Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-05-07
TAKING A LOOK
AITHs PROPOSED ROUTE or THE
THROUGH LINE.
The Committee on Railroads on Tour OF
inspeciion-viewing The Siiua-
ton al Both Ends OF
the koute.

lUc NUM-
The Council Committee on Railroads
has generally been al airy no'hlns' eA
istlng merely in name. The last one
never had occasion to organize, as no
railroad business ever came DeioTe -.
But now a change has come ana tne
present committee has its hands inii. IL
was fortunate that in the selection vi
members good material was chosen, lot
,Ia matters now in its hands are oil grave
Importance. .,.;or and
The proposition OF the baltimore anu
Ohio railroad company 10 run ns
through line in the streets oil the city Is
v,ry generally understood although
never definitely and distinctly stated
The committee has heard the express
sion VI the companys wishes anu mas
zone over the route with Mr. hey-
ser and yesterday 1t deter
mined 10 take a look oil its
own accord and view the landscape Ger
with its own spectacles. At the outset
there we're but four OF the members,
Messrs. Laughlin, Miller, Schockey and
Hall, with City Engineer Hoge but
afterwards Messrs. Haberheid, Baker
and McAdams came along anu nnaiiy
the GAS trustees and secretary joined the
party and sweiled its number TO thir-
teen.
The first stand was made at the point
where Nineteenth street meets the creek,
directly opposite the point OF the porta!
Of the proposed tunnel under Eoh
street. An admirable view could be
obtained OF the situation. The tunnel
will be under the center oil
the street and the track
or end OF the bridge will he midway
between the Arbenz furniture factory
and the abandoned machine shop oil
Hobbs & Taylor. The grade meets
Nineteenth street exactly, and the track
and bridge will cross the creek Dy an
easy curve. The direction oil the street
is such tia; the track will run entirely
free of any private property, with the
exception, perhaps, OF small wooden
building on the south side oil the creek.
A short space OF time was occupied IN
viewing this point, and the committee
walked out Nineteenth street, as the
GAS trustees were anxious TO present
their objections, as given elsewhere. Mr..
Wheat explained them in much the Ian
puage given. He had an idea OF his own
~ regard to route, and to explain 1t he
led the way TO the creek bank, in the
rear OF the "lava beds" Standing on
c;nder pile, he pointed out ronte, 10y
which the track would cross the creek
from the south, reach the north bank,
back of the largest gas holder, pass south
of the Hinge factory, and reach Nine
teenth street at a point beyond Wood,
passing thence around 10 McCclloch.
From the expressions dropped, this
plan did not strike the committee favor
ably, nor did the fears for the Gas
works meet with much encouragement.
As to the latter. the general opinion
was that no harm would be wrought by
passing trains, but good might be ac-
complished in the way OF furnishing
facilities for hauling coal tothe works.
The route sugg 'sted was deemed I'M
practicable, from variety oil causes In
the first place, it would be q matter OF
much difficulty to establish the grades,
especially beyond the hinge factory,
where there is long. low bottom. Ia
the next place, it is doubtful whether
foundation could be obtained on the
north creek bank, at the point named,
which seems to be all, or nearly, made
ground. And, again, the adoption OF
this route would involve the construc-
ton OF long and expensive bridge.
The committee passed on.
The next point OF interest was the
N.AnRaanNh ctr UhpFp tho
track will curve TO meet McColioch.
At the extreme end of the first street,
aud reaching to the creek bank, Is the
Bodley brick yard. Through this and
over the ground now occupied by lew
small frame houses, the track must run.
No member of the committee seemed to
know whether the Il. 4 y. company ex
pected the city to buy any private right
of way, or not. OF course the free grant
of the way through the streets will be
expected, but as far as this private prop
erty WAS concerned, the committee WAS
in the dark.
Standing upon the bank of the creek,
OF the extremity of Nineteenth street,
free view OF the eastern and southern
hills could be obtained and this
brought up another matter. The
five loot vein OF coal could be seen quite
distinctly, cropping out OF the rocks, and
geological discussion ensued. Suppos-
ing the south portal Of the tunnel came
out on Wood street, would it interfere
with any OF the coal levels? Mr.. Ran
dolph's instruments said it would, bat
some of the committee were OF differ
ent way Of thinking. However, it was
all speculation and for time there was
an animated discussion Of coal veins,
with their dips, spurs, variations and
sinuosities.
Retracing its steps, the committee
turned toward the Sixth ward, and
spent the next hour and half
perambulating through that pOr-
ton of the city lying from the
Sixth ward school house 10 Cald.
wells run, and from Eof street to
the hill. That vicinity, in its relation to
the proposed railroad, has already been
thoroughly set forth in the REGISTER
and need not be repeated here. though
there was talk in abundance and opin-
ions by the score.
The committee has not yet held con-
snltation to decide upon it's report to
Council and no action has been taken
by which the exact sentiment can be
measured; but one thing is certain. viz:
The sense of the Committee is that all
reasonable rights and privileges should
'e granted the company 10 gain this
through line and that small sacrifices
should be made to secure n great good.
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SUDDEN DEATH