Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-04-12

in the city for several Days to
Come-Mr. lutte Will Be Here To-
Day.
The interviews published yesterday
with Mr.. F. Pratzman and Engineer
Barrett, of the projected and practlc-
ally assured Uniontown, Waynesburg
and West Virginia railroad, really add
nothing to current information as to
i the value, benefit and route of that
line. The public has been familiar
with the general situation for months,
and Mr.. Pratzman simply confirms
previous publications and earlier state
ments.
AS long ago as December 81, 1899,
the Register, in an interview with
Chief Engineer Jonathan Barrett, out
lined the plans and scope of the Com
pany with circumstantiality, even to
the idea of bridge across the river
from Benwood to Bellaire, and since
then repeated publications in this and
other papers have kept the public
thoroughly informed except as to some
side this city, and which may be fur
ther changed to meet circumstances
which may hereafter arise.
How such. a road as the ones project
ed from this city to the Uniontown coal
fields would benefit this city is story
so old that all but the youngest school
children understand and appreciate its
worth. All that was gone over, with
immense detail, from the original pro-
ject of the Wheeling and Harrisburg
road through all the following organ
izations down through the last fifteen
or eighteen years. 1t is perfectly we'll
understood that immense tracts of coal
land will be opened up and that Wheel
ing will get cheaper coal and coke over
a shorter route at corresponding saw
ing in expense. Incidentally the idea
is also grasped that the building OF
such a road or any road would give
employment to a large number of men
for a considerable period of time. The
Register has devoted much space, on
many occasions, to this entire matter,
and it has been discussed in public
bodies at divers times by many well
informed gentlemen.
The public also we'll understands
that the Uniontown, Waynesburg and
West Virginia road is separate and
distinct corporation from the project
ed Pittsburg, Connellsville and Wheel
ing road. This last named road which
has it's principal Office in New York
is highly favored by Marshall county
and Moundsville interests, but also will
have a direct Wheeling connection. Its
main route is down the valley of Big
Wheeling creek, with a branch to
Moundsville. The people of Marshall
county have, very naturally, been very
friendly to this enterprise, but it will
also, as projected, fill the measure Of
the expectations and hopes of Wheel
ing business men and manufacturers
who have always wished a road from
Uniontown and Connellsville coming
directly to this city. That, 1t now ap-
pears, is what we are to have, and in
getting it an old dream will have been
realized, to the corresponding advant-
age of this entire community.
The representatives of both the I'm
iontown, Waynesburg and West Vir-
ginia and the Pittsburg, Connellsville
and Wheeling roads were in the city
yesterday and last evening, in the in
terests of their respective corporations,
and will doubtless meet and confer
with numbers of our representative
citizens and officials. Both of these
delegations will be heartily welcomed
and will be given whatever encourage
ment the situation may require.
In an interview last evening with
Mr.. F. Pratzman, of Pittsburg, a pro-
moter of one Of the new roads, who is
stopping at the Windsor, it was learn
ed that the articles appearing in the
Register at various times with refer
renee to the route by which Wheeling
would be entered were virtually cor
rect.
The survey shows that his road will
come across the country from the Con-
nellsvllle field and reach Elm Grove.
1t will from there follow the Pitts
burg division of the B. & o. to Wheel
ing. After coming to a point east
OF the B. & o. tunnel under PENN
sula hill, the projected road will d.
verge and cut through 500 feet of hill.
This tunnel will put the tracks east
of the Wheeling Bridge and Terminal
Railway at a point back of the
Wheeling corrugating works. The line
will run parallel with the w. B. & T.