The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-12-11
WHEELING'S
ENTERPRISE
And CAPITAL
Figure IN the Proposed wheeling,
BETHANY and Wellsburg Eleo-
tic Railroad.
FRANCHISE HAS BEEN GIVEN.
10 Whssling Company, Headed BY
MeBsru. PAUL and 1rillsr-Ths
Route and Plans.

wheeling enterprise and capital win,
within the ensuing twelve months.
build and place in operation an electric
line twenty-six miles in length that
viii bring into close tributary relations
with this city the richest agricultural
region hereabouts-th Buhtalo creek
valley between wellsburg and Bethany
and the agricultural district bordering
on the wheeling, West Liberty and
Bethany pike. In addition to develop
ing this region the railroad win make II
practically certainty that Bethany
college VIM not be moved to Pitts
burgh or elsewhere; in fact, will make
old Bethany practically Wheeling In
stitutlon.
The Intelligencer has already told OF
the effort made by Messrs. j. A. Miller
and Alfred PAUL and their associates
to secure the franchise from Brooke
county for the right Of way through
that county for the proposed electric
line between Wheeling and Wellsburg,
Via Bethany and West Liberty. on
Saturday. the Brooke county commits
sioners met at wellsburg and awarded
the franchise to the Wellsburg &
Wheeling Railway Company. In adj
ditlon to the two gentlemen mentioned
they have associates in Messrs. W. A.
Wilson, Of Wheeling; Robert Mccor-
mick, OF sistersville; Samuel George
and s. o. PAUL, of wellsburg, and c.
A. Weaver, Of Moundsville.
The franchise covers the right Of
way from wellsburg to Bethany, out
the pike along BuRalo creek and thence
southwark on the Bethany and West
Liberty pike to the Ohio county line
near Potomac. It's term is perpetuity.
1t is to be formally accepted by the
company within two months, and with
in three months after acceptance work
Of construction must begin, and to be
completed within twelve months.
The company will come before the
Ohio county commissioners now with
an application for right of way from
the Brooke county line to Altenhelm, It
being understood that an arrangement
will be made with the Wheeling &
Elm Grove for the running of the new
lines cars into the city over the others
tracks. The route from the Ohio county
line Is over the Wheeling. West Liberty
and Bethany pike, via Potomac, West
Liberty, Clinton and GreggsvIlle to
Altenheim.
The franchise was given the promo
tiers by the Brooke county commission
ers gladly, the sentiment through the
parts Of the county where the line will
run being unanimously and enthusins-
tieally in favor of the project. At the
meeting of the commissioners Saturday
at wellsburg, there was delegation of
Bethany's leading citizens on hand,
who were pulling" for the franchise
with oil the energy they possessed. In
the delegation was one of Bethany's
faculty; for all of Bethany's friends
realize that the proposed road will
place the institution in closer touch
with the world and result in the end
ing Of talk OF moving the college to
Pittsburgh or elsewhere.
There had been hitch between
Messrs. Miller and PAUL and the COM
mlssloners, relative to certain restric-
tons purposed to be inserted In the
franchise ordinance. The commission
ers desired the company to agree to
take care Of one-half Of the expense of
repairing county bridges used by the
railroad, or when they fell down or
were washed away. This the company
objected to as unreasonable, and the
commissioners finally yielded the point.
The proposed road Is twenty-slx
miles in length The promoters had
thought of applying for the route along
the West Virginia bank OF the Ohio
river, only sixteen miles between
Wheeling and wellsburg, but the route
via Bethany found favor for the rea-
son that the road will pass through
very rich agricultural district, whose
capacity for development is vast, while
there would be little room for exparsIon
and improvement via the shorter route
along the river. Another consideration
was the heavy traffic between Bethany
and WeIlsburg, which Is now sufficient
ly large to keep two hacks in the BUSH
ness, and both Of them doing well. This
travel, together with freight and the
business that would be handled from
West Liberty. Potomac and the other
interior communities made the longer
route much more promising. The
Bethany people believe that many
Wheeling people viii be attracted to
their beautiful village, where there are
many and ideal sites for residences.
This also applies TO West Liberty and
the entire territory traversad from AL
tenheIm northward. A genuine boom
for the section ought to result from
the building OF the proposed electric
road.
on Saturday, Mr. PAUL made an eff
fort to purchase the plant of the
wellsburg Electrical Company. which
supplies lncandescent light and lights
the streets of wellsburg with arc
lights, but the figures named were
steep and the deal was not closed.
However, Mr.. PAUL believes a more
reasonable figure will be named. AS he
puts It. there is not enough lighting
business in wellSburg for two con-
Germs, and as the railroad company
will have to operate its plant to give
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