Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1902-07-24
News of the Railroads.


now controls the B. &. O., the Read
ing, the c. & O., the n & W., and in
deed most of the eastern lines, and
the Wabash system operated by the
Goulds and their allied companies.
The determination of the Goulds to get
an eastern line and terminal facilities
on the Atlantic coast, which is now
in a fair way of accomplishment by
the purchase of the Western Maryland
and the West Virginia Central roads,
has stirred up the Pennsylvania ire
mendously. Their first blow at the
Goulds is the forcing from Pennsyl-
vania territory of the Western Union
Telegraph Company Now comes the
building of the B. & 0. cutoff from
Cherry Run to Harper's Ferry, by
way of Shepherdstown, which will be
utilized to make connection with the
Cumberland Valley Railroad near
Falling Waters, thus diverting to the
latter road the enormous freight bus
mess that is now delivered to the
Western Maryland at Cherry Run,
and which amounts to some 100000
a year in freight tolls. Extensive
yards are to be built where the new
| B. & O. line crosses the CUMBERLAND
Valley, track room for 1000 cars be-
ing projected. This will materially
lesson the receipts of the Western
Maryland, and Will leave it with part
of its Cherry Run line of little or no
value. The Gould people, it will be
noted, are doing no talking, but they
are pushing their plans along steadily
and successfully.
The Wabash system has definitely
decided upon its route from Ohio
through West Virginia to its connection
with the West Virginia Central road,
and its line is thus practically mapped
out to Cumberland. From Cumber-
land to a connection with the Wes-
tern Maryland near Cherry Run is
serious problem, however. The B.
& O. has one side of the river and the
Chesapeake & Ohio canal the other
side, and any other route through the
mountains will be vastly expensive
and extremely difficult. The REGIS
TER predicts that the next move the
Goulds will make will be to get pos
session of the canal. If they win this
their troubles will be over, for they
can simply slide to tidewater on
creased wheels. Watch for the de-
velopment Of the feature Of this rail-
road fight.
Last Thursday Just as the n. & W.
accommodation train was entering the
switch at the junction mile south of
Hagerstown one of the pony wheels
on the engine broke short off. The
train was moving very slowly, and no
other damage was done. Engineer
Pentz Siler had been running at
pretty lively clip, and if the wheel
had broken five minutes sooner the
train would have been thrown into the
ditch. A number of Shepherdstown
persons were on the train, and they
had to walk to the station.
Having filled in all Of the large
trestles and put in stone arches or iron
bridges on the Shenandoah Valley d.
vision of the Norfolk & Western Rail-
way, the small culverts and minor
bridges are now being looked after.
The wood work is all being taken out
and the roadbed carried over solidly
by iron rails and stone work. This
division will be brought up to the
Pennsylvania standard.
1t is said that the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad has mapped out improve.
ments for the next five years that will
cost something like $25, 100000. This
work will include betterments to the
roadbed, new construction and i'm
provements to its terminals. 1t is es-
timated that the new cutoff by way
of Shepherdstown will cost 81, 100000,
and it will take a couple Of years to
build it.
An excursion from points along the
Cumberland Valley Railroad passed
through here Tuesday on its way to
Luray. It seems strange that the
n. & W. seldom or never gives the
people along its line chance to visit
these caverns, when hundreds would
90 every season at a moderate price.
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company has let contracts for its rails
to be used in the ensuing year. These
contracts total $4,000 tons. At $28
a ton, which is the prevailing rate,
the cost will be 81 100000.
Martinsburg folks don't like to hear
talk about our new railroad. They
are especially averse to considering
the subject of passenger trains over the
new line.
The Norfolk g. Western Railroad is
frightening its switch at Shenandoah
Junction so as to give additional track
room.
All of the railroads are making lots
of money now. 1t is said that the
B. & 0. earned $5O,OO0,O00 last year.
NOTICE.