Matewan Question

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Jerome,

I think we can say with certainty that the main line never went around the ox bow.  The historical marker put up by our society at Rawl, WV, states that the last spike in the Ohio Extension was driven Sept. 22, 1892.  ICC valuation records in our society's archives dated June 11, 1919, show that the bridge at Mile Post 462 (east end of Hatfield Tunnel) was built by Beckwith & Quakenbush in 1892 and replaced by W.W.Boxley Co. in 1914.  Likewise the bridge at Mile Post 462 + 1140 ft. (west end of Hatfield Tunnel) was built by Beckwith & Quakenbush in 1892 and replaced by W.W.Boxley Co. in 1913.  So, the bridges (and unquestionably the tunnel) were there in 1892.

The track partially around the ox bow is the Alma Branch, and track charts from 1980's to the NS chart of 1990 show it beginning at a junction with the main line at Sprigg and extending 3.5 miles to Vimy (part way around the ox bow).
N&W  annual report ending June 30, 1915 states that the first 0.69 miles was purchased from the Crystal Block Coal and Coke Co. on December 20, 1913.  The grade was revised and track relaid and its operation as a branch was commended in September 1914.  The annual report ending June 30, 1916 states that 1.86 miles was added to the branch.  The annual report ending December 31, 1917 states that another 0.96 miles was under construction, giving 3.51 miles total, as on the recent vintage track charts.

So, the N&W shunned the ox bow when it built the Ohio Extension.

As a postscript, the annual ending June 30, 1914 stated that a twin tunnel was completed at Hatfield, WV, in conjunction with the double tracking of the Pocahontas Division.

Gordon Hamilton
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org 
  To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org 
  Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2005 8:39 AM
  Subject: Matewan Question


  A question left over from the Williamson Convention:  I was given both answers at the time and trying to get to the 'right' one.  Did the original N & W main line west of Matewan go around the oxbow by way of Lobata, or was the tunnel across the neck of the oxbow part of the original construction ?  From the USGS map, there is only a one mile gap from the end of the present mine spur to the east portals of the tunnel.

  Jerome Crosson 


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