The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1911-09-28
Makes a Secret Survey and
Gets Ahead of the C.
& O. in Race.

"'e'Nut puouclty, and almost secret
~ the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
threw a large force OF engineers into
the nils and wales OF Lawrence coun-
~, o., several months ago and today
possesses all preliminary surveys, es-
Inmates, locations. descriptions, etc.
Of that route to be covered by the
proposed NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. rail-
way. thereby scoring beat on the
several other great railway systems
to whose advantage a direct connec-
ton between the Ohio river and the
Great Lakes is manifest a at glance.
and securing for itself ire
mendous advantage should road
building race ensue with the Ches-
apeake and Ohio railroad, another
contender for the heavy coal and
timber traffic OF southern West vir-
ginia.
1t is even rumored, and these ru-
mors drift remarkably straight from
authentic sources, that the Balti-
more and Ohio has silently placed
agents and representatives in the
field, who are quietly buying up UNI
der many and varied excuses the
proposed new right-of-way and Sc
curing options on all available land
at the several points along the route,
where, in the event of the road be-
Ing built, would be most suitably 10
Gated stations, sidetracks, spurs.
yards. terminals and other holdings
necessary to the operation of the
short line.
The Baltimore and Ohio must have
a short line connection between the
Ohio river and the c. H. & D. to
handle with any degree OF profit their
agreed tonnage in the acquisition of
the Elkhorn road in the Consolidation
Coal fields Of northeastern Kentucky.
Three million tons OF coal must come
out Of these recently opened coal
fields over the Elk Horn road each
year, according to the purchase con-
tract. This immense tonnage will
ccme over the Big Sandy division Of,
the Chesapeake and Ohio to Catletts- !
burg and, unless the Huntingdon
Northern is built, must be handled !
over the Chesapeake and Ohio main
line TO a delIverance to the C. II. q D. |
at Cincinnati.
Thus is a short line between Hunt
ington and Jackson on the C. H. & D. !
absolutely necessary to the Baltimore
and Ohio. Unless It is built, the Elk
Horn road almost buried away Off in I
the mounts. hundreds of miles from
the nearest possible Baltimore and
Ohio lake connection, is foolish ex-
penditure, bad investment, almost |
an utter loss.
AS Il rule the Baltimore and Ohio
doesn't foolshly bury its money inl
the hills and this occasion will prove
no exception. There was plenty of
foresight in the purchase OF the Elk
horn and Just what must be accom-
plished afterwards was known before
that purchase was made. The an
nouncement OF the secret consumma-I
ton OF that deal caused panic in the,
ranks Of several other roads. who
We're themselves dtckering for the
Elkhorn, but with no knowledge Of
the Baltimore and Ohios.iutentions in
that direction until the Juicy prize
was gone. While CONSERVATION still
reigned and the other roads were re-
covering from the shock, the Balti-I
more and Ohio went right ahead with
their original well laid plans aud be-
gan the preliminary work Of building
the Huntinston-Northern short line.
This work is now practically COM
pleted and something ia due 10 hap
pen. Additional shivers have been
sent along the spines OF the other
roads but 50 far no sis.a,; of an at
;Cmpt on their part to checkmate the
Baltimore and Ohio have been ex-
hIbited by signs Of an open night. Ii
seems as though the other roads were
asleep stunned as il might be by the
quckness and Birectness of the Bal
tImore and Ohio, straight from-the-
shoulder strike, and present indica-
lions favor a Baltimore and Ohio
train at the first to cross the Ohio at
this point.
Many months ago the C. H. & D.
quietly secured options on the ter
mInal r!ght-ot-way at Jackson and
for several miles out Of that city.
This was followed by the opening Of
offices ny their engineers in Jackson
and rough survey OF the route
through To the river. Also several
other proposed routes we're surveyed.
According to the engineers. the
symmes Creek valley to Huntington
was the most practicable. The Balti.
more and Ohio engineers came 10
Jackson and opened Offices under the
leadership of the CHIEF engineer OF the
entire system. Working in conjunc.
lion with the c, II. & d. engineers,
they sent out numerous crews into
the symmes Creek valley.
Several weeks later Assistant Chief
Engineer Richard Mather came int,
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