Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-13
A RIVER YARD
In Contemplation as a Big
GObble for the P. & L. E.
ALL THE SOUTH CHANNEL
Of the Ohio, Six Miles Along Neville
Island, to be Reclaimed
WHEN UNCLE SAM SHUTS 1T OFF.
A Comprehensive Scheme 10 Get the Cheap
est Plat Near Pittsburg.
ALL THE SOUTH CHANNEL
WHEN UNCLE SAM SHUTS 1T OFF.
WHAT ATTORNEY SHAFER SAYS OF 1T

A little the largest movement yet de-
veloped in the railway and real estate circles
is now on foot, and it is no less than the
conversion of $50 acres of Neville Island
and all of the south channel of the Ohio
river for six miles into additional yard
room for the Pittsburg and Lake Erie Rail-
way Company. 1t is, with extensions, the
same project once attempted by j. H. Nc
Creery, but they are not "Wud McCreery
now"
Noah W. Shafer, Esq, is attorney for the
islanders interested, and as soon as a meet
ing Of the railway authorities can be ar
ranged, active hostilities will be inaugurated.
Mr. Shafer states that there appears to be
nothing in the way that is at all discourag-
ing at present, except that some Of the
islanders do not seem disposed to make
much effort.
This has hitherto been the home of all the
enterprises pushed in that direction. Propo-
sition after proposition has been made to
the islanders, any one of which would have
trebled or quadrupled its value, but the
people did not catch on promptly. 1t
seems however, that they are wider awake
now than at any previous time, and it has
dawned on the Pittsburg and Lake Erie
Railroad managers that it is
FOLLY TO PAY $4,000
an acre for yard room at CHARTERS or Nc
KEGS Rocks when land equally available
H. lol Co. nd ho
bilities of vast extension are no longer mere
possibilities, but demonstrated certainties.
The company must have the outlet and can
utilize the cheap ground to fully as much
advantage as the dear. As to some OF the
people, they are like unto some living on
the south bank of the river, waiting for
greatness to be thrust upon them.
1t has long been q marvel that this place
has not been utilized, as for railway pur-
poses it has advantages not even possessed
by the East End, but man who has been
urging development for many years offers
an alleged explanation, that there are some
men in the world as mean as a woman in a
railway train, and they will not allow COM
munities to advance lest some one more en-
terprising than themselves should pay them
two prices for property and still make
money out of it.
Mr.. Shafer states that the first move will
be to connect the island at each end with
the railway, and then when the General
Government
FILLS UP THE BACK CHANNEL
above Davis Island and throws the water
all to the north side of Neville Island, get
the State to allow the filling of the back
channel. This would not only make bet
ter river on the north side of the island, but
would add 4SO acres of taxable land to ALLIE
gheny county, which would be worth mil
lion dollars.
1t is said this all might have been accom-
plished ere this had it not been that Mr..
McCreery wanted to make more money out
of his scheme than the railroad company
thought him entitled to. The pathetic
Neville Islanders will never rue it but
once, should they succeed in thwarting the
measure but that would be for the space Of
all their lives. They have already fright
ened away a host of opportunities, and the
time is not far off when they will submit to
allow the island to be utilized, nolens
volens.
Should the entire island be used for COM
mercial or railroad purposes the city could
struggle along without its gardens, and it
might be an inducement to some Rip-Van-
Winkleish farmers on the mainland to
enrich themselves by gardening. There is
fertilizer sufficient wasted in these cities to
make garden of the whole country, if util-
szad