Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-12-14
COMING AT LAST
THR WHEELING AND LAKE EaIE WILL RUN
ONTO THB ISLAND,
As Well as Rxlsnl Their Line Through Bridgeport
70 Bsilairs-Work on The Extension to
Enayills Now n Progress

At last we are 20 have the extension
Of the Wheeling aud Lake Erie railroad
to the Island.
It has been a long time coming, and
was generally thought to have been
given up, but the REGISTER is able TO
state that the project has not been dead
only sleeping-aud that the extension
will be taken up actively In the spring,
in connection with the extension Of the
line TO Bellaire, along the Ohio side Of
the river, and viii be prosecuted TO com
plstiOn.
Every reader OF the REGISTER viii
remember the great mystery made out
Of the unknown purchases Of Island
residence property, a couple Of years
ago, through Mr.. Walter Rinehart. At
the time Of the purchases it was known
that some railroad company was back
Of the matter, but just what company
10 was could not be ascertained, so well
was the secret guarded, aud the matter
Afforded a fine and fruitful field for
popular conjecture. After the ex-
penditure of a couple of hundred
thousand dollars for realty along
the north side OF Ohio street, be-
tween the two rivers, and south along
the bank Of "Back" river, from Ohio
street ia the direction Of the Smith
farm, the operations ceased with al
most the same SuddenneSs that they
had commenced, and no further sign
being made, the matter dropped from
sight. In due time it came out that the
purchases were made for the Wheeling
and Lake Erie Company, but as there
was no indication that the land was 20
bd used for the purposes for which it
was purchased, and as the road was
running into the city over the tracks OF
the Terminal Company, 10 was supposed
the plans OF the Company had suffered a
radical change.
It now appears that the original in
tentiOn of coming into the city via. the
Island had never been lost sight Of, and
the real work OF construction will soon
begin. A part or the original plan was
to run the road from Martins Ferry 20
Bellaire, and various routes for reach
ing the Glass CiJy were surveyed, one
being through Bridgeport and along
the west bank Of the river, and an
other was TO cross TO the Island Gt or
near the line OF Ohio street, run
down along the west side of the Is
land TO the lower end, aud then cross
10 the Ohio shore again by bridge 20
West Wheeling. It was Co carry out
this latter route that property on the
south side OF Ohio street was purchased
from C. A. Robinson, sundry lots south
OF the Robinson tract from various
owners, aud negotiations commenced
mt first for the entire Smith farm, and
later for simply right of way through
the farm, along next the Back" river.
A part of this plan was 20
run line from the west end of
Ohio street clear across the Island TO
the font river, coming out on South
Front street just north Of the stes.
bridge, and 90 carry out this plan the
property fronting on the north side of
Ohio street. and extending clear across
The Island, running from the street
named north half a block, was pur-
chased, with few exceptions, one be-
ing the j. j. Bayba property, at Ohio
and Broadway, aud another the Coen
prODerty, at Ohio and Penn streets.
Some Of the property purchased was
among the best on the Island, examples
being the James Nell residence and
the Stallman property.
Now the whole original plan has been
revived, except the idea of running
from the west end OF Ohio street south
along the Island to The lower point and
thence crossing TO West Wheeling.
Work upon the extension of the road
from Martins Ferry 90 Etnayille rs
now actually in progress, piles for the
trestles being driven near the Martins
Ferry water works, and this work will
be prosecuted all winter, so as
20 get the road in operation
TO the Etna-Stsndard mill as soon
ss possible. I'm the spring, according 90
reliable and straight information re-
ceiyed by the REGISTER, the remainder
of the work will be taken up, the line
extended through to Bellaire, a new
bridge thrown across "Back" river 40 or
near Ohio street, and the line Of road
extended across the Island, upon the
property already acquired, and de-
pot buildings aud terminal station
Will be erected either 40 or near the
line Of South Front street, or near
the intersection Of South Penn and
Ohio streets, az the west end OF the
steel bridge. This, Of course, will ne
cessitate the destruction or removal Of
something like City or sixty Island
residences, but many Of them, especial
ly on the western end OF Ohio street,
are Of frame, and Of comparatively lit
tie value. A lot OF these buildings can
undoubtedly beremoved to other vacant
lots, but the coming Of this road to the
Garden Spot will work something like
revolution in the southern half OF
that hitherto comparatively quiet and
uncOmmercial quarter Of the city.