The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-08-23
RUMORS
ARE STILL AFLOAT
SOMETHING MAY BE DOING
WHEN GEORGE GOULD RE-
TURNS FROM EUROPE.

PfTTsBURG. Aug. 23.-william
Kenefck & Co., a Pittsburg railroad
contracting firm, has been awarded
the contract for the construction of
the Western Pacific railroad being
built by George J. Gould. The con.
tract price is about s15.00O,00O and
this is said to be the largest railroad
contract ever awarded to one firm.
Pittsburg engineers will be employed
to outline the work and the road will
be completed in three or four years
When the new road is completed and
the proposed line from Pittsburg to
Belington, w. Va, Is built. Mr.. Gould
VIII have completed a trans-continen.
tai line. The component parts of the
gigantic system will be the Western
Pacific, the Denver and Rio Grande.
the Missouri Pacific, the Wabash. the
proposed line from Pittsburg to Be
lington, the West Virginia Central
and Pittsburg and the Western Mary
land: Work will be started within a
short time on the construction of the,
Western Pacific, but 1t is not likely
that anything will be done toward
the construction OF the line from here
TO West Virginia for some time. Re.
Gently It was announced that this
part of the big system would not be
built until late next year and proba.
bly, not then.
Mr.. Kenefick is the president of
the Carter Construction company.
which built large portion of the
Wabash-Pittsburg Terminal railroad
and has done great deal of work
for the Wabash and other large rail.
road companies in the West. The
work on the Western Pacific will be
sub-let and 1t is likely that other
Pittsburg concerns will figure In the
construction of the new line. Mr..
kenefick has spent the past few
months in the West, looking over the
ground for the proposed new road,
and was In st. Louis, where the con-
tract was awarded late last week.
Mr.. Gould has had engineers in the
West for more than one year max.
Ing surveys for the new road, which,
when completed. will be one of the
best roads In that section.
Many long tunnels will be neces.
sary and a large number of deep cuts
and bridges will be required on &C.,
count of the mountainous territory
through which the road will pass.
Pittsburg engineers who have been
associated with Mr.. Kenefick for
many years will take a prominent
part in outlining the work for the new
road. About $4,000 will be spent
for the construction of every mile of
the proposed road, which will be
about 600 miles long. The new line
will run between Salt Lake City and
San Francisco.
Mr.. Kenefick will meet a number
of railroad contractors in the near
future and will sub.let the big con.
tract. A certain portion of the work
~ SA'Sh " SdSh COulTdClOT ana
work will be started Immediately, as
Mr.. Gould is anxious to have the
through line completed as soon as
possible. Mr.. Gould will return from
Europe before long, and with several
other prominent capitalists connect.
ed with the Wabash Railroad com.
pany, will make trip over the entire
system from Baltimore to San Fran.
cisco.
Upon his return from abroad Mr..
Gould will come to Pittsburg and will
probably make some decision regard.
Ing the proposed line from Pittsburg
to West Virginia. While Mr.. Gould
Is anxious to have the Eastern road
and the lines to Pittsburg connected.
1t was rumored recently that no more
improvements would be taken up in
this district until the local lines were
placed on paying basis.