The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-06-04
OHIO RIVER RAILROAD.
One Of the Earliest Of the Distinctly
State Roads.
THE DEVELOPMENT RESULTING
From the Completion of the First Of
the Camden system-Rtver Front
wonderfully Benefited by Its Com
plotion-.1nduStrics on tho Line.


West Virginia long suffered for want
of railroad facilities. She had two
great trunk railroads, which, though OF
much vslue, tended rather to carry the
tide Of migration through the State than
to develop it. The Ohio River railroad,
built first from Wheeling along the
river front to Parkersburg with Senator
Camden's money and by his influence,
was the first important road confined to
the State, and 1t hadan immediate good
influence in developing the country
through which itpassedand building up
the towns along the line. ltwassuDse-
ouently completed to Point Pleasant,
md from there to Huntington, the
Great Kanawha being bridged at Point
Pleasant With q handsome cantilever
bridge. 1t has now arranged to run on
south from Huntington to Kenova US
coon as the Norfolk & Western is
through to that place. ., -.
CONNECTING 81 Wheeling with the
Pennsylvania system, the Baltimore ana
Ohio roads various divisions, the differ
ont Ohio railroads which come into the
city over the Union Bridge and Termi.
mai system, the Ohio River road has at
its southern terminus almost as many
valuable connections, the chesapeake
and Ohio and the N. n. q NJ. ". roads,
the n. & ". in both directions and al
the roads which these systems include.
It must therefore in time prove even
more important than it now is.
1hAycurs AND FEEDERS.
The road also has valuable connec-
tons in an directions at Parkersburg,
and along its line several local feeders
lave already been constructed and
other good ones are in prospect, From
Rayenswood the Rsvenswood, Spencer
& GlenRilie road now runs to Spencer,
in RoanS county, and it lie to be ex-
tended TO Glenville, in Gilmer county,
where it will connect with the Camden
system in the interior. At Ripley Land
inv the Ripley L. Mill Creek Valley rail-
road leaves for Ripley Jackson Court
House. Branches are also contemplated
from points in leland Tyler counties
into the interior.
At Point Pleasant the road connects
with the Kanawha & Michigan road for
Charleston. The towns on tho line
have ever since the completion OF the
road shown the effects. A section
which before relied entirely on river
transportation found itself with reliable
facilities for reaching the markets OF the
country the year rouni withits lumber,
its GOA, its stone, its tobacco and its
other products. The result has been
steady prosperity, growing towns and
improving farms.
A ccnuNo CITY.
Though not due entirely to tho infu-
enco Of the Ohio River road, Us sho has
also the Baltimore & Ohio to stimulate
and develop her, yet striking example
of tho influence of the new spirit Of pro-
Ercss which has sway along the line is
The town OF Moundsville. Some years
pgo this old and pleasant town seemed
10 have lost her grip on life, and to be
going backward. Though located in ono
Of the finest spots in every respect that
the sun shines upon, and though
her site seemed designed by
nature for the location OF a
town, she GONE how did not keep
pace with the growth OF the State.
Nevertheless discriminating people con-
tinued to point to her and prophecy
great things for her. Her advantages
could not long remain unseen. To-day
these things are apparently about to be
realized. Capitalists, experienced town
developers, influential citizens have put
their shoulders TO the wheel, and al
ready Moundsville has begun to feel the
,gtimulus. New industries which must
soon double her population are secured,
Aad in tho next six months there will be
demand for several hundred more
houses than there are in the town to-
day. Tho B. & o. road is doing much
to aid in this new development:
From Moundsville south all the towns
show improvement. AT New Martins
vile the lumber industries arc thriving,
md the now houses recently completed
or now in progress show that the old
town shares the new boom to some e&-
tent.
THE HEADQUARTERS.
The Ohio River railroad is fortunate
IA havinSen its line the three leading
.yi,ics Of The stste--Mhceling, at the
anr,hern terminus; Huntington, the So
.5nd city, at the southern, and Parkers'
lurr. the third, in the middle.
llarkorsburg has perhaps been bene'
r,fad more than any oiher town by
;hc completion OF this road. Here arc
the compaay's general headquarters
md Offices and the repair shops The
CITY has not only grown larger steadily
hut shc haa developed and advanced, N
those ieutnscs Of mode5a LIE which dis'