West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-05-26
THE KINGwoop RAILWAY.
Roport IA thc rrciiminnry survc y
"a Satisfactory Exhibif

To the President aud Directors of IN
Esnewood Rail "sy Company
GRNTLSMKN Pursuant to instruction
l have made two preliminary survey
from Tunneltou TO Kingwood; and re
spectfullY submit the profile and mRpe,
With the following report;
l was ordered by your Executive Co Il
mittee To run a central line ana then side
lines FOR the purpose OF determining the
best route. After thorough exsmina-
ton found the river line imprac,icable,
except at great cast and so abandoned
1t, and made y survey OF tho following
two Inca
The first line leaves Tuuueltou At the
Baltimore and Ohio Depot thence. fol-
lowing parallel with aud on their rosd-bcd
$50 feet, we begin To descend pringles
Run, passing near and along side the
wagon road. to Gibson's Mill dam.
Crossing the pond on trestle just above
the present bridge, we follow the same to
the null there we defect to the left.
passing mp o tributary Of Pringle which
has its source near and above Leroy
Shsw's residence. Following this tribus
tsry To its head, we find a low gap lying
between II and n branch OF Lick Run,
near the graveyard, not far from tho
Bonefield, school-house. Cutting through
this gap, we descend to tributary OF
Lick Run. Crossing the came on tref-
tie below Mrs. Gales residence, then d.
hHcting to tho right, pass near Frank
Gales house. and then follow Lick Run
to the low gap In tho mountain at the
kingwnod and Tuunclton pike crossing az
Lang's, better known as the wcstling
farm. and just North of the Burnt
House" Hero we cross the pike, and
follow the western slope of tho mountain.
west OF the pike and the Methodist
Church TO Howesvillc. Passing west Of
MIR. Cookies house, we recross the pike at
the old water trough, and foilowyit to the
Pos,oficc; thence south Of Lamar's
house we follow the mountain slope to
Stephens Gap. south Of Borgman's house,
To the head Of Heather Run; then dc
scend as rapidly as possible 10 Morgans
Run down the northern slope Of Heather
Run, To the farm of Mr.. Rtvcnscraf'.
Carving to the left, pass below his house
up the right bank of Morean's Run 10 q
point at tho { re near Mrs. Craig's
There make horse-sboe curve, passing
from the right to the left bank. Follow
ing the left bank about 1000 feet, recross
to The right, and thence to Charles G.
Craig's. ThIs alignment is necessary to
reduce the grade. Crossing Morgan's
Run. We follow the left bank, on an as-
cendng grade, passing near and below
Mr.. Spahr's house To Indian Creek. This
we trestle; thence following the general
direction of the pike 10 the "Stony Bal
terry" below Mr.. William q. Browns req
idence-the present site OF the Kingwood
Depot, and 10 miles from Tuunelton.
The second surveyed lane leaves the
first near Lamar's house, below the Post.
office. Curving To the left above Borg
mans house, paesos just wet of the
Dancing Platform" TO tho Catholic
Church. Bearing west, we follow the
western slope of the mountain to near the
residence of Mr. Guthe; then following
the eastern slope. we pass near and be-
low the house OF Mr.. Everett, and cross
ing the mountain at Turner's Gap, d..
scend To Miilereport. From there We. as
cend 10 tho head OF Green's Run. Cut
ting there, we descend the right bank to
KinnxpnnH al
This last lima / consider impracticsble.
NY eurvey developed the fact that 70.
overcome the eummits grade Of 178 feet
per mile would be necessary, and an ex =
animation of the estimated cost, herewith
submitted, shows an average cost per
mile of nearly 90 per cent more for pre-
pairing road bed for supersiructure than In
the first line with a maximum grade Of
1872 feet.
Hence the line best suited TO the future
economical operation Of the road Ia the
line fret described as passing down Nor
gan's Hun. Frat, shorter In distance,
second, maximum grade 1872 feet per mile,
against ITS feet maximum grade; tbir1,
cost 20 per cent less. Again. the first line
passes though the richest belt Of your
mineral; along its route we find the Austen
coking coal, iroD-ore. fre.clay, and tim
Der, all In close proximity to the line.
Your several strata Of mineral have a
heavy dip towards Cheat River; near the
river we find the seams low-at the bot.
tom Of the streams Az Howesville, along
the back bone OF the mountain, they are
high.
The location OF our first line, follows
the dip, making all mineral accessible Ia
the road. The streams along our line
running 10 the mineral, giving a greater
exposure Of crop than any other line
could present. Phe location would bs
such as TO favor the economical opera
ton OF mines. AZ the coal is superior
coking coal, you can reasonably expect
that Industry to develop along your en-.
tire line, The irono il of superior
quality aud found IN abundance. The
iire-olay also lying above the road is easy
Of access. The line passes through larg,
bodies Of timber land, giving an outlet L
the lumber markets, and Increasing tn
stave business now csTrled.on by the farm
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