Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-11-11

yesterday AFTERNOON, at Snepneru 5,
near Viola, Marshall county, large
party of railroad men connected with
the Pittsburg, Connellsyille & Wheel
ing railroad company and citizens of
this city, formally instituted the COM
mencement of the construction of the
proposed lines. The party, which was
in charge of Manager e. A. Holmes,
who projected the road, drove out in
Surveys. In the party were: Francis
H. Kimball, of New York, president of
the road; J. H. Hurlbert, of New York,
treasurer of the Viola Coal Company
and other companies; James A. Wood,
financial agent of the coal companies;
Floyd Smith, their secretary; w. N.
Cox and l. F. Piersol, Of New York;
Harry Mcclure, Congressman B. B.
Dovener, John Bodley, Gel. Morris
Horkheimer, John Deyine, Postmaster
George Wise, Hugo Loos, Capt. A. A.
Franzheim, the railroad company S
right-of-way man, and several others;
Francis Furgeson, of New York, senior
member of the contracting firm which
will construct several sections of the
road; c. A. Weaver, of Moundsville,
vice president; G. T. McFadden, of
Moundsville, one of the directors of
the road; Major Hunter, of Mounds
vile, Charles Parkinson, mayor OF
Moundsville; C. C. Newman, of Mounds
vile, attorney of the road. and John
l. Wilson, of Pittsburg chief engineer
of the road.
Upon arrival at Shepherds the entire
party went out On the point, where the
Moundsville branch and Wheeling
main line will meet and there formally
broke the first ground in the construc-
ton of the road. The pick and shovel
according to custom, were preserved.
The contracts for sections Nos. 3 and
have been let to the Furgeson Con-
tracing Company of New York city,
and their workmen will begin the con-
struction of those two sections on
Monday There are in all six sections
of the road in West Virginia, each five
miles in length. Sections /, 2, and
4 constitute the main line of the road
from this city to the borders of Penn
SylfdUid. OCCllOIS anu " NOhobitutS
the branch from Shepherds into
Moundsville.
The party then repaired to Shep-
herds, where an excellent luncheon
was served After cigars had been
lighted, impromptu addresses were
made by several members of the party.
Mr.. Holmes in his talk pointed out
the exceptional advantages the road
would give to Wheeling, Moundsville
and this section of the Ohio valley.
He showed that there was sufficient
coal within a mining radius of the
territory contiguous to the proposed
line of road that would last for at least
a century, being mined at the rate Of
$4,000 tons day. Aside from the vast
deposits Of the product, it was of ex-
cellent quality. He also spoke of the.
thickness of the vein and demonstrate
ed that it could be mined as cheaply as
any other coal, owing to the self sup
porting roof Through the advantage
of the new methods of mining, the pro-
duct can be furnished the Wheeling
manufacturers cheaper than at any
other point in the country and also
better quality. Mines will be placed
all along the line of road. The devel-
opment of the mines alone would oc-
casion an increase in the population
of $4,000 people. All the people will
become consumers directly dependent
upon the Wheeling business houses, and
the benefits derived therefrom by the
city generally can easily be imagined.
Wheeling will be made the distributing
point for the whole of the territory
opened up by the road, since there is
no other outlet. The citizens of Greene
county are also very well-to-do, and
naturally their trade will also add to
the prosperity of the city's business
interests.
Capt. B. B. Dovener followed with an
appropriate speech. 1t was general
praise of the subject He said dur
ing the course of his remarks, that it
had been the dream of the Wheeling
business men for years. He was glad
to know that the road would really be
built and operated, as it would I'M
doubtedly prove most beneficial to the
community in general.
Short addresses were also made by