Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-12-22

NEWS.
Within very short time the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad Company will
commence improving it's main line
from Baltimore to Chicago. In this
work a very large amount of money
will be spent in making the road what
it should be between the above cities
In order to handle the enormous bust
ness which has come to ~ road since
it passed into the hands of the receiv-
ers.
In order to get the true state of af-
fairs and to learn just what the COM
pany intended doing in this locality,
Register man had an interview with
the popular press agent, Mr.. J. III.
Maddy, who is the authority for the
information which is published in this
article.
I'm the first place." said Mr.. Maddy,
'the B. G o. have for some time past
been contemplating the improving of
the line through to Chicago, which in
cludes the First, Second, Third, Fourth
and Central Ohio divisions. Many i'm
portant improvements have already
been made on the Second division, and
which have been mentioned. Now we
intend to extend them farther west and
viii run heavier trains over the above
divisions, but to do this we will have
to strengthen many bridges, as heavier
locomotives will be used. The track
will also be laid with 85-pOund rails
the entire distance, which will enable
the company to run almost any class
Of locomotives over it. While we were
using the Pittsburg and Western the
bulk of the Chicago freight was sent
over it, but just rs soon as the main
line is placed in condition, | can say
that all freight will be sent by that
route. The last named route was used
very satisfactory for quite a number
of years, but on the company securing
control of the Pittsburg and Western
the change was made. Among the i'm
provements to be made near Wheeling
will be new bridge crossing the Ohio
river at Beliaire. This structure is
perfectly safe for the trains that use it
at present, but might not be If heavier
locomotives were used. The company,
realizing this fact, have decided on an
entirely new bridge, which means
great deal for this end of the line 1t
will be built just as soon as the COM
pany can arrange with contractors to
do the work. This confirms the report
in the Register, exclusively published
several days ago, Of the improvements
to be made at the above point. A great
many grades will also have to be
changed, for with the 1500-clasS loco
motives, which, by the way, have cyl
inders 21x2S and weigh 100000 pounds,
between forty and fifty cars will make
up a single train. Many people will
imagine that this will cause the COM
pany to discharge many OF their men.
Such, however, is not the case, but on
the contrary more men will be added.
Three thousand more freight cars have
been ordered for the road, and a large
number of locomotives. This means
that more crews will be needed, for the
company's business is such that they
could use 1000 more cars than they
have. This has all been brought about
by the receivers, who have been SO
successful in their undertaking that
before two more months are past the
reorganization will take place"
In reply to a question as to whether
the B. & o. would purchase the Wheel
ing and Lake Erie line, Mr.. Maddy
stated that his company had no use for
it, and therefore would not buy it.
The new depot for Wheeling was also
mentioned, but no new information was
obtained. He said:
when the company can spare the
money the new depot will be built, and
when it is you can depend upon it be-
ing a building that Wheeling can we'll
fell proud of. -
Since General Manager W. M. Greene
accepted the vice presidency of the Is.
& 0. S. w. the first named office has
not been filled and so far nobody has
been named to ill the vacancy.
This matter" said Mr.. Maddy, will
likely be left open until the reorgan-
ization takes place"
Another official of the B. & o. stated
that shortly after the first of the year
all the B. & o. fast passenger trains
now running out CT Chicago over the
P. & w. will be transferred to the main
line, which means that Wheeling will
be much benefited by the move, as it
places Cne Trains DdCh Ou tulS Wv lSlOu
which formerly ran through here. AT
any rate the Improvements are sure
thing, and now that the company has
stated positively that they mean bust
ness the news Of their intentions will
be hailed with delight by almost every
body. Talk of these improvements
have been current for some time and
while nobody could say just what
would be done, many were sure that
che company intended making this end
of the road what it was several years
ago in regard to the passenger train
service. The new locomotives to be
used are something out of the ordinary,
and will be big help in moving freight
trains over the divisions on schedule
time. The commencing of the work
will be shortly, after the first of the
year, and by the first of next May we
can expect to have all the above
changes. The new bridge at Bellaire
will take more time to build, but the
company will rush the work so that it
will be completed some tine during the
year 1899.