Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-09-06
mo TRANSFER MADE YET
C. v. Officials Expecting Freight
From B. & O. Every Minute.
TWO OPERATORS EMPLOYED


la Telegraph Station Has Been 02saed al Tn
''Y'' and The Authorities Are Ready
For The First Consignment
Of Freight.
Three DAYS of September have passed
and yet no freight has been transferred
from the Baltimore and Ohio TO the
Cumberland Valley railroad at this
place. Two hundred men go steadily
onward with the improvements at the
~, however and are hurrying with
all possible speed with the work.
The Cumberland Valley authorities
are expecting at any minute to receive
freight from Baltimore and Ohio and
they are ready to handle it as soon as
i. arrives The present plans are for
the handling of eighty carloads day.
1t is believed that the road will be
able to handle that amount until the
improvements all along the line are
completed.
Wires have been cut into small
building placed along the G. Y. at the
"Y'' and telegraph office has been
opened there. This building is separate
from the larger building being con-
structed, which will be used by the
train dispatcher. Messrs Maurice
Dunford and John G. Gard, a brohter
of Mr.. w, A. Gard who has recently
been employed by the Western Union
Telegraph Company in Chicago, are
the operators.
An official of the Cumberland Val
lev Railroad stated there is nobasis OH
which to estimate the amount of freight
the Baltimore and Ohio will divert
from the Western Maryland to the
Cumberland Valley, but it is expected
that it will increase gradually in vol
nmn right along. One cause for their
not being a general division of'unrout-
ed freight, it is stated, is because the
Reading was expected to furnish the
motive power needed. but has failed
to do SO. and the Cumberland Valley
is not sufficiently equipped to handle
great amount of freight business at
this time, and will not be in posi-
ton to do-so until larger engines are
procured.
The official also stated that MANY of
the statements published in regard to
the diversion of freight to the Cum
berland Valley have been greatly ex-
aggerated, and all talk of such a
change ruining the Western Maryland
| is foolishness. All tho routed freight
from the Baltimore and Ohio will con
tinue to go over the Western Mary
land as heretofore by transfer at Cher
ry Run. The report that the Cumber-
land Valley has stopped work on inn
provements being made along the road
is denied. Three work trains were
sent out from Hagerstown along the
road between Hagerstown and Mar
tinsburg yesterday to push the work to
a completion.
Routed freight is freight the route
of which is designated by the shipper,
over which the railroad has no con-
troll and, cannot, without violating
the contract. send it over any other
| lines than those selected by the ship
per. Since the Western Maryland
Railroad has been purchased by the
Gould interests, with the intention OF
making it part of a trunk line, its
popularity has greatly increased. and,
as result of this. large part of the
traffic between the Baltimore and Ohio
is routed freight and the Baltimore
and Ohio will have no power to divert
it to the Cumberland Valley Railroad.
A REDUCTION IN FORCE.
A dispatch from Harper's Ferry to
the Baltimore American today says:
"A reduction of employees on the
main line and Winchester Branch OF
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was
inaugurated yesterday. The trackmen
of John Bridenerx's gang was reduced
from six men and upward to himself
and one man, and John Fahert' $ gang
shared tie same fate The ..,i walk
ers have also laid off, as have the
watchmen between this pace and
Cumberland. The hridgemen have all
signed an agreement with the eompa-
ny to move with their families to Cum
berland, which is intended to be the
future headquarters of employees OF the
Second division. -