The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1881-11-19
Another RaflrOad Through
West virgtnfa...Balti fillmore,
Cincinnati and Western Cen.
trail From New York to Cin>
clnnat1.
From the New York World.

cinnati.
From the New York World
A new railroad, known as the Bal
timore, Cincinnati and Western Cen
trail, is to be constructed from Baiti-
more to Cincinnati, following a line
as nearly direct as possible midway
between the Baltimore and Ohio and
Chesapeake and Ohio roads, nearly
parallel with the former, and with a
route which it is claimed is far SUI
perior to either in cost of construc-
ton, grades and local resources.
The new line has enlisted the aid
of some of the richest men and ablest
railroad managers of New York, Gin
cinnati and other cities.
They have been thoroughly con-
yinced that it will prove profitable
enterprise.
The project was originally started
under the name of the Baltimore,
Cincinnati and Western, but in De-
cember, 1880, charters were taken
out in Maryland, West Virginia and
Ohio under the present name. Since
that date the work Of organization
and final location of the line and the
perfection of the financial plan have
been pushed vigorously, and now al
most all the details preparatory to
active work are perfected.
Five routes were surveyed, that
selected being as follows:
Co. f,oy,, C;,o;,naf. tha I'm
follows the north bank of the Ohio
to Portsmouth, then to Gallipolis,
Ohio, on the Ohio river-distance
from Cincinnati about one hundred
and fifty miles. Crossing the Ohio
river there into West Virginia, the
line follows the Great Kanawha river
distance of fifty -four miles to Char
lesion, where it connects with the
Chesapeake and Ohio railroad, com
ing up from Richmond.
From Charleston the line turns
northeasterly and follows the valley
of the Elk river for some hundred
and sixty miles to its head wa
tiers at the Allegheny mountains,
eros sing there through remarkably
low gap upon asrade of only seventy
three feet to the mile.
1t passes a distance of about nine
miles to the North Fork of the Poto-
mae river, and thence by the banks
of the same for some sixty miles to
Moorfield, near the boundary of Vir-
ginia and West Virginia. Thence
the line crosses the country via Win
chester and Leesburg to the Potomac
river, distance of about one hun
dred and four miles, and crossing
that river at Edwards Ferry, it pass
es through the State of Maryland
about fiftyseven miles to the city of
Baltimore
Thus the line extends distance
of COL miles from Baltimore to Gin
cinnati, of which distance 38I-near-
ly two-thirds Of the entire length
are along the banks of rivers, an adj
vantage possessed by no other rail
road of equal length in the United
States, and securing to this road
very low cost of construction. BY
this route there will be but two large
tunnels, as against several long and
numerous short tunnels on the Balti-
more and Ohio railroad, between the
Potomac and the Ohio river at Par
kersburg, with no grade in West
Virginia to exceed seventy three feet
to the mile, as against one hundred
and sixteen feet per mile on the Bal!
timore and Ohio. The most difficult
section of the live is, of course, that
in the region of the Allegheny noun
tains.
The eastern section through Vir-
ginia and Maryland crosses fine
farming country.
The western through the rich Ohio
river tier of counties in Ohio, thickly
populated, very productive agricul-
turally and Astounding in well-devel-
oped mineral resources, but the mid
die section will ultimately prove the
most valuable to the road. The great
business to be done here is in coal,
timber and iron ore and their manu-
featured products.
The Baltimore and Ohio road cross
es the northern part and the Chesa-
peake and Ohio the southern part of
West Virginia, while the line of this
projected road following the valley of
Elk river takes the central part of
the immense coal, timber and iron
ore section of the State.
Professor Maury says in report
to- the Company 'that the available
Quantity of coal, iron ore and timber
in section of ten miles on each side
of the road through West Virginia,
is worth 100000 900, all accessi-
BILE, above water level and available
for transportation" On the propos-
ed line there are 2OS towns and cit
les, of which only twenty have rail
road connections.
The total number of counties pen
etrated is forty-two, their average
population being 33.043.
The maximum cost of construction
to make a first, class, steel rail single
track railroad upon the route, will, it
is estimated by the engineers, aver
age about $4,000 per mile for the
entire distance, or for six hundred
miles $4,000, 900, besides which the
side-tracks, depots, warehouses, grain