The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-03-26
THE belt RAILROAD,
Nearly Forgotten subject OflIcinlIy
....A. NE stfs Revived, m ~ O..

I >
ond Branch Of Council last evening:
TO he Honorable Mayor qnd he City Council Of
Wheeling: 54l' M n ~, y :
GESrLrAES:-In compliance with a resolu.
ton OF the lats Council, passed December is,
lss., and OF the present Council, passed Feb.
rcaty 0, 1889, have surveyed the route for
railroad from the proposed line OF the South
fennsyiv.nia railroad to point south OF the
mouth Of Wheeling creek, on Twenty first
street.
The accompanying map aud profile illus.
trate the situation, while by no means pre.
sent'ng the difficulties involved in the coz.
ssruction oil Il railroad by the route survey.
ed; which, though not insurmouu.able, ara
! 30 numerous and costly rs to preclude prscli.
caiiy any railroad company from undertak-
ing ouch an expensive work fNr any other
purpose than that OF necessary link In
through line.
Much Of the hillside between the Hemp.
field tunnel and the north end OF Warren
street, ID full OF slips, which would make the
COTS rdctton Of railroad difficult, and IT'S
maintenance costly In that locality. The
situation OF important and valuable build.
lngs OF the Rsymanh Brewing Company and
the Seventeenth street bridge, render It i'm.
possible to get through theirs without sacriic.
INK soMe Of theee. f.r.
From the Crescent mill wesiHardly Two
routes PRESENT themselves, one fol.
lowing the Cre.c,nt road or easterl,
extension Of Twentieth street,
involving Its practical abortion as far as
Cnapline street and change OF grade very
damaging TO the adj ,cent property between
Market and Chap!ine streets-,he Other along
tie bank OF Wheeling creek, whsrs thu ma.
ture OF the ground would make its maints-
nance under the jar Il heavy t:ains extremely
dithcult. The whole bank moves into the
creek and thire Is no sub.tratum into which
piles could be driven 10 hold II; in TACT MOTH
ING short OF masonry along the greater part
II not The whole OF the distance cou]d ba
positively relied on, the cost OF which would
be enormous.
An additional Obi ction TO this route Ia
that II crosses Market street inst south OF tha
iron bridge aud at the foot Of heavy grade
in thai thoroughfare; the danger OF such a
location has been nade evident by recaat &C.
cident Ia Allegheny aud Philadelphia, a al
IN the light OF such experience our city
should ba extremely csrsful In granting auch
crossings. Ditticulties almost as serious PRESENT
themselves 10 the croasing OF Min street,
AZ or near where either OF these routes cross
Main street, sharp curve must begin and
In Alley A or Water street, involving the
condemnation Of large amount OF valuable
property and buildings. 90
Inc COST OF construction aad the acq1isi-
ton OF tho right OF way along this route
would be serious obstacles to any COMPANY
Undertaking the work for the purpose OF a
switch, even to ret it's share OF the large
freight business Of the manufactures south
Of the cresk. -
The route surveyed viewed IS connection
TO the proposed bridge across tho Ohio river,
at or near the Top mill office would be a very
circuitous, and US have pointed out, costly
one. From the east abutment OF the river
bridge, BY the aforementioned route, to q
point on Twenty.tifa. Street, South OF the
creek, !. distance OF three miles; the dig.
lance between the same route Of the Msrsinal
road practically parallel TO that OF the Pitts.
burgh. Cincinnati & St. L,uis Railway Is
only one and si1ty-iwo one hundIedth miles,
| Viewed as connection to a road coming
from the East down Wheeling Creek, this
dlstsnco around the hill to the point on
Iwenty.hrst street ID about two and one-half
miles the distance b,tween the same points
oy the river route OF the Marginal road Is
about two mi!cs. .57.i
Any road coming from the East necessarily
reaches the bridge ut It's own proper cost anu
expense, and all tho Western .roada mus,
c'me. to the city over the Bridge,
therefore 1t Is fr:m this point, the east Adult
ment Of the bridge, that the city OF Wheeling
Is called upon to do what 1t can to provide
right OF way through the city, or
rather to assist The Bddgs Company
all that 1t possibly can 10 acquire such
right OF way. From the facts above present.
ed, tie result OF surveys, l would
recommend the ''river route" as possessing
many advantages over that OF the route sur-
Veyed III distance, expense and ease of
construction, maintenance and convenience
| Owing to the absence Of Mr.. Peterson, res.
ident engineer Of the Southern Pennsylvania
K. T., | was unable 10 connect my survey
with those OF the company and tho bridge:
thss. be has now kindly furnished me, and
upon this first opportunity to complete my
report is Respectfully submitted,
| F. L. HcGs.
| Tho above Ia the report ordered by the old
Council and again ordered by tie pragent
Council, regarding the feasibility OF con.
s!ructing belt or marginal railroad In the
city. The Railroad Committee was ordered
70 have 1t made at a cost not to exceed $500,
the idea being 10 have the city furoish
union al 70 be used by all roada In the city
IN reaching The various manufactures. Con-
siderable public Interest. was aroused over
tue matter at tho Tins. Not word has
been heard about the report since until last
night. It was accompanied by Mr.. Hoge's
Dill for 1888, attached 10 which was resolu.
'ton s'gaed By Mt. Peterson ordering Its
payment The matter was referred to whom
II properly bslongs-the Railroad Committee,
IL is the c0mmittpe that ahonld raporf tba