The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1900-08-10
And Railroad Shops here and at
Fairmont Decided upon by the
Board of Directors Of The
Baltimore & Ohio Rail-
road Company.
A Clean Sweep
Made At Grafton
After the Shops, Round7house:
and offices are removed here
and to Fairmont, Grafton
wilIbe used as afreight
Yard Only.

Baltimore dispatches sent out to
several state papers say, shat the
baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company
will make several important changes
in Western Maryland and West Viz
pinfa, to go into effect at once. Under
the new plan, as decided upon by the
hoard of directors of the road at their
meeting August 3, Keyser is to be the
terminus Of the eastern division IN
stead OF Grafton, as heretofore, on the
main line. Clarksburg on the Par
kersburg branch, and Philippi, on the
Belington branch, are to be the new
terminals, while the shops at Grafton
are to be removed to Fairmont. Inc
hotel and passenger depot buildings at
Grafton are to be torn down ana the
land upon which they stand Is TO De
used as freight yard"
Owing to the fallacy Of similar re-
ports in the past, some have but little
faith In these late dispatches. The
movement, however, is perfectly legiti-
mate and the Telegram has semi
official corroboration of thedispatches.
The advantages to be derived by the
company are vast. At least four times
as much coal is shipped westward
from Fairmont via Bellaire and Con-
nellsville as is shipped east. The
gigantic coal development along the
West Fork and Monongahela valleys is
marketed by the way of Falrmont and
Clarksburg, besides the prospective
development up Elk creek, which Will
be shipped down the Elk River rail-
road to Clarksburg and thence to the
coal markets. The construction OF the
last named road is practically assured.
One of the incorporators says it will be
built. These heavy shipments of coal
which will double aud possibly treble
within few years, necessitate the re-
turn of great many empties. Return
cars are always more or less crippled,
but can be repaired to some extent at
Fairmont now, If the damage is slight.
In case of more serious damage OF
wfeckage they have to be hauled y
miles eastward to Grafton for repairs
and in case ofgrave damage they must
be taken to Keyser IS miles east oil
Grafton. II either case the expense
Of transporting them is great and coll
Sumes largely the profits derived from
shipments. 1t can readily be seen that
the shops should be where the cars are
handled most.
This logic is applicable to either
Fairmontor Clarksburg as the proper
place for the shops, and from semi
Official opinion Clarksburg will enjoy
the same prominence in railroad ad-
yantages as Fairmont, or in other
words Clarksburg will not only be madc
adivision terminal, but it will also
have shops similar and as many as are
to be at Fairmont, making for thls
line of the road the same conveniences
as will be on the main line.
Clarksburs offers advantages Fair
mont can not. The B. & o. owns and
can secure ample, convenient and SUI
ticient ground here, while at Fairmont
the B. s. O.'sspace is somewhat cramp-
ed and but little additional can be &C
CURED. This fact may ultimately In
duce the company to locate Its princi-
pal shops here and minor shops at
FairmQnt. Either will be animprove-
ment upon Grafton.
The only reasonable claim Grafton
has upon thecompany in determining
upon the changes is the fact that some
two hundred railroad employees own
their own homes in Grafton. The re-
moyal of the shops would mean u sacri-
flee to them OF those homes as the bot
tom would drop out Of the prices ana
:, value OF Grafton property. However
much the B. s. o. may consider the
L welfare of its employees, and that con-
sideration is ever great, the changes
appear imperative and Grafton VIII
have to abide by the consequences.
The naturalization OF the move
ment will bring an influx OF popuia11
tim to Clarksburg, q splenoia cas- o.
besides the clerical department. A
big payroll would be an important
factor in trade here and the demand
for houses would give real estate an
Impetus, the high degree OF which has
notbeen experienced in the fabulous
value Of property in the past few years.
The announced changes wolId re-
suit in minimizing the railroad i'm,
portance of ParEersburg, as 10 al
probability Athens, Ohio, would Dc
made terminal instead OF Parkers-