Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-09-05
vANDERBILT's ROAD.
WhssIing's Coming Through Line
East and South.
OPENING BIDS FOR TUNNELS, ETC
100000 to be Spent for Them-De-
scriptiOn Of the WOrk-Coming
Rival to the Pennsylvania
System.

| 1hAAHAhEhriIA, OCPIcLuUeT 9.-1Qb
for the construction of the tunnels anC
bridges along the route of the Harrisburg
and West Virginia railroad, the new Van
derbilt-Gowen road between HARRISBURG
and Wheeling, West Virginia, through the
Connellsville Coke regions, we're opened
on Saturday at the office of the company
in the Mills building, New York City
Among the builders were William ]. Mead
Charles McFadden and p. d T. Collins, oil
this city; William Nolan, of Readino. r
neo4aun, OI Lancaster; P. J. White, oil
Bethlehem, and Thomas Reuter- and
Smith and Ripley, of New York City. The
contracts not yet awarded, embrace the con-
| struction of one bridge and seven long
| tunnels. The first two OF these tunnels are
called
The Twin Tunnels,
and run under the Kittatinny and Blue
Mountains, about forty five miles south.
west from Harrisburg. The tunnel under
| the tirSt named mountain will be 4,635 feet
| in length, not including the approaches.
! In its excavation there will be required the
removal of 80, 200 cubic yards of matter.
| The estimated cost will approximate $780,
| OOO. The second tunnel, that under the
Blue Mountains, will be 4, $50 feet in length.
The excavations Will aggregate 10000 cubic
feet. The estimated cost of the cOnstruc.
tion of this tunnel will net exceed 100000.
These two tunnels have valley approaches
only short distance removed from each
! other.
The Rays Hill tunnel, next along the
line of the road, will be 3 G2O feet in length
and will require in its excavation the re-
moval of Sl,72O cubic yards of rock and
earth. The estimated cost of this tunnel
is $650,00O. The Tuscarora tunnel, fifty.
six and One.half miles from Harrisburg,
will be 5, 400 feet in length, requiring the
excavation of ll2, TO cubic yards Of earth
The estimated cost OF he tunnel will
not fall below 5000 900. The Sdsling
Hill tunnel, a few miles further along the
route, is
The Longest OF the Seven
and will be 6, 100 feet, or considerably over
a mile in length, requiring the excavation
of l45, ,250 cubic yards of rock. The esti-
mated cost of the tunnel will reach 81, 800
geo. The Allegheny Mountain tunnel,
near Bedford Springs, Pa, is the next long
est, and will be $500 feet, also over a mile
in length, requiring the removal of rs, 700
cubic yards of matter. The estimated cost
Of the Allegheny Mountain tunnel will
approximate 81, 100000. There will be con-
struCted another tunnel along the line,
near the West Virginia State line.
A Bridge at Harrisburg.
The bridge contract calls for the building
across the Susquehanna river at Harris
burg, OF bridge over a mile in length,
with superstruCture of wrought iron
upon heavy piers The estimated cost of
the bridge will range somewhere in the
ueighborhOod of $l,OOO,OOO. The aggregate
length OF the seven tunnels will be nearly
Tod
cost about $6,00O,OOO.
By the terms of the contracts the tunnels
and bridge must be completed
within Two and "a RaIr v4s.--- -
the length and cost of construction OF the
tunnels do not include the approaches
thereto which will of themselves come TO
a considerable figure. The tunnels WILL be
twen'y.four feat in height, with a breadth
of thirty feet, and will be arChed with
stone. The other construction expenses
will be heavy. The estimated cost OF omld,
ing those portions of the road not included
in the tunnels will be $4,000 per mile.
The Harrisburg and West virginia
road was granted charter about year
ago. 1t is 800 miles long, and it is expect
ed that, there Will be required, to put It IN
running operation, Sl2,OoOWVO. lttapS the
famous Connellsville coke regions, and was
organized by William Il. Vanderbilt and
Franklin D. GONen, OF tue IttauluS lH'i
road, as a rival Of the Pennsylvania road
1t is contemplated to ultimately ex-
tend the line to New York, and
from Wheeling South; in other words, to
make it through freight and passenger
road. The main stem, the contracts for
the remainder of the construction OF which
will be given out within a month, traverses
a moutainous region, and the route EN-
braces numerous curves and steep grades.
All of The tunnels will have an approach
upon either side, with grade OF foot in
every 100, dipping in opposite directions
from the centre of the tunnel. The pre-
liminary survey of the road has been com.
pleted and it 3 stated upon the authority
of the directors that work will be prose.
CUted
with all Possible Dispatch.
The directors are also authority for the
statement that VIM. II. Vanderbilt has
himself taken S25, ,OU0, 900 of the first mort
cspe bonds. and that the Pittsburgh syndi-
cate has assumed the ownership of the hal
snce. Besides Mr.. Vanderbilt Mr.. GOTen
and the Pittsburgh syndicate, there are
largely interested in the road Hon. VIM.
Barnes, HoStetter. of bitters fame, and K.
II. Sayre, formerly OF the Lehigh Valley
Road.
Petered Ont.
WASHINGTON, September 4.-The cOlored
convention which was called at Louisville