The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-12-10
ITS IMPORTANCE GROWS.
The Gratifying Progress on the
Union Bridge.
THE RECENT CONSOLIDATION
or Several Roads Into Through
Line from Cleveland TO Wheeling.
Plans of Work for the Winter.
TunncIing to Go On.

The importance TO the city Of the
Union railroad bridge and the connec-
lions which it must open up to the city,
grows on the public mind every day.
Considerable progress has already been
made on the preliminary work, as has
been chronicled in these columns from
time to time, and the project has taken
on an exceedingly business-Iike look
which is exceedingly satisfactory to
those who have believed in the solidity
of tue scheme from the first. The COM
pauy have rented the entire third floor
of the Rogers block, on Main and Water
streets, and are gradually getting their
roomy suite Of Offices there fitted up in a
way which for comfort, convenience and
elegance cannot be excelled anywhere.
Several OF the leading engineers and
contractors engaged on the work have
rented houses here and brought their
families TO Wheeling, both these resi-
dences and the Offices being taken on d
two.year lease.
The abutment for the east approach
10 the bridge, which will be Just at the
west mouth Of the tunnel, is now so far
advanced that the company expects in
few days TO commence excavating on
the tunnel. The earth will be dumped
off the abutment into cars on the spur
track of the Pewiky road there, and
hauled down into that company's yards,
where they desire 10 do some extensive
filling along their trestles.
The east approach to the tunnel will
MISC be begun shortly. Owing 10 the
obstruction to the operations Of compa.
ny by the objection to the connection
between the Baltimore & Ohio and Elm
Grove tracks Mt Chapiine and Sixteenth
streets, it is impossible to get the stone
and iron for the bridge over the creek
from the Peninsula to the site Of the
work. TO obviate this delay and ditll-
Culty it has been decided to put up a
temporary wooden bridge over the creek
there, so MS to get to and from the mouth
OF the tunnel. The entrance at each
end once made, it will be possible to
work ON the tunnel all winter.
The company is now narrowing down
its work-on the track from Bowerston TO
Martins Ferry to tunnel work. There
are several tunnels on the line which
will be commenced now, so us to permit
OF steady work on them all winter.
The INTELLiGENcER has already mem
toned the meeting Mt Canton last week.
At that meeting all the different rail-
roads having n direct connection aud
forming one line, were consolidated
under the name OF the Cleveland 4
Wheeling road. OF the new company
H. A. Blood, OF Boston, was elected
President, Judge Il. II. Cochran, Vice
President, A. W. Chapman, Of Boston,
Treasurer, and Mr.. Cunningham, OF Bos.
ton, Secretary. OF the significance OF
this consolidation the Cleveland Plain
Deuter Of last Friday says:
The Plain Dealer yesterday contained
brief mention Of meeting held Mt Can
ton by President Blood, of the Cleveland
& Canton, and other railroad capitalists,
at which the proposed extension of the
Cleveland & Canton to the Ohio river
was said to have been practically decided
upon. 1t can now be said on pretty good
authority that by this time in 1889 the
Cleveland & Canton will have line Of
its own from Cleveland to Martins
Ferry. At the Canton meeting Wednes.
day twas decided to push the construc-
ton OF a line from Sherrodsyille through
Harrison and Jefferson counties to Port
land on the 0hi6- river and from there
down to Martins Ferry, making total
distance Of about forty.eight miles. This
will give the Cleveland & Canton vaIua.
bic connection with West Virginia lines
and will make it formidable COMPETE
tor for the coal and iron or carrying bust
ness OF that section. The new road isa
part OF the South Pennsylvania & Ohio
scheme, but will be under the same man
agelnent us the Cleveland & Canton.
Part OF the work has already been done,
but as there are four long tunnels on the
line it will be year yet before it is COM
pleted.
The once despised Connection Valley
has bright future before it and is an
example Of what good management and
enterprise in the right direction can &C.
complish.