The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-01-24


Baltimore & Ohio railroad aud the
Wheeling 4 Lake Erie promises to take
very surprising aud even sensational
turn as soon 40 Judge Rickl, OF Clsve-
land, hands down his decision with
reference to foreclosure proceedings,
says the Cleveland Leaders special dis
patch from New York. This decision 10
expected any day now, and as soon as
IL is announced, the battle between the
two big corporations tor CO ntrol OF this
pioce OF property. which Is only eighty
eight miles long. will DO precipitated in
dead earnest. It Is stated tonight that
a powerful company 10 behind the
Wheeling & Lake Eric people, com.
pany, in fact that represents e,T37
miles OF track. Moreover, tho plan OF
the allied companies is to make n new
trunk line between New York and Chi.
cago via Pittsburgh, in which the
Wheeling & Lake Erie and the Valley
road are 10 form q connecting link. Ths
Importance OF the Valley line to the
proposed new trunk route lies not SO
much in the mere lightweight miles Of
road, as in the advantages 70 be derived
from the terminal facilities in the city
aud port OF Cleveland Moreover, the
immense coal beds in West Virginia and
the big ore mines OF Lake Superior
mako IL highly desirable that the VAL
ley road and its valuable terminals be
made a part OF the new system between
eaat and west
The project Is no paper affair. but Is
part OF 4 plan that has been in prspara-
ton for months past, and only leaked
out tonight. The prime movers in the
new enterprise are old railroad men.
and the vigor and vim with which they
are fighting the Baltimore x Ohio rail-
road only emphasizes what is here
stated
In the ligh. OF to-day's developments
1t 10 surprising that a move which was
taken in Pittsburgh some six months
Z 10 give terminal facilities TO q new
road did not attract more attention at
that time The project included the
ABSORPTION OF 4 SMALL LINE
Of less than twenty miles, a system Of
barges, aud dock facilities. The TACT
tina. a survey has also been made from
WellsyiIls to Pittsburgh Indicates that
the par.ie, who are interested in this
move, the oae for terminal facilities At
Pittsburgh and the other for a line from
W~ellsville |, Pittsburgh, are the same;
and tina. back OF both. will be found the
Wheeling Lake Erie railroad.
Il can be- easily surmised that q new
trunk line from New York to Chicago
by way OF Pittsburgh is no day dream.
but is actually what the hackers of the
Wheeling < Lake Erie road have in
mind in their fight for possession OF the
Valley road. The carrying q OF such
a project vas the principal aim OF Sid.
ney Dillon when he obtained control OF
the Wheeling Lake Erie property. aud
it goes without saying that the Dillon
estate are az firm believers as ever IN
the contamination OF such q plan.
Further than this. the fact that Mr..
Dillon, in addition 10 being the owner
and director OF the Wheeling L Lake
Erie, was also a director in n OF the
Vanderbilt roads. and also the fact that
the VanGsrbilts were known at q time
TO be moving in the direction OF Pitts
burgh. via tho Beech Greek route, starts
the INQUIRY whether they ara interested
in establishing the new lines in compe-
tition with the Pennsylvania railroad, or
whether the Pennsylvania railroad IL
self 10 back OF the move 10 prevent this
combination being made IN the interest
OF other parties.
The Wheeling & Lake Erie ia n valua-
BILE piece OF railroad property, with
something over four hundred miles OF
track between Toledo and Wheeling. It
has lake ports atToiedo aud Huron, and
is the second bituminous coal carrier in
the state OF Ohio. The traffic is princi-
paIly coal from the Wheeling.9ellaire
district 10 the lakes, and iron ore from
the big Lake Superior mines. Beaides
this, il runs through n rlch agricultural
country. It can readily DO seer how
important q factor the acquisition OF
tho Valley road would DO TO tho Wheel.
ing & Lake Eric people. since they
WOULD HAVE TERMINALS AT CLEVELAND
and could have their general Office.
there, as it is contemplated in tho even.
OF their capturing the little line. The
Wheeling's bonds nre sold, not onlyi in
New York, but also in london, and its
securities arc listed on the stock OK.
changes oil both cisies.
The Baltimore d Ohio people long
have suspected tina; there was SOM big
company behind the Wheeling * Lake
Erie movements, and hence they hays
been moving heaven and earth to out
wit their enemies. Gen. Louis Fitz-
gerald, Of tho Mercantile Trust Com
pany here, Is chairman Of the commit
tee of reorganization, but It is likely
that the plan OF reorganization will DO
DELAYED somewhat owing to the fact that
The general Ia row doing military duty
In tbs big Brooklyn street car strike.
II was rumored on Wall street I -day
that Senator Brice had q hand in tho
new line, but this could not be vori-
fed. The fact that no has Just OBJ
tanned control OF the Cincinnati, Le.
banon & Northern railroad, thereby &C.
curing an entrance into Cincinnati,
seemed 10 credit this gossip.
Tho real truth OF the matter is that
several OF tho big Wall Atreot operators
have been at work so quietly for aome
months past in laying their wire, for
the projected trunk lines that it Is i'm
possible to say exactly who ia in tho
deal. Bu. your co%rrespondent has reli.
able information that tho parties arc
railroad men, whose names, II printed.
would easily carry conviction to those
who might be skept!cal.
Tho importance oil tho new line, 40 far
ma Cleveland Is concerned, cannot bo
overestimated in the opinion Of tho
projectors. Just how many moro
0hin raiIrnad, nrn intnreated la not