The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-11-01
NARROW GAUGER0ADS.
PRACTICAL PLAN OF DEVELOPMENT.


Senator Camden writes an Encouraging Letter 70
the GIlmsr Committeeman the Narrow
Gauge has DonsIn West Va. and what BE.
mains to be -ConnsctIns Liaks.
Senator Camden has written to the Rail.
road Committee at Glenville, Gilmer county,
letter OF general interest to the people oil
the State. The following are extracts:
In the first place, 1t will DO great ad.
vantage in projecting any new roads In tina
section OF our state lying between the Balti-
more & Ohio and the Chesapeake q Ohio
railroads, TO secure the benefits TO be gained
by bringing the local roads already built OF
building into q connected kys:em In order %
mayaid In sustaining the Others, and also,
In order TO make the several counties more
conveniently accessible 10 e'ch other.
In my judgment tits entirely practicable
and within the reasonable abilities Of the
counties to give such necessary aid as would
inaugurate and carry out asystem OF develop
ment that would give railroad facilities to
almost every county lying between The Balti-
more & Ohio, and the Chesapeake & Ohio
Railroads, west OF the Alleghenies. Is'sl
think that the time Is now ripe for tina
undertaking, and hope the expression oil
Gllmer county may be the beginning, TO the
speedy accomplishment Of these results.
TRUE THEORY OF STATE DEVELOPMENT.
The practical and true theory, think, fol-
ths development of that part Of our State re.
terred to, is by connected system Of mar.
row. gauge road. The narrow gauge
road Is Just as efficient and complete
in It's usefulness Ss the standard gauge,
In proportion 70 Its tonnage, and Is pc.
culiarly adapted TO the necessities CT oui
State. think this Is fully demonstrated Ia
the Clarksburg & Weston road. Adopt
ing this idsS: II road was built
from Weston through Gilmer, Cal
houn, Roane and Jackson, 10 the
Ohio river in Jackson county, and another
road from Weston through Braxton county
to the Elk river to Charleston, thts, roads,
with the connections they would make
would substantially complete connected
system OF local roads which would furnish
railrtal transportation 10 every county In
that section; and would, with their connec-
tions, be OF more than local importance, as
being lines le9ding through the central part Of
the Stale to the best markets east and west.
To illustrate this view: A road Is now built
from Weston to the Baltimore G. Ohio rail-
road at Clarksburg, and also one from Wes-
ton to Buckhaunon. hecounty OF Harrison
has subscribed $4,000 and Marion county
500, 900, to build the Oiarksburg & Morgan
town ROAD down the valley Of the Monouga.
hela, which will connect with the PennsylVa.
MIA Railroad directly to Pittsburgh, and, in
fact, all points reached by the Pennsylvania
system. This short line Of road be,
tween Clarksburg and the Pennsyl'
yania Railroad leading 10 Pittsburgh
Is OF very great importance not only to the
section through which It passes but to the
whole central part OF our State, as the gate
way to the Pittsburgh market for our pro-
duets by the most direct route; and 1t Is safe
10 say that with the assistance already voted
this important link will soon be built. This
would complete the connections on the east.
ern end, both to the Baltimore & Ohio rail.
road, and by the Pennsylvania railroad
through to Pittsburgh.
CONNECTIONS EAST AND WEST.
The connection on the western end With
the Ohio River Railroad, both east and west,
and through 1t with the Ohio Central Rail.
road, already completed from Point Pleasant
10 Charleston, anu to the Chesapeake & Ohio
Railroad. The railroad bridge over the Ohio
river at Point Pleasant also gives connec-
tons to Columbus, Toledo and Cincinnati,
SO that by building the real from Weston
through Gilmer to The Ohio river would givs
TO GilIner and the other countits on that
line the practical benefits Of direct rail coT.
munication both east and west, and also the
advantages OF competition by several OF the
most important trunk line roads to the best
markets.
1t may a'so be observed, In this connection
that narrow gauge road Is now buildixg uE
the Valley river from Grafton to Beverly
which could bs connected by short line al
Bucki a1non, with the roads lea ting west
through the other counties in the direct. on
OF the Capitol. This system, as yo1 see, would
not only give to all tho countIIs III the sec
ton named, railroad facilities but would
give most Of the counties essy accets to eact
other.
NEEDN'T Do IT ALL AT ONCE.
All this may appear at the fitss glance tc
be large aud difficult undertaking, but
think by looking into 1t, 1t will not only bt
feasible, but with proper exertion on oul
rart will follow as n natural result. 1t Il
not necessary to look to tho beginning, or Il
the accomplishment Of all, Ut the same
time. The commencement Of one part
will stimulate and help the otaeF; bt'
sides these enterprises are not oil dependent
upon each other. The Bax;on & Elk River
read Is not necessary to the completeness oil
the road through elmer 10 the Ohio river,
or 10 the connections 1t mikes l may say,
however, that there are influences at work
that will probably result in building that
road within reasonable time.
HowIT CAN De DONE.
We may safely assume, as starting point,
that the roads referred to as giving eastern
and western connections will now take care
OF themselves and be built aud ready for
uss against your road could be built.
II Is only necessary, therefore, TO consider
the building Of the road through Gilmer to
the Ohio river as part Of the system refer
red 10, In which Gilmer and the other coun-
ties along its line are interested. Concert OF
action between the counties Of Gilmer, Cal.
houn, Roaue and Jackson, In obtaining such
subscriptions by each county to the stock OF
the road, ss would result 10 the benefit Of
the counties to make, will, In my judgment,
insure the building OF this road.
Trunk line roads connecting large CONNER
DIAL centres, and requiring large capital, are
roads must have local aid 10 give security
II can be clearly shown that as financial
measure alone, leaving out all other ques.
lions OF advantages, no better Investment
can be made by county situated as yours
iE, than a subscription OF say 100000, II II
will secure the building Of q road through
its territory In the manner proposed.
confidently believe that II Gilmer, Cal,
houn, Roane and Jackson counties will
unite in making liberal subscriptions, the
money can be obtained 10 build the road
suggested, and think 1t would be easier to
obtlin the means to build the whole line
than any part Of it.
NEE1HG cALLEp.
The Glenyille Crescent says: IN. F. Kidd
issues call for the Committee recently ap.
pointed to meet at the court house on salur-
day the of Noyembet, to consult together
and consider The advifa bility OF appointing
time and place for holding convention VITA
persons from the other counties suggested In