Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-10-21


At this time when all eyes are turn
longingly toward the approach of a
cater Wheeling, a backward glance
a. uncompleted possibilities is of inter-
:, particularly in connection with the
nrouosition, so favorably. regarded by
orr citizens-almost without excep-
ION. of extending the limits Of the cor
,.oration so as to include Fulton. the
PHEASANT Valley district and interven-
ing territory
While it is true that "All roads lead
IN Rome" it is also equally true that
me shortest and safest route is the
most travelled. The present route out
Of and into the city via Fulton is un-
necessarily long and is difficult, almost
dangerous, for vehicles.
In March, 1894, on the 10th day of
that month, Engineer Gil Browne
placed before body of business men
assembled in Trades Assembly hall, a
full report of preliminary surveys
made by him, at their request and ex-
nense, for a tunnel, or in fact, two tun-
nels. through Wheeling Hill, one COM
mencing at the level of Market street
on Ninth street, the other on Tenth
street, at it's intersection with Alley c.
There was also placed before the meet
ing as a part of Engineer Brownies re-
port a map of the proposed route Of the
tunnels.
Starting at Market street on Ninth
street and leaving an open cut of
about $50 feet in length from the east
side Of Market street, one tunnel would
lead through the hill, curving slight
" to the north and have its exit on the
west side of the hill near what was
then known as Guenther's quarry,
about 500 feet north, on extended
line, of the Baker street bridge over
the creek The survey made a grade
of 10 feet to the 100 feet, the eastern
exit being necessarily lower than the
western. The plan involved the grad
ing of street from the exit to june
ton with Baker street at its intersec-
ton with McCulloch street. This new
street would be curved sharply to the
south along the hillside from the exit
of the tunnel The Wheeling and Elm
Grove railway would be crossed at
grade. Engineer Browne stated that a
gontract could be easily placed then
for the tunnel for SIS, 900 or even a less
amount, but others thought the cost
would be much more than that. This
tunnel would be 1137 feet in length
The Tenth street tunnel would, by
the survey, be 1850 feet in length,
starting at the junction of Alley c and
Tenth street and curving slightly to
the left The eastern exit would be at a
point about 800 feet south of the Ba-
ker street bridge
The connecting street at the western
end of this tunnel would curve sharply
TO the north along the hillside and
join Baker street at it's intersection
with McCulloch the same as the Ninth
street route.
The construction of either tunnel
would be through the solid sandstone
for the entire distance, obviat.ng any
necessity for extensive brick lining. On
March II, 1894, a map of the proposed
route of the tunnels and their connec-
tons was published in the Register.
This route would make the distance
from the postoffice to Baker street at
its junction with McColloch street, g.
geo feet less than via Sixteenth and
McColloch streets. 1t would reduce the
distance from Tenth street to Fulton,
the gateway of the Pleasant Valley SUI
burb, by one mile.
The adage Time is money" was new
er in the worlds history so generally
true as in this strenuous age of Ameri-
can progress. The possibility of short
ening the round trip from the Ohio
river bridges to the eastern suburbs by
two miles is one to be carefully consid-
cred by the residents both of Wheeling
and those suburbs.
The cost of this improvement even
II 1t be hundred thousand dollars, is
mere bagatelle as compared with the
benefits and saving in time and money
that would result therefrom. The 9TH
ed end of the S route out Of Wheeling
eastward could be untangled at later
period if deemed necessary.
The construction of a tunnel through
Wheeling hill is an important matter
and may well receive the consideration
OF those who have the future best in
terests of the city in mind.