The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1884-02-02

Tue 4hOHOugaHcia river now feSOunus
from Morgantown to Fairmont and
Clarksburg, to admit Of the posi-
bility of locating them on any ordi
nary compass.
It's the funniest fight, the biggest
fuss, the rarest rumpus, and alto
gether the liveliest and most cempli
Gated Kilkenny combination that
has ever figured on the boards in this
neck of the woods.
THINK OF TT:
For years past-say fifteen or TWEEN
ty-the Monongahela river has been
running in the same channel, to and
from the same points of the compass,
washing the same territory and pass
ing the same towns that it does now.
But nobody wanted to build rail
road along that river! Nobody
would think of such a thing. Espe-
cially would nobody pay money to-
ward 1t. No railroad company would
deign to talk about that route-no,
indeed!
Well, we had concluded that this
pant of the States public heritage
was doomed to perpetual isolation
and obscurity. We had thought
life not worth living and given up to
die. Some of US were longing for the
"Grim Monster"
BUT WHAT DO WE SEE?
Two of the leading railroad lines
Of the country, the great B. Il 0. and
Penna. Central, are suddenly locked
in death struggle, SO to speak, in
their cagerness to have q road down
the banks of this badly snubbed
river, and each apparently willing to
die rather than that the other should
get there first.
THAT IS THE FIRST POINTER.
Now for the second: Up at the
head of the line, to-wit, at the fair
town of Clarksburg, it is reported
that the whole population, men, wo-
men and children, turn out four times
day, at the hours corresponding
with the passing OF trains along the
b. d O.. range themselves along the
line of the railroad and "make faces
at the B. & O. company as repre-
sented in the passing trains; the
men shaking their fists and the wo-
men screaming after the train, and
all shouting in chorus eve will have
competition "You shan't have the
route to Morgantown! you old monop.
olist and extortioner, you!"
that's A FUNNY POINTER.
But coming on down the line to
Fairmont we have another phase of
the situation. 1t is said that all the
male population have shed their coats
and go about the streets in the act
of rolling up their sleeves, with a
chip OH each shoulder, the partisans
of the B. d O. looking for w. Va.
& p. man, and the latter looking for
the other fellow. Every now and
then some big fellow on a corner
jumps up, cracks his heels together
and crows like rooster, which is
promptly answered by a competing
rooster from another corner. And
thus it goes-visitors supposing, when
seeing the whole population in their
shirt sleeves that every one is employ
ed building the much talked-of rail
road-but they are only swearing that
somebody shan't build railroad!
THAT'S PUGILIsTIC POINTER.
Now we come on down the river to
Morgantown, and here the whole pop
ulation axe, (figuratively speaking
out on the housetops, climbing poles,
and roasting in the highest trees, all
looking out for the locomotive and
hallooing and shouting to every en-
gineer, or chain carrier they see to
inquire "When she's coming?" and
"which'll come firstY Some of them
who can't find high point OF obser-
walton have seated themselves along
side of the small stakes which the
engineers have driven along the
route of survey, waiting patiently
with PARKWAY look, for the first
glimpse of the engine.
WHAT is THE OUTCOME
of all this railroad rumpus to be, you
ask? 1t means that within the next
twelve months these two great lines
will each have line traversing the
banks of the Monongahela river, pen
etrating the State, developing the
great natural resources of this valley
and transforming this hitherto back
ward and isolated end of the State
into busy, populous and prosperous
mart of trade and making it boom
with business and the hum of hun
dreds of profitable manufactures.
Morgantown will thus be located
at the head of slack water navigation
having water communication direct
with Pittsburg, with two important
lines of railroad and perhaps third
the Midland, penetrating the rich
resources of the river valley and the
mountain base. This is not mere
speculation but, at this point in the
game, looks like an accomplished
fact The B. 4 0. company has au-
thorized and directed Mr.. Spencer
it's Vice President, to build it's road
has placed the necessary means al
his disposal, and is proceeding with
business-like dispatch to consummate
the work. The w. Va. n Pa. com
pany has also obtained from the