Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-12-01
lined the stature and strength of vig-

tained the stature ana SLreuStH VI VIZ
orOus manhood.
The West Virginia Short Line, to
which the people of Harrison county
look for redemption, proposes to build
it's road from Clarksburg to New Mar
tinsville, on the Ohio river, from
whence it will make its connection
north and south, in one direction to
Pittsburg and the Great Lakes, and in
the other to Cincinnati and Louisville,
and in time, it is expected to reach the
eastern seaboard through the connec-
lions which are now partially built. An
enterprise of this kind has been the
dream of Harrison county people for
years, but it has been sad case where
Hope deferred hath made the heart
SICK" for their frequent experiences
in failures and disappointments had al
most reduced them to a condition OF
despair, until they saw the bow OF
promise which the Short Line has now
stretched across the sky.
THE FIRST ENTERPRISE
that failed was a proposed line from
Waynesburg, Pa, to this point, followed
by another one from UniontOwn, but
when the projectors of these schemes
had abandoned them and became allies
of the Baltimore & Ohio, then the pro-
ducers and shippers more than ever
realized their helplessness. Again was
there promise of relief when Senator
Camden started to build the West Vir
ginia & Pittsburg, but alas, that, too,
fell into the control of the B. & o.
Then the Monongah started up, but it
began on the B. & o. and ended on the
B. & o.; thus all these branch lines
have been simply arteries to feed the
great trunk system, and strengthen its
mastery over the people of this section.
1t was in the nature of things, then,
when Col Jackson started with his
Short Line enterprise, that his neigh
bors discredited his ability to carry it
through. They wished him well, but
they wagged their heads in skeptical
fashion and predicted another failure;
but it so happened that Jackson US
not the kind of man to fall down be-
fore the enemy at the first fire. With
the blood of the illustrious "StonewalP'
in his veins, it was in the course of
nature that he would have faith in him
self, trait that sooner or later attracts
the confidence of others; and so it was
that the people of Clarksburg awoke
one fine morning, just two weeks ago,
to find that the West Virginia Short
Line was an assured fact. The process
of Alladins wonderful lamp was not
more marvellous in their eyes than,
when tehy arose from their slumbers,
to find a railroad built through their
town in single night. To them 1t
came like the sunburst of new day.
The finesse Of military strategy was
exemplified in that nights movement.
To get together The number of men and
he ifr Of of ia1
the success of the scheme, without eX-
citing suspicion,
REQUIRED GOOD GENERALSHIP.
Then to handle the men with secrecy,
and to get the material, consisting of
cross-ties and steel rail, from the rail-
road depot over into town, tosbe ham
died by teams for the distance of
mile OR more, then through the town,
to be distributed along the line of the
new road in the outskirts, and all to be
done in such a way that the enemies
of the enterprise should not know or
even suspect what was being done, was
a mastery movement. The fact that
the clanking noise made by the work.
men in laying the rails and driving
spikes did not awaken the sleeping in
habitants is in itself refutation of the
assertion that the line is being built
through the inhabited part of the town.
Even Col. Lowndes, who has been
sleeping with one eye open through
fear that Col. Jackson would steal a
march on him, was unconscious Of what
was being done until female member
of his family. who was in dread of bur-
glars, rushed into his room and told
him that there was something dreadful
going on, and yet everything was done
in a peaceable and lawful spirit.
The presence on the scene of Geo. A.
Burt, Vice President and General Man
ager of the Ohio River Railroad Com
pany, increased the confidence of the
people In Col. Jackson's enterprise. 1t
was an ocular demonstration to them
that the Short Line had allies able to
cope with the influence against it, for
Mr.. Burt's fame as a railroad man
ager is co-extensive with the boundary
of the State, and his New York con-
nections are so well known that his
presence here gave assurance of sound
financial backing to the scheme. All
doubts of the building of the Short Line
were dissipated, and from henceforth it
only became question Of clearing
away the rubbish before breaking
ground The toll bridge scheme, and
the Su0SerVlent part prayer by the town
Council, had at once become the object
Of ridicule and the subject Of merry
jest. Jackson had
WON HIS STRATEGETIC POINT
when he laid his tracks. The Bridge
Company had planned to plant a pier
on the ground where the Short Line
survey crossed Fourth street, and the
Council had undertaken to revoke the
privileges that had previously been
vested in the Short Line Company; but
that nights work Of track laying was a
Waterloo to the enemies Of the Short
Line, and all their best laid plans had
gang agley."
The next step was to the courts.
When the Mayor and the town Council
undertook to tear up the tracks they
were met with an injunction that re-
strained them. Then there was a Bit
ter fight inaugurated against Jackson's
condemnation proceedings, coupled with
notice of a motion for dissolution OF
the injunction. The court convened in
special term last Saturday, and adj
journed over until "Wednesday morning.
The great array Of counsel that had
come into the case on both sides want
NJ IN, e.,