Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-05-16
A HISTORIC HOLE.
The Brady Tunnel, on the b. & o., at Last
Completed.

The Brady Tunnel, on the b. & o., at Last
Completed.
Bradys tunnel on the Baltimore L Ohio
railroad was opened up to travel at 4 clock
| Thursday afternoon. The tunnel itself had
been practically completed for several weeks,
but the obstructive action Of Washington
Council had delayed the completion OF q
bridge over East Maiden street and conse-
quently the opening Of the tunnel. In the
morning only the iron work was thrown
over the street, but BY ; o'clock the beams
and cross.ties were in position, and at 4
o'clock the last spike was driven and huge
| engine which was standing at the eastern
end Of the bridge was driven across it by
Captain Blairson, the Supervisor Of Trains.
A few minutes later the engine was attached
to q special car containing small number
| Of invited gucsts and the train was sent
through the new tunnel. The trip was made
| 20 Xediker's Station, three miles east Of
Washington, where the cutoff joins the Pitts
burg and Wheeling division. The return
was made at very high rate speed, Capt.
Sprigg, master of the road, at the throttle
The regular Pittsburg and Wheeling passen
ger train west, Captain Charlie Adams, fol.
lowed, and the road was formally declared
opened up for traffic.
The tunnel was located ir 1852, aud work
was actually commenced the following year,
| if being on the line of the Hempho,d rod
as originally laid out from this city 10
| Greensburg, Pa. The line was completed
and opened to Washington in 1856, bat the
panic Of 57delaye the completion Of he road
For nearly two years after the mapping out
of the road, however or until the latter part
Of 1854, work was pro-ecuted upon the ao
proaches to the tunnel, and when it was
| finally abandoned the headings were ready
for driving. The Pittsbuig Commercial
Gazette says: In 1873 Colonel james 4.
Boyd, representing the Baltimore 4 Ohio
Company, began the work OF driving hole
through Bradys hill This time some
headway was made, but the stringency OF
the latter part of 1873. followed by the uu.
promising months of 1874, again caused q
suspension Of work. In 1850 he again be-
| gan work, but the economic streak again
developed itself, and the veteran Scotchman
retired finally from the contract. In Feb
ruary, 1884, the McCabe Brothers, Of Bal.
timore, began the work that for thirty-one
years had been an eyesore 10 oil people.
The tunnels l., ,720 ieet in length or about
one-third of a mile. with high and very
dry roofand wide enough for at least two
tracks II is arched for 100 feet at the por.
iala, while the timbering supporting the
sides and roof is the most complete in the
country. The last cost OF the tunnel Is
$50. OOO, while fully that much money it
not more has been expended in, ,iprior ope-
| rations.
When the Hempield was first projected
large sums OF money were subscribed for its
construction. Philadelphia subscr bed
$50. 600, Washington county 100000
Washington borough $4,000, the City Of
Wheeling and Ohio county fully as much
as Washington aud Washington county,
while la ge sums came from other sources.
This money was all expended in the con.
struction OF the line between Wheeling and
Washington.
The Ohio and Baltimore road, Of which
the Brady tunnel is part, is partially com
pleied from Greenfield, Washington county.
10 IL diker's, in the same county. Nearly
s., 100000 has been expended in It's con.
struction. and it is likely that it will be fin
ished within the next three yc,rs. When
this line shall have been completed the o.d
line over the mountains from Cumberland
o Wheeling will be made local road, aud
the Counelsville and new line will be ihr
main stem Of the great Baltimore and Ohio
syEtem