Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1903-01-08
RAILROAD MATTERS.
Lively row Promised During
Legislative Session.

B& to Come In for its Share OF
Bumps when the Members get Busy
at Charleston Wabash Shut out OK
Pittsburg Contracts for Another
Extension to be let Soon.
It's rumored that the Baltimore &
Ohio railroad will be hauled over the
Goals in due and modern form at the
coming session OF the Legislature, but
the form Of the legislature which will
be used to inflict the punishment 10
not known, although whatever the
means, it will probably have the en-
dorsement OF the wealthy Davis FL
kins interests. These interests, OF
course, will not join In movement
to Jump on the railroad corporation
as such, but in order to strengthen
the Wabash's fight aud possibly in
duce the opposing corporate interests
to let 20 their teeth elsewhere.
Time was when the Baltimore &
Ohio railroad was the "whole thing"
in West Virginia. Ii dominated the
Legislature without question and rul-
ed with an iron baud. That day has
passed. The Baltimore & Ohio is far
from dead one now, however, in leg
islative matters, but it is on the de-
fensive and with the chances against
it to break even.
Senator Elkins is reported to be fig
uring back ofsthe scenes 10 the plans
to give the Baltimore 81 Ohio its
bumps and a Parkersburg paper,
which is considered the state Repub-
lican machine organ, for months has
been conducting systematic agita-
ton against the road, instancing poor
freight service, etc, all Of which, it is
believed, has been done with view
to influencing oppo sltion. Senator
Elkins recently purchased the Nor
gantown & Kingwood railroad for
1856, 600 from George G. Sturgiss OF
Morgantown, and more recently his
father-in-law, ex-senator Heury u.
Davis, bought the Charleston, Glen
denim & Sutton.
Last year Senator Elkins cleaned
up over ST, 900, 900 by the sale of the
West Virginia Central to the Wabash,
and stated to a friend that he could
have made more il it had not been
for the Baltimore & Ohio. That he
has little love for the latter road was
shown Ia an interview in Wheeling a
few months ago, when he urged the
taxing of the railroad or other means
to force it to run all through trains
into Wheeling instead OF switching a
few up from Benwood Junction.
1t promises to be fierce struggle
between the Baltimore & Ohio on one
side and the Wabash Elkins- Davis
combination on the other in Charles
ton In few weeks, probably to the
benefit of the State
By a decision of the-Supreme
Court OF Pennsylvania the Wabash
has stopped work in and about Pitts
burg. The court held that the road
could only get into Pittsbhrg by con-
sent OF the city councils. Six million
dollars worth OF work has stopped.
Pittsburg will lose the road unless
something is done to remove the en-
barge being iaia on 1t.
Contracts according to present plans
for the construction Of the Greene
county railroad--Wabash-will be
awarded early next April. Fifty five
miles Of single track road, exclusive
of sidings and possible small branche:
are included in the project. Along
the route are five big tunnels, one
large river bridge and many smaller
structures. The route is essentially
valley line. Several water divides
are crossed, out favorable grades have
been obtained. 1t is roughly estima
ted that from the time the entire pro-
ject is placed under contract, unit
the completion Of the road through
to Jniontown, about q months viii
elapse. 1t is quite probable that the
portion of the route between the Pitts
burg, Carnegie & Western location
and the Monongahela river above
Rice's Landing, will be awarded to
the contractors for construction SOME
time in advance of the portion TO the
east Of the river and leading to On
iontown. The engineers figure thai
the road west Of the Monongahel;
river can be built in about one yea
from the date that the contractor
take hold.