The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-10-02
THE NEW RAILROAD
BEING DOOMED BY E. G. cRAcRAFT
What the PronIa,nt Men Iat.rs,ted IN it na,,
to Say On the SukJ.et-Hr. crseran'I Views.
The PrenOs,d BOuts Opens gIeh aud Ia.
developed Country Desire for the BO.d.


course OF his rounds yesterday called at th,
office Of Hon. E. G. Cracraft and found hin
busy preparing the charter for proposet
new railroad in this State, in which he Il
largely interested with several prominen
gentlemen Of this city and State. Refer
ence was made, while exchanging the
courtesles Of the day, to an editorial para
graph in yesterdays issue Of this paper
written in ocular vein concerning Mr.
Cracrait's candidacy for Congress and his
railroad enthusiasm, which Is very strong,
as 1t is over anything in which Mr.. Cracraii
takes such deep and vital interest as be
has in his present railroad scheme. He
said, ~ could hardly receive the editorial
reference to my candidacy in your paper
as playful allusion, as II was doubtless in.
tended, az 1t was associated with prci Ct
OF private business with some good friends.
Outside OF this business matter OF mine,
with which again assure you some OF the
best men In the State are connected and
who believe 1t Is on asubstantial basis and
es practicable scheme as any for the de-.
yelopment OF the State, cared but little for
the allusion. As candidate for Office l
realize must be patient tsrget for news.
papers not Of my party"
swell now tell US something OF your con-
templated road. Where does it run and
from where and who are in it?"
THE PLAN AND ITS BAcEgRs.
at is proposed to build astandard guage
road. The termini at present contemplated
are Charleston, Kanawha county, and
Beverly, Randolph county. This gives rs
q road 200 miles long running through
Kanawha, Clay and Braxton counties,
along the border Of Nicholas and Webster,
passing through corner OF Pocahontas,
rich In minerals and timber, and down the
valley Of Valley river to Beverly. Possibly
we shall 20 through to PhllippI, in Barbour
county. The road will be known as the
Kanawha & Webster R. R. Co, and we
propose to put the capital stock at g $780,.
600. This large sum il named tor the pur.
pose Of including all rich connections in
tht future. The road as I've laid down
can easily be built for one half that
amount. A large part Of the route is in a
beautiful valley fifty or sixty miles in
width-the very richest kind OF land too
and the road can be laid with but very lit
tie expense for grading"
"Who are those interested and what Is
the general plan ?"
"a number OF distinguished gentlemen,
among them, Col. B1ggess, OF Clsrksburg;
Hon. ]. NJ. Bennett, Of Weston, Judge
Holt, Mr.. .Bodo Otto, president Of the vii.
Transport, Pa, City National Bank, and
Mr.. Brockerhof,, Of Bellefonte, Pa, who
own large land tracks In that country are
anxious to develop the rich mineral and
timber lands there, aud are willing to con-
tribute or sell very cheaply their ,lauds, or
portions OF them, to have the road run
through there. Why, the offers Of land I
have receiyed-donations you understand,
now very nearly reach 900 acres, and l
have given nothing like vigorous canvass
10 the matter. Every citizen living along
the route will, l am sure, give all needed
lands for a right OF way, stations, switches
and all needed for railroad purposes. In
that rich uudevelopsd section they eau
give one half they own and make ten times
the amount ont Of their remaining half II
the road Is constructed. Every land owner
along the route knows this"
SOME EXPRESSIONS OF APPROVAL.
81 believe Judge G. D. Camden, who is
large land owner there, will help US
generously II the road starts as have
assurances from his best friends OF this.
But here are some extracts from letters
received from distinguished gentlemen
which tell the story better than can, and
Mr.. Craeraft opening number oil papers
continued, "a letter dated September %,
from Hon. John Brannon, Of Weston. a
man by the way, who stands very high in
the estimatnon OF the people Of Randolph
and other counties along the proposed
route, and deseryedly 80 to, for he is
nest excellent gentleman, says: when I
was at Beverly, the subject OF your pro.
posed road was discussed. You seemed to
have inspired much interest on the SUBJ
lect. have no doubt, large number OF
conditional land donations can be obtain.
ed. Col. John Bnggess was in Beverly
and will cheeriully give part OF his land,
aud G. D. Camden has large tracts and l
think he will literally aid your project
Now from the Hon. g. D. Camden himself,
under date Of September 10. | have the
following: I am greatly In favor OF build
ing railroads all ever the State, and would
be glad Il come practicable scheme could
be devised for that purpose. Lam willing
10 contribute to reasonable extent for the
building Of your road.' !"
"Here Is letter from Hon. Homer
Holt" continued Mr.. Cracraft, under
date OF September Is. He says: I do not
know that understand fully your project
ed line OF road. However, l would b :.
willing to do something in the way Of land
contribution, II that would secure your
road. How much, l cannot now Eay.'
Since receiving this letter from Judge Holt
/ am advised that he will give q large tract
in Webster II the road Is made or secured.
A letter from the President Of the City
National Bank, OF Wllliamsport, Pa, dated
August 81, says: Some yearB back Mr..
Poole undertook to build road up the
Elk. We then subscribed 10 600 acres Of
land, or Sl00. 900, provided the road reached
our lands WITHIN two years. ! also agreed
10 donate 1000 acres Of Webster county
land. think this land subscription can
vet lie had,' In smother letter, dated Sep.
tember 10, speaking Of q ilint owner in
large tract. he said that ha YVES willing to
give 2OCOO acres instead OF 10000, II 1t
would he an inducement to build the road.
The men he represents own $1,000 acres In
that country. He informs me that his offer
Of 900 acres in Webster still holds good." "
LIBERAL SUBSCRIPTIONS ALREADY.
"Ail Of these gentlemen are wealthy land
owners and will, without doubt, give gen.
erously, even more than promised, II they
can get this road, and they all write that
thew want to talk with me on the subject.
| tell you they are deeply interested. lam
assured they will further the matter as