The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-09-25
THE G. & G. RAILROAD.
TRACK LAYING COMMENCES ro.pAY
18th. weather p.rmI,,-rhs Prospect. 9th. Road
lobe In Operation from Grafton to Phlllppi
This Yslr--SOmsthIns About the Cost Of
the ROad-B. = O.'s Part in 1t.

A gentleman familiar with the statuI
add prospects Of the Grafton & Greenbrisl
Railroad said last night in conversation
with an INrELLIsENEKR reporter that the tlrst
section OF tho track, from Grafton to
Phillppi, Barbour county, was ready for the
work Of track laying, which would have
commenced yesterday had 1t not been fol
the uufavorable weather. This will, how.
ever, delay 1t but day or SO, and Us soon a
possible the ties aud rails will be placed In
position. The track for this twenty -four
miles will be ready for use probably within
two months from to-day, and the road will
certainly be In operation to Philippi before
the end OF 1888. The.second section Of the
road, from Philippi TO Beverly, Randolph
county, will PROBABLY be let to contract
next spring, and completed within the year
This section Is 50 miles In lebgth,
making the road from Grafton Ia
Beverly 63 miles. The first "a miles Is along
the east bank Of the Valley river, and 10 a
beautiful grade, the ascent from terminus To
terminus being but 800 fact. The gentleman
said be believed the road conld be built from
Grafton to the White Sulphur Springs with,
out tunnel.
The road for the first fourteen miles will
be built oil steel rails, about 5Gpounds to the
foot. These were 10 use for short time on
the B. TO-, bat we're taken up when com
paratively new to be replaced with 72 pound
rails, these being foand too light for q
standard gauge road. They are unusually
heavy for narrow gauge, however, and are
practically new.
The Baltimore & Ohio company, the gen
tleman said In answer 10 an inquiry, had
taken SOL 600 Of the company frat mortgage
bonds, and had sold them these rails. This
was al the foundation there vas for the re.
port, circulated by per,onS inimical 10 the
baltimore d Ohio road, that the company
bad sold out 10 them. The bonds run for sc
years, with interest payable annually. The
met q miles Is ssSured, and It is resgJEgbiy
safe 10 predict that the next section, OF so
miles, will DO constructed next year. This
will make n profitable road, II 1t progresses
no further for several years, as 1t will lind
ample traffic in the immense timber aud
mineral resources OF the region which 1t will
develop.
The section now progressing toward COM
Dletion will cost, when ready for operation,
including rolling stock and equipment, very
little over $1,000 per mile. II will be blesy-
ing TO the country which II lrayertes, as the
only connection between Beverly and the
outside world now Is by stsge 10 miles TO
Grafton, and ali goods must Be- hauled from
Webster, Il miles distant, or from Grafton,
In wagons. 1t will also greatly benefit
Beverly, even before It reaches further THAI
Philippi, IS 1t will shorten the distance con.
siderably which goods must be transported
by wagon to that town and the surrounding
country. While comparatively email en-
terprise, II is OF inesiimable advantage and
importance to the towns which 1t will put
into connection with the great world Of CON.
merce, and It will be red letter day in the
history Of Philippi when the locomotive first
wakes the echoes among her historic hills.