The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-04-22


improve. Hence the expedlenCy Of moving
promptly in the matter.
What the baltimore d ohio Might DO IN
the Way OF Securing n PIttSbuFGh Ont
let TO the West.
There is a narrow gauge railroad from
TemperanCevile, a suburb Of Pittsburgh,
to Washington, Pa. 1t Is about thirty
miles in length, and very one horse
affair. 1t Ia called the Pittsburgh South
ern Railroad, and there Is d movement on
foot to extend 1t through West Virginia to
some point on the Chesapeake & Ohio
Railroad. AT present It has no value to
ita stock or bondholders, inasmuCh as 1t Is
poorly built, poorly equipped and poorly
run.
TIE Baltimore 4 Ohio Company has
tlddleladled for years in regard tc a rail-
road, connection west from PlttsbutSh,
and at one time was offered the IT. Wayne
road and at another the Cleveland &
Pittsburgh, aud still later the proposed
new line recently gobbled up by other
parties but with that strange lack OF adj
nlnistrative capacity which has CharaC.
terizod It's general policy 1t has never &C.
Compllshed anything. And yet II was
always and 10 now very important
matter for that company TO secure con-
noCtion westward from Pittsburgh.
1t seems to US that the most feasible
remnant Of opportunity left for the Balti.
more 4 Ohio Is this Pittsburgh Southern
road. IT could be used asa connection
with the HempheId, and the distance
could be shortened at least five miles by
connection east Of Washington. Thus
tackled on to the Hempfsld II would give
the Baltimore 4 Ohio line from the West
to Pittsburgh, and from Pittsburgh 10 the
West.
OF course the gauge would have 10 be
changed aud the grades greatly improved,
and All entrance into Pittsburgh proper
effected all OF which could be accom-.
pllshed, and when accomplished the
Baltimore 4 Ohio would have very lair
line from that important centre 10 and
from the West.
The adoption oil such policy would
not necessarily mean the abandonment Of
the project for extending the Pittsburgh
Southern through West Virginia TO the
Chesapeake and Ohio road. The road
could be carried South just as fast as the
people along the proposed route are will.
ing to subscribe for that purpose. Any
extension southwark would increase its
business, and would be feeder also 10 the
Baltimore and Ohio main stem.
OF course the principal point In view 10
the purchase Of the road would be to use II
asa connecting link with Pittsburgh. The
company would thereby secure q road to
Wheeling oil sixty miles In length, and an
outlet 10 Chicago for oil the carrying trade
of Pittsburgh. This would give Pittsburgh
arrival line, and give the Baltimore and
Ohio valuable business.
We do not suppose that the Baltimore
Il Ohio will improve this opportunity. II
never does improve such opportunities.
The traditions Of the company are all
against such Administration OF energy and
enterprise. The miscarriage Of oil their
eleventh hour demonstrations between
baltimore and New York, as we'll as at
Pittsburgh, illustrate how for the sake Of
pennies they have always sacrificed dol.
lars.
Their management Of the Hemphsld ex.
tension is fair illustration Of this penny
wise and pound foolish policy. Had they
built the HempHeld 10 the coke field years
ago II would have paid for itself q hundred
fold by this time. There is absolutely no
limit to the coke trade, and yet the D. 4
U. with enc OF the best Of possible
liuea to that field, have allowed the trade
In all these years to alp through
their fingers and filter through Pittsburgh,
to the enrichment Of every body but them.
selves. In this they have greatly erred
and gtieviouSly have they answered II.
We are we'll aware that the company
have at this time important enterprises on
hand-torinstsnce, their new Philadelphia
line, but they ought not tot oil that 10
neglect au opportunity that promises them
for 40 small an amount Of money such i'm.
portant results as would follow the incof.
poration Of the Pittsburgh Southern into
their system.