Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-01-17
Another Z. & o. R. Scheme

Another L. u y. X. Scheme.
The article printed in the State
Journal yesterday relative to the OBJ
ject of the Ohio capitalists and men
interested in the GAINESVILLE & Ohio
River railroad in wishing to gain con-
troll of the Little Kanawha road, which
Is in order that they may gain control
of the lake trade from the fuel product
of mine sthat would be developed dn
Gilmer and Braxton counties, has at
tracted considerable local attention,
especially among the people here who
are in the fore front OF the present
progreSsiveness of this state.
There has been the knowledge for
many years that the Little Kanawha
would open up coal fields in the inter-
ior, but the matter Of convenient
market for the product of the mines
had never been so tangible as Is shown
by the plan of the Ohio railway pro-
moters who would, by the connection
between here and Marietta Of the 2. &
o. r. and the l.. X. and the extension
of the latter, have direct route to
Cleveland, the main distributing point
for the immense trade of the lake cit
les and factories, which produce no
coal and which West Virginia mines
Is now beginning to supply almost ex-
cluslvely.
This supply at present comes mainly
from the Fairmont region. The quail
fty of the coal from there is fine, but
that from Gilmer and Braxton is just
as good, and the matter Of transporta-
ton would be greatly simplified by the
consolidation of the q, G. o. r. and L..
X. roads. This would make the most
direct route to Cleveland that there Is
now from any OF the coal producing
portions of this state. That Is to say,
should the extension of the l.. X.
come about by the means indicated,
the untouched coal of the interior
would have market prepared for 1t
from the start. The men who are be-
hind the project not only are inter
ested in the consolidation of the roads,
but they also have influence with the
coal purchasers that would make a
sale for the coal that would be de-
veloped fro mthe time the mines were
opened.
There is any amount OF coal lands
that is passed by railroads that Is not
developed and the reason for 1t Is that
there is not a market controlled for 1t
if the mines would be developed. This
has been true all along concerning the
Gllmer and Braxton coal. The coal Is
there, but heretofore there has been no
great inducement TO tap it with rail
lines because there was no assured
market for the product BY the Ohio
railroad and coal men becoming inter
ested in the l.. X. and forming COM
pany to consolidate with the u. & o.
R., the matter of an unassured market
is obviated, and the road, when extend
ed and the connecting link built be-
tween here and Marietta, would at
once enter upon an ommense coal
traffic
In this plan lies the present hope for
the extension of the L. X. road. 1t is
a plan looked upon with great favor by
the capitalists whose names were pub
lished in the article of yesterday, and
who have recently had representatives
here and along the proposed route OF
the l.. X. extension,
There has been no deal entered into
yet between the local men interested
in the L. X. and the Ohio promoters oi
the gigantic shceme for making 1T a
quick and direct route to Cleveland
1t is known that the property can be
secured, and that is sufficient basis
upon which the a. G. o. r. people car
operate in a preliminary way. The
plan looks so feasible and Is given out
with such assurance and confidence
that there would appear good reason tc
believe that it will materlallze,-
Parkersburg Journal.