Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1903-05-23
NEWS OF THE RAILROADS
How the Baltimore & Ohio IS
Shortening its Route.
CONDUCTOR SHEETsSToPS OFF
Tells Of The Convention Of HIS Order In Pitts.
burg Baltimore Firm Gets Bic
Contract--The Notes.

contract me Notes.
Rapid progress is being made hv the
Baltimore q Ohio railroad in the way
OF preparations for the construction
of it's new line through Southern Penn
sylvania to cut eighty miles from the
distance between Pittsburg and Balti-
more The plan is to use much of the
old South Penn road. partially con-
structed.
The Allegheny and Westmoreland
railroad, chartered few DAYS ago.
with George H. Stein, Of Philadel-
phia as president. is the third compa-
ny organized to build the Baltimore q
Ohio cutoff. The others chartered
several months ago, were the Bedford
& Western and the Potomac 81 Alle-
ghenv.
The territory covered bv these three
auxiliary companies. along with the
old South Penn right of way acquired,
gives the Baltimore 81 Ohio the right
to construct and operate an entire new
line of railroad from Port Perry east
into Westmoreland county. passing
near Mount Pleasant. thence over the
South Penn route. which incidentally
extends westward to noint OH the
Little Sswickly creek, near West New
ton, and from Somerset across the
backbone Of the Allegheny Mountain
down into Bedford county, through
Fulton county. to Kanawha Ridge,
the western slope of the eastern spur
Of which will be followed into WASH
inRton county. Md. and across the
Potomac river, tapping the main line
OF the Baltimore 81 Ohio near Hancock
station. The Kittatinnv and Blue
Mountain tunnels. partly completed
and leading east from Fulton county
into the Cumberland valley, of course.
are included in the new route.
VISIT OF CONDUCTOR SHEETS.
Mr.. Robert Sheets. of Williamsport.
Md. one of the most popular and
widely known railroad men Of Mary
land, was visitor in Martinsburg ves-
terday, where he stopped of between
trains on his way home from the con-
vcntion of conductors. which closed
Yesterday evening at Pittsburg after
being in session for week. Mr..
Sheets has been an employe of the
Western Maryland road for the last 20
years, and has for some years been a
conductor ON one of the best passenger
runs on that road. He represented the
HaRerstown division OF conductors,
and was present and took part in all
the sessions of the meeting. This was
his first visit to Martinsburg in about
IA years, when he attended BANQUET
given in the old rink by the Knights
of Pvthias, of which order he is q
member. He said the convention lin
Pittsburg was attended by many en-
ioyable features. and that the dele
gates were splendidly entertained and
shown manv courtesies by the PEG
pie there.
There were 430 delegates and several
thousand visitors in Pittsburg during
the convention. There was no contest
over the election of officers all the old
officers being reelected without opDo-
sition. They are as follows; with the
salaries they will receive under the
new adjustment:
Grand Chief Conductor Il. f..
Clarke. $1,000.
Grand Assistant Chief Conductor
A. b. Garretson. $1,000.
Grand Secretary -Treasurer-W j.
Maxwell. SO, 800.
Grand Senator Conductor-C. III.
WilKens, So. 500.
Grand Junior Condnctor--L. IL.
sbehard. $4,000.
The contest over the next meeting
place was very spirited. Buffalo and
Portland. Ore. both fighting hard for
the convention. Portland was select
ed, and the delegates from this section
to the next convention Will have trim
across the continent.
GETS BIG CONTRACT.
The firm of Allen g. Kefauver. con-
tractors. Of Baltimore. has been award
cd the contract for half the work OF
grading and improving the roadbed Of
the Baltimore & Ohio between Flush
ing and Beilaire, Ohio. mention OF
which was made in the issue of Tues
day. This work VIII be for the par
pose of shortening materially the dis
lance between those two points by