Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-12-25
BIG RAILROAD SCHEME.
Extension of West Virginia Central-The
Benefit to the state.

Special T.islrdw 70 he RsJister.
WASHINGTON. ID. c., December 24.-
The statement in the REGISTER in Il
special from Davis, w. Va, a few
days ago. TO the effect that before long
the W. Va. Central X. X. would have
terminal facilities at PttSburg and the
rich Virginia iron ore beds, has proven
to DO more than mere assertion.
Plans are under consideration now for
the building of the necessary new road
20 bring about this result, and the fol-
lowing named gentlemen are among
those largely interested in the enter
prise: Ex-senator Henry q. Davis,
Gov. \. Il. Fleming, Col. r. p. Chew, Of
CharleStOwn: Major Holmes Conrad, OF
Winchester. Va; j. f. Eninger, Staun-
ton, Va; c. z. Ehrman, Goshen, Va,
and ex-GOv. Fitzhugh Lee, OF Virginia.
Some OF these men are interested IN
the ore beds Of Rockingham county,
Va, and others in places along or near
TO the proposed route.
Goshen. on the Chesapeake and ONO
road. or COvington, on a point between
these places, is 10 be one terminus, and
PittSburg the other Connection would
thus be established with the PennSyl-
vania lines at one end and the South
ern Trunk line at the other. The line
will use several miles OF the West Nir-
ginia Central tracks, bringing ii to Ell
kins. Randolph county, thence down
the Tygart'S Valley river via Phillppl,
Grafton. FairmOnt, to MOrgantOwn and
ON 10 PittSburg, or leaving the TygartS
Valley river at Philippi, will fol-
/ low down Elk creek To ClarkS-
burg. and down the West Fork river
/ from there to FairmOnt. From Fair
mont il will follow the Monongahea
river TO a point Lear the State line,
where it will connect with southern
branch of the Pennsylvania system
about so miles long, using this road on
10 PittSburg.
The proposed road from Virginia to
PittSburg is about 300 miles in Tenth,
but only about half that amount of new
road would have TO be built.
1t is said that the projectors have
II. 500, 900 toward carrying out their
/ scheme.
The PittSburg manufacturers want
/ direct railroad communication with
/ these iron ore beds, because it will en-
! able them TO successfully compete with
| the Southern manufacturers.
The natural resources along the pro-
posed line are simply incomprehensible
I TO one not thoroughly acquainted with
/ that section of the country. To say
nothing OF the vast forest of choice tim
I Der, there are coal veins along this line
rich enough TO engage the road to its
fullest capacity for lifetime. Then
| there are the iron ore beds. III the road
goes via Grafton il will pass the famous
/ Valley Furnace ore field in Barbour
county, where iron ore, cOking coal and
| limestone are found in abundance in the
same hill, which is 4 rare occurrence.
On the other hand, II it goes via Clarks-
burg it will penetrate the Elk Creek
/ coal territory for twenty miles.
No matter which route is taken the
freight traffic will necessarily be enor-
nous while the romantic scenery alone
would be sufficient to insure large
passenger travel, but it would also be Il
short, direct route from the southern
mart of West Virginia TO PittSburg.
This new road will cross the Is. n w.
either at Grafton or ClarkSburg. 1t
will be one of the potent factors IN
bringing about the development oil
West Virginia, by penetrating, as 1t Is
proposed to do, one OF the richest parts
of the State. great deal OF which Is
Yet unoccupied by railroads.