Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-05-13
THE c., r. & N.
. E-- ~ - e
Raitrosd Entsfprise-Is WIN Come to q
Focus.
Special 10 tAe Register.

Focus.
apeci4l 10 tie Reqiar.
PARKEssBURG, May l2.-"What has be
come of the c., P. & N. railwaylenterpriser
is a question frequently heard of late
knowing that the REGISTER has always
shown o desire to encourage all legitimate
enterprises calculated to benefit our young
and growing State, your correspondent
called at the Office Of the company yester
day, and the information obtained will be
gratifying to the people of the State, espec
tally to the counties along the proposed line
Col. John B. Gates, Chief Engineer, is out
on the line With Col. Charles 81. Ledlie, of
New York, the latter having been sent out
as the representative Of syndicate Of capi-
taIsts who are willing to invest the neces.
sary funds to build and equip the entire line
from Parkersburg to Clifton Forge, Va, q
distance of two hundred and ninety-one miles,
thus asording complete and direct all
rail connections from Chicago to the sea
coast. The REGISTER representative found
the Office in charge of'Dr. Isaac N. Scott,
the efficient Vice President and general
manager, who kinkly furnished the writer
with the general. points of interest in con-
nection with the enterprise, and in this re-
spect our thanks are due the genial aids in
the office, Cranston, Nash and Harry A.
Spencer, for fayors extended. The en-
gineer's report is complete and covers about
200 feet of paper. The preparation OF this,
with the accompanying maps and prohles
embraces a wonderful amount OF work. In
addition to the original of the maps and
profles, as made up from the engineer
notes and sketches, there has been two
copies of each prepared, one of which will
be filed with the clerk Of each county
through which the road runs, and copy OF
each is fled in the Office OF the Secretary-ot
State. This work was all completed on
Saturday. The original will remain in the
home Office here. From letters received
from Colonel Ledie, en- route over the
line he is highly pleased with the prospects
and sends from each county to Vice Presi-
dent Scott samples of coal, iron, lead, tin,
&c. He also sends something which re-
sembles gold dust, and which being exam
ined under magnifying glass certainly
looks like the precious metal In Webster
aid Braxton counties both gray and white
marble, in veins of from q to 5 feet, have
cen found. The line starts from the b. d
0. passenger depot this city, crossing the
Little Kanawha river two feet above the
high water mark of February, 1884, and
follows the south bank of this picturesque
stream almost to its source, thence to the
waters of Elk and Greenbrier rivers to 20
cahontas, and virtually to Clifton Forge IN
ihe Old Dominion, and thence by line now
| in operation to one OF the best deep water
harbors and shipping points on the Atlantic
seaboard, at Norfolk, Va. One grand fea-
ture of the proposed line is the remark
able light grade on which the line
will be constructed. The first ia miles
has grade of one foot to the mile. This
distance brings the line fairly into the great
coal fields, the veins being from 4 to ll3
feet thick and of superior quality. The sd.
vantsges of shipping coal i'll this direction
when the grade will be descending from the
mines to Parkersburg will be apparent at a
glance to practical railroad men. From
statistics before us we find that the grade
] on this line will be lighter than the grades
on any of, the trunk road. Again the
heavy grades are all on one division. For
200 miles from Parkersburg the grade does
not exceed IS feet, and not over 10 feet to
reach the waters of Greenbrier and the tops
of the Alleghenies is reached on 40 feet
grade. Compare this with the grades on
the following great lines: New York Cen
tral and Harlem River, 95 feet to the mile;
Baltimore and Ohio, lie feet on the seven
teen mile grade; Chesapeake and Ohio. 95
100 feet. The longest grade on the c. P. Il
n. will not exceed ii miles in length
Well may we ask, in the language OF an old
and experienced railroad man, can there
be found anywhere a trunk line between the
sea coast and the West which can compete
with this road in cheap tonnage? The man-
ner in which the enterprise is encouraged
by the masses Of the people along the line
is gratifying to the projectors Of the line
and shows that they appreciate a good thing
when offered. The generous policy exhibit
ed by the citizens of the several counties is
worthy ofimitation by other counties in our
State where capital is now seeking an invest
ment, and where the people are disposed
to be selfish, and are fighting the spirit Of
progress The entire right Of way has been
secured in Writ Calhoun, Gilmer, Braxton
and Webster, and by the first OF June the
right Of way will be secured over the entire
line from Parker Isburg to Clifton Forge.
This will be a pleasant surprise to the
friends Of the enterprise here, as it was
generally supposed that but little had been
accomplished in this respect. The wide
awake spirit Of Writ County is deserving OF
special mention in this matter. 1t seems
that the line runs through the middle of the
county fair grounds and the company ex-
pected some opposition, but were agreeably
surprised when the right OF way way cheer.
fully granted, and in addition to this four
acres Of ground was donated to the railroad
for depot and other necessary buildings, all
OF which goes to show that Writ County is
in favor of progress and fully appreciates
The advantages of a railroad. The friends
of the great and much needed hne of rail-
road can rest assured that the c., P. & n.
Railroad, or, as better known, the BLACK
Diamond" will be built (The enemies Of
the enterprise stick pin here.) The cost
is now ready and just as soon as necessary
preliminaries are arranged the REGISTER
will have the pleasure of noting the in
auguration of the enterprise in manner
that will cause all doubling Thomas to be-
lieVe. Our own city of Parkersburg will
reap extensive benefits from the completion
of the line, being "the gate city" the most
inviting fields of wealth in America. Our
citizens will naturally take just pride in the
success Of the undertaking, from the fact
that the incorporstors and stockholders are
principally Parkersburg men of known
integrity and business capacity.
IRON MANUFACTURERS
Protective Alliance Make Answer, And a
Strike Expected.
PITTsBURG, May l2-The Committee of