Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1882-09-24
A NEW ROAD
To Connect Wheeling With Pitts
burg.
The Believed Purchase Of the Pittsburg
Southern by the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company.

burg, Cincinnati & st. Louis, ana now mere
is every reason to believe the Baltimore
and Ohio will open up third. For some
time past, its operatives in Washington,
Pa, have been in and out of the city on
mysterious business, and yesterday re-
port gained some credence that the compa-
ny had purchased the Pittsburg Southern
railroad and would open a through line
from here via Washington, to Pittsburg,
Capt. Devries is absent from the city, and
no other B. & o. official in this neighbor-
hood has any inside knowledge, but
enough was learned to warrant the belief
that the purchase has been made.
The Pittsburgh Southern Railroad, says
the Commercial Gazette, OF yesterday, little,
narrow and woefully crooked, has changed
hands once again, this time, 1t IS asserted,
for good and for all. The history OF the
Pittsburgh Southern has been an up hlll
and down dale sort OF affair. Built upon
what a railroad engineer has termed the
promiscuous plan" with the farmers DONG
the grading, the iron coming from any
where it could be gathered up, and never
being introduced to ballast, the line was
not calculated to coin money for its owners.
In its first DAYS the line was swaddled with
mortgages fed on judgments, and this sort
of thing was too much for it. The
sheriff evinced warm friendship
for the road and got into the habit
of calling on the officers quite frequently,
much to the said officers disgust. There
were changes and changes, until finally the
road and all its franchises passed into the
hands OF Mr.. james II. Hopkins. This gen.
tleman had come to hold the greater part
of the judgments, mortgages, etc, that were
floating against the road, and when the
deal was made by which the line became
his, it was understood that it cost him Just
$500
Mr.. Hopkins had good thing, and if any
man knows a good thing when he gets his
hand on it, that man is James H. Hopkins.
The Pittsburgh Southern, when it changed
owners, was little insignificant affair end
ing in the market town OF Washington.
Under the influence of Mr. Hopkins enter
prise the road grew ambitious, and headed
for West Virginia. Big talk was INDUCED
in and more than once have speeches por-
traying the coming glory of the Pittsburgh
Southern, its value to Pittsburgh and West
ern Pennsylvania, resounded in the rooms
of the Chamber of Commerce, where indi-
vidualized capital loves to sit. The little
line was lost in an ocean OF words, in which
Eastern outlet, Western connections, Wa
bash system and what uot, rolled UP and
down with amazing frequency. In the
meantime, the charter granting the prlvl-
lege, the line was surveyed through PENN
sylyania to West Virginia and the Chesa-
peakC and Ohio railroad.
Three months ago the Hopkins reign
ended. In consideration OF $4,000 Mr..
sold the road to syndicate OF
which NJ. ID. Hays was the visible head.
The new management was to push the line
rapidly and did grade considerable Of the
West Virginia extension. But the road
was not fated to remain long in the hands
Of the new owners. The Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad has long desired new line
into pittsburg and the little southern filled
the bill. This week, according to a report
given on good authority, the Hays syndi-
cate sold the road to the Baltimore and
Ohio Company for $250,OOO. On hearing
this report a reporter visited Mr.. Hays
office, but found that this gentleman was
at little Washington. None of the Balti-
more officials could be located, and the
reporter called on Major Swearingen, one
Of the most prominent member of the Hays
syndicate.
Have you sold the Pittsburgh Southern
to the Baltimore and Ohio% asked the re-
porter.
Il AIN not to be interviewed to-day" re-
piled Major Swearingen, with a laugh
strongly tinged with aStOn!shment.
That sort of an answer is easily con-
strued into yes"
Can't help it. 1 am not to be inter
viewed"
Are our figures right; $25O,OOO?"
IL haven't word 10 say-eT you. figures
are wrong"
That remark destroyed the MAJORS gray
lty and he laughed outright, saving as he
waved the reporter out, Those negotia-
lions were pending when We bought the
road, and when We have anything to say
We will publish it.
A telegram was sent to President Hays,
in little Washington, but he could not be
reached. A wink, however, is as goJd ~
nod 10 a blind man, and the interview with
Major Swesringen, brief ~ it was, tended
to confirm the report Of the sale. The value
or tie Pittsburgh Southern to the Balti.
more and Ohio is easily seen. A connection
with the Pittsburgh end of the Baltimore
and Ohio can easily be obtained via. the
Lake Erie. and q Western outlet for the
Pittsburgh trade of tn company will be-
Obtained. Surveys haze been made for
line that shortenS the Pittsburgh Southern
between this city and little Washing
ton. fourteen miles. At Washington
connection can be made with
the Hempfield branch of the Baltimore and
Ohio running into Wheeling. By this
route the entire coke trade can be con-
trolled by the Baltimore aud Ohio. A.
present this road is compelled to divide
with the Pennsylvania; the new line will
make it independent in all things, and in
addition will shorten its own coke traffic,
now operated via Cumberland, $50 miles.
In addition to this the Pittsburgh Southern
will make valuable feeder to the parent
stem. The route of the Pittsburgh South
ern runs through Greene county, Peunsyl-
vsnia, entering West Virginia in Mononga.
liza county. ltpenetrates the immense coal
and iron beds of West Virginia and taps
the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, getting
connection with the Richmond, Virginia,
and SeabOard lines and the whole railroad
system OF the South. 1t was we'll worth
s2jO,O0QS
THE SALE DENIED.
Yesterday afternoon Pittsburgh repor-
ter interview ed President NJ. ID. Hays, of
the p. :. road who said: "lf the road has
been sold ! know nothing of il, and it is
NOT likely tSmrinpl the road wOuld be sold