The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-02-14

"A. g. Blair was elected president OF
the Wheeling & Lake Eric railway
at meeting OF the directors in
Toledo on Wednesday, Previous TO
a meeting OF the directors the annual
meeting of the stockholders was held.
s George E. Pomeroy presiding, Two
more directors were added to the board.
w. Il. Conner was elected chairman.
NJ /. Wilcox was elected to succeed
George W. Davis. One Of the most I'M
portant changes In the board was the
election OF Tom L. Johnson. OF Cleve-
land. as director a measure which
will afford protection to the small hold
ers was the classification OF the direc-
tors as to the term OF holding Office
They were elected for the term OF one,
two and three years. Thus the COM
pany will elect three directors every
year. According to this It Will be I'M
possible for any heavy stockhotder 10
change the policy OF the road inside OF
two years, This will increase the sta
bility OF the company's policy. The
following Is the list OF directors elected:
A. G, Blair. W. Il, Conner, John Green
ough, Tom L. johnson. Frank r. Law
renee, Earl ". oglebay, George T.
Pomeroy, D. D. Parinly, s. G. Reynolds.
Arthur W. Soper, II. !. Wilcox. The
only change in the officials was the
elevation OF Mr.. Blair to the presidency
OF the road. Mr.. Blair has been prHc-
tically occupying that important posi-
tion for three years. although having
only the title OF general manager.
Mr.. Blair, the new president, has Deen
Connected with the road in various pc.
sttionsSine its reconstruction. and Is well
known in railroad circles. he was born
in Syracuse n. Y, in January, lAi,
and at the age OF twenty-slx years en-
tered railway service as bin clerk Tor
the Toledo. Wabash & Western. He
filled various other positions IN Toledo,
until 1889, when he was elected general
freight agent OF the Wheeling x Lake
Erie. His promotions al traffic man.
ager, general manager, and president
have followed.
A special from Massillon. o., says:
The Reorganization Of the Wheeling &
Lake Erie railway. with A. G. Blair as
president and Tom L. johnson. OF
Cleveland. us one OF the directors, Is
taken here to mean that the long con-
tenpIated plan OF securing an Inlet Into
Cleveland and Lorain will be under
taken. As the head and front Of the
t. great Johnson Steel and Iron Works at
Loraln, the eN-congressmail Is In
position to be OF great service to the
railway, should It he considered desi-
rable TO build an extension. Another
theory advanced by local railroad OFF,
Gals is that Tom Johnson's election TO
the directory OF the Wheeling 4 Lake
Erie points TO the transfer of the Car
negie or some other iron interest from
Pittsburgh to Huron.
That coLlnS scheme.
Railroad men are greatly interested
In the proposed revolution OF iron man
ufasture In Eastern Ohio and in the
pittsburgh and Wheeling districts
through the coking OF coal by the FUR
nacemen themselves, as published In
the Cleveland Leader several days ago.
II is generally regarded as very i'm
portant movement. and 1t Is thought
that the experiments to be conducted
during the next few months will de.
termine to what magnitude the reVolu-
ton grows.
The only apparent drawback to the
change Is the uncertainty or sur
ficfent quantity OF cokinR coal that
can be obtained. Mr.. Prick, 1t Is said.
owns nearly everything in the Con-
nelIsvillel district, and 1t Is not likely
that he will dispose OF any OF this ma
teriai at a price which the furnaeemen
will be willing to pay.
for Mr.. Frick TO control, and the tur-
nacemen win seek their supplies else
where, The furnaces on the Ohio
river are within reach OF the West
Virginia product. and II they have not
already railroad facilities sufficient to
reach the rich coking fuel or West Viz
ginia, their wants will be supplied In
the near future by the railroad enter
prises which are now reaching out after
that rich traffic region.
For the furnaces In northeastern
Ohio there is another field. 1t Is said.
from which they can draw unlimited
quantities as soon as the necessary
rail Connections are made. In the re.
rfon reached by the southern terminal
of the Buffalo, Rochester u Pittsburgh
road, a large tract OF land lying about
Dubois, Pa. some distance west Of
Ciearfeld. lies vast, undeveloped coal
field. Mcuh Of this product Is said 4, 70
be OF an excellent cooking quality. The
veins are untouched for the reason that
there IL no western outlet.
The Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh
has made surveys OF this outlet There
are some engineering difficulties in the
way, but they are not unsurmountnble,
even at moderate cost. The construction
OF this link over to New Castle. Pa. Is
one OF the links In the Brice through
line 10 the behDOaIu' WINE - WOunI
give the present Brice properties the
shortest line to the sea, a still greater
henefit would be coal and coke market
which II would open UP TO the furnaces
in northeastern Ohio. for the distance
II no greater than from Connellsville,
The opening OF this line Is therefore
quite important, in the light OF the
new conditions surrounding coke and
iron products In Ohio.
Railroad News Items.