The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1903-01-02
BIG CHANGES
ARE PLANNED
Wheeling { Lake Erie to Receive
Benefits Of Extensive
improvements.
MORE TRACKS FOR CANTON YARDS.

During the past year vast amount
of money has gone into the Wheeling
& Lake Erie road in the way of i'm
provements says the Cleveland Plain
Dealer, and from what was learned
yesterday much more is to be spent
during 1903. The betterments decided
upon last year have been started and
in some cases finished. 1t was esti-
mated that the cost of these improve
ments would be 100000, but several
additions were made to this sum from
time to time. BY the end Of the next
year near to 100000 will have been
spent for the general Improvement
Of the line.
Probably no road of the Wheeling's
class is going through such change.
Principal among the betterments to be
completed next year are the doubling
Of the shop capacity at Norwalk, a
new coaling plant at Canton, a new
ten-stall round house, water system
and coaling plant at Toledo and a
roundhouse and engine terminal at
Mingo Junction. The yard capacity a.
Columbiana will be doubled. Besides
a new car bumper will be installed at
Port Huron and in addition to the SIX
ty miles Of eighty-pound rails laid last
year twenty more will be put down.
Considerable work has been done al
so in the way Of ballast and better
equipment.
During the past year the Wheeling
q Lake Erie added 5000 new freight
cars to its stock in addition to a large
number to be ordered, twenty-seven
consolidated freight engines will be
added during next year, six and four
wheel switch engines and eight-wheei
passenger locomotives. Other i'm
provements planned so far for next
year will include additional sidings
and the like. In speaking Of the mat
ter yesterday Supt. J. E. Taussig said
that so far no plans have been made
for improvements in this city, though
= the road has purchased land here and
will in time develop it. He refused
to make any estimate of the expendi-
lures in the way Of improvements
next year, but from what was learned
It will be no small amount
Information was also given out
yesterday from the traffic department
that freight business during the year
about to close exceeded that of the
previous year by 25 per cent and pas
senger business enjoyed similar ad-
vance. The figures showing this will
be out next month. The November
statement of the Wheeling shows an
increase in gross earnings over No
vember of last year $4,000, and In
net of 1882. Officials anticipate an
enormous increase in earnings with
the next report, notwithstanding the
money being expended.
A local w. & l.. E. official said that
most of the improvements mentioned
have already been built and are in
operation. The coaling plant in the
Canton yards will be ready for opera
tiOn by February.
Canton will probably be benefited by
a change in the local. yards which,
while not requiring the expenditure OF
great amount of money, will be a
great improvement. This will be a
change In the trackage so that freight
trains. which at present are made up
in that part of the yards nearest to
the Pennsylvania crossing, will be
made up a half mile south along the
Sherrodsville branch track. There are
at present several tracks and
switches, sufficient for yard purposes,
Just below the creek which can not
be utilized because the track leading
to them has such Sharp curves that
freight trains cannot be hauled back
and forth over II. This track. which
is known as the "Y." will be put in
such a shape that freight trains can
be handled, thus relieving the conges-
tion In the yards where freight trains
are now made up.
Four miles of eighty-pound rails re.
main to be laid to complete the ter
miles from Miles avenue to Falls
Junction, but no arrangements have
been made for the relaying of the
track through Canton, which at pres
ent is Of sixty-pound rails.