The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1893-11-18

l.. II
Assessor Snider is our former Col.
Joe, who has been many times deserv-
edly officially honored in this county.
He also is infused with the Point
Marion spirit of enterprise and pins
his faith fast there He looks we'll
not day older than when Fayette
county gained in him citizen we did
not care to lose.
/ went around to see the bridge
piers. They are all there. Fixing the
vision across them it may be seen that
the bridge will not run straight across
the stream. 1t will have consider
able tendency TO slant upward, which
makes the curve on the other side,
where the track is laid straight up the
perceptions mountain side, less sharp
About dozen men were at work con-
structing rude building on this side,
and | asked the one who seemed TO be
directing the operations what il was
for. THAT, he said sis a tool house.
Before many days we will begin build
ing wooden false work between those
piers. This false work is a trestle on
which the bridge win be placed and
adjusted to the piers, and then when
the last nut is screwed, engineers test
it and everything complete, we will
knock the false work from under it,
and there will be the bridge with no
need of support and strong enough to
hold Its length in loaded cars
Then | inquired how long ii will
take TO build the false work. He said;
Il don't know exactly, but IL win be
some time. Timbers must be sunk to
the bottom OF that treacherous water
way, uprighted and built upon to a
capacity for holding the heavy mater
ial OF the steel superstructure. The
building OF this trestle win take lon
ger time than TO lay the bridge on the
piers after it is built. Fact is, build
ing the trestle is the biggest part Of
building the bridge. The entire work
wont be completed before along about
the first part of February 1t is tedi-
Gus, particular work. -
| interrupted by saying that a part
Of tffe bridge was already on the ground
and my informant admitted it and adj
ding that ''as soon as the builders
complete certain portions of it they
turn them over TO the Drake, Stratton
Co., the contractors, and il is well
enough to have it here when needed.
There are now about ten car loads Of
the bridge delivered, but it may be
some time before we will need any of
it, and, as | said, one stretch at least
of this trestle must be completed be-
fore we need any of the metal. You
may rely on this; come down in two
weeks or month and see If il is not
just as represented.
The same gentleman then told me
that passenger trains would be run on
out from Smithaeld to the opposite
side of Cheat Nov. 10. The road is all
ballasted on the other side and this
may be done. If the Cheat bridge
were now completed trains could not
be run from Morgantown to Point
Marion, for the reason that there Is
no ballasting done below Granville
The ties are laid on the ground with
none Of the Tightening rocky substance
between that makes the track solid
and substantial. This ballasting will
not be done till the bridge Is com
pleted, as Fairchance Stag, on account
Of the scarcity Of stone along the
route is to be used for ballasting
Coming up on the construction train
Superintendent Lynch told me that it
will take month TO ballast the road
after the bridge is completed.
This construction train, as il comes
into Point Marion, is welcomed by a
general turn out Of the populace, who
regard it as foretaste of the joys to
come. When l walked up from the
bridge TO where the train and its con-
signment of hungry Huns stopped, it
was surrounded by people whose riy-
tied gaze on the locomotive and fat
cars looked farther to the time when
it will be their privilege to see trains
there through from Pittsburg to Gin
cinnati--handsome trains they will
be, with through sleepers to the south,
to say nothing of the local trains that
will pass between Grafton and Con-
nellsyille. Put it about May 1894,
and these things may be seen; not
probable any sooner, but thank the b.
& o., it will be that soon.
Superintendent Lynch has gangs of
laborers along the track Strengthening
1t in places where it is needed and
doing other work of that kind. This
construction train leaves Morgantown
early every morning for such places
along the route as are decided upOn
the day before, need work done 1t
does not go down to Point Marion ev-
cry day. There is considerable Of this
track Strengthening work % do, and
the force Of hands will be kept busy at
that till the train can cross the bridge
and then the ballasting will begin
1t was growing dark when / climb
ed on the engine after portion Of a
day spent in viewing the minds eye
pictures of industrial development at
Point Marion. That town has
neighborly feeling for Morgantown.
1t is distant by rail liz miles, and /
made the k'irney homeward over that
route seated in .he engine cab Of SUI
perintendent Lynch's usin. conduc-
tor Myers waited till the hu1.rarian
force was aboard, gave the signal TO 60
ahead. Engineer O'Geran pulled open
the throttle, Fireman Gruder threw
in more coal, and in little over As
minutes / was at home satisfying an
appetite decidedly sharpened by my
first trip by rail from Point Marion
to Morgantown.