The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1911-10-09
Presidgiif. ~ ID ard and 0theF
Omcials Inspect Il and
Are Pleased.

BALTIMORE Nd. Oct. s:1Ehe
baltimore ana Ohio Railroad Cons
ipaAy has completed the transform e.
lton OF the narrow: gauge line extend
ling from FoxbGrg 20 Mt JeHett,
Through Kane Ras into a standard tl7s.
iIgauge railroad, an Undertaking which
lsignaIizes the DEVELOPMENT Of an ms ms
portant section bf western Pen.nsyl-l
lyania. rich IN mineral deposits bestdesi
being an important agricultural seq
\ tion. The spike marking the compile
tion Of the work was driven a. 4 30
O'Clock, Monday. October q
The executive ofacers Of the Baiti-
more ana Ohio, Including President
IWillard, Vlce-Presidents Randolph
/. and ShrIver; Assistant to Presidenr
Campbell, General Manager Thomp-
son, CHIEF Engineer Stuart and
iPrincipal Assistant Engineer Didier,
recently returned from trip over
this line. at which time a careful
study OF the possibilities, OF the de-
lveIopment was made, resulting in the
announcement that the road would
be standardized and that the people
iof the towns of st. PetersburgJ' Knox
iShippenville, Clarion. Lucinda, Tylers-
burg, vowinkel, MarienvIlle, Mansens
Mt. Jewett and Intermediate points
! would arise. some SnoEriuge in the
inear future to1hnd that during tue
might their towns had been placed on
a modern, standard ganeea division m
an important trunk line system.
The plan of changing the gauge
from narrow to standard enbraced
an extraordinary feat Of engineering,
considering the actual time allotted
for effecting the change was but
ltwenty-four hours for each thirty
mile section of the me. The distance
from Fcxburg to Mt. Jewett Is ninety
-four miles. But as it was impos-
sible to take care of the men required
for the work along Amy Of the threei
sections, arrangements were provided
: for tho movement of the forces iE
camp cars and tents. ( allowing one
ieay relay for distribution of meGb
1 tools and commIssary to the next
section AS there were many sid,ngs
1for both Industrial and passing pul-
poses to be widened. at the same tini.
the program Of the progress of the
work was laid-out so that from noo1
of any Saturday to- the second Mon
tday at noon,-or inN nine days, all the
work of widening the single main
line, all sidings, yards! track scales
ash pits, etc, could be completed
without interruption of more THAI
Itwenty=four hours to one section. The
standard gauge trains followed the
standard gauge track, the narrow
gauge receding accordingly.
The preIiminary''wo required to-
he done In connection with the track
widening and places Of new rails con-
sisted Of widening the cuts and hills,
STRENGTHENING bridges and trestles for
standard equipment engines, length
ening cuIverts and drains moving
section platforms, moving and rails.
ing water tanks, coal and limestone
tipples, all of which work required
the services of PCS men for thirty
DAVIS. The track forces were taken
to the narrow gauge from various.
! places on the Baltimore and Ohio
system. In the track work proper
and actual WluGuluB VI liz SS-AS~
services of 500 men for nine days were
required, this not including the super
visitors and engineering forces. AT
the time the change was made in the
gauge the line was laid with new
rails Weighing IS pounds to the yard.
The line which was converted as If
,lby magic is a relic of one OF the old
marrow gauge railroad systems Of the
country, constructed during the oil
excitement in northwestern Pennsyl-
vanfa in the early seventies. This
refers to that part Of the old Pitts
burg and western railroad from Fox
burg to Mt. Jewett, it being the las:
portion OF the narrow gauge system
mot standardized. The narrow gauge
system was the result of copsolidat-
ling a number Of small lines built for
the oil and lumber tfadezbetwsen BUT
ller and Mt. Jewett, via Kane. dis
lance of thirty miles, was standardized
July i, 1900. leaving the northern
portion from F'oxpprs TO Mt. Jewett'
.Ininety-four miles to be standardized
when development of industries and
he abundant mineral resources would
warrant it. !,