
So, coo is not high estimate for Nine.
teenth street.
Here is an expenditure OF SlO2, 100
proposed to be made, and in 1t is not IN
cluded any estimate for costs OF suits,
which are as sure To come as day follows
night, and what is the city to get for il?
Mr.. keyser says We will have at last be-.
come the ,rSdtra 6rmiHH', &c, d., and
we will he connected with the
coke fields at Connellsvile, and our
mill owners tell us that il they can get
coke as cheap as Pittsburgh does, they