Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1845-07-25
To HIS HoNoR THE
Mayor Of WheeiiRg.
BALTIMORE, July 18th. 1915.

DALllMORE, July 18th, lS1j.
| had the honor on yesterday even.
ing to receive a duly authenticated power to
act as the proxy Of the City of Wheeling at
the meeting of the Stockholders of the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad Company TO be held
at the Office of the Company on this day for
the consideration of the recent act of the State
OF Virginia i'll relation to said Company.
Although II was to have been desired for
many reasons that the powers which your
CITY did me the honor TO confer upon me
should have fallen into and been exercised nv
better hands, Ibid not feel at liberty to decline
the position which it caused me to assume.
How that position wasassumed and how main
tanned, will appear from the following report
OF the facts, which / take the earliest occasion
of making to you.
The Convention assembled and was organi-
zed by the election of a chairman shortly after
10 o'clock this morning; the hour prescribed
IN the previous public notice. As I had un-
derstood that the right of the City of Wheeling
as a stakeholder would be contested, | was of
course DESTROYS to have the question in that
regard taken up and settled as early as possible:
and as | saw the Stockholders present looking
at one another "a usual phenomenon in such
conventions, and waiting for a business move,
| thought it fit to make a motion that a Com
nittee be raised to examine and report upon
the proxy-documents of persons present who
might claim to act under such powers. Such
a motion and at such d stage Of the proceed
inSs is a very usual ono in cases where stock
is held by public bodies who cannot appear
otherwise than BY representatives. Ii does
NOT appear, however, TO have been the practice
III the notwithstanding of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company: at lest my mo-
non seemed to cause some surprise as if Il
were novel and ! was requested by a gentle.
man present (wlo happeuel to be also the
President OF the Company on the ground, as
! understood that 1t was not timely and would
come up better hereafter, to withdraw The
motion. IL was my opinion from what | saw
that IL would not have prevailed. had Il beer
pressed; and besides | am otherwise naturally
disposed upon such occasions to exercise tho
utmost possible personal and parliamentrav
courtesy ! therefore withdrew il. without
difficulty.
interpreted the disinclination Of the Con-
vention so indicated to ascertain at the outset
what parties were really entitled to be present
at and take part in the proceedings, into an
afhrmal OF the right TO all parties present, OF
private Judgement; and as, before going 10 the
meeting at all, ] had received from the eminent
legal counsel who had been consulted by the
committee of the common council Of Wheel
ing here present, the expression Of his opinion
that the right Of your City as Stakeholder was
clear, | had for my part no difficulty or cnbar-
rdssment in taking my seat among the other
Stockholders.
The first matter submitted to the meeting
was a rather long report from the late presi-
dent; a considerable part Of which | was not
fortunate enough 10 hear; next was a commu-
nication from the Chief Engineer; next was a
letter from the Committee, etc. of you CITY
and next. q letter from a committee of tine
Board Of Trade Of Pittsburgh here present.
Alter these documents were read. which con.
stunned a considerable time, a gentleman pres
ent, Ia Director, ] believe, of the Compauy)
offered aud read a very extensive preamble
by several resolutions, the last of
which was in substance that in the sense Of
this meeting, il was cxpcdicnt to decline the
acceptance Of the recent act Of Virginia in re-.
gard to th"ir Company.
-.
Although ldii not Il On it incumbent upop
Inc under the circumstance to debate tbcsc
resolutions IN %ecieaso. yet there were several
points involved in themupon which thought
ny duty as TIE representative Of the CITY of
wheeling required thdtl should remark; and
accordingly ina becoming time after the chair
man had announced that il was in order 10
discuss them, rose for the pirpos,. had
not proceeded TAR ia suggesting such consider.
aiionS as occurred 10 me at the moment IN h.
urged with proPriety, when my attention ls,1
my n'mirksot cours } wcrr arrested by ne~ccc;.
inga gentlcmdn(also Dir ctor Of die Coo,,a,
| understand in conversation with the chat,
man. The gentleman in question. in his .,,,
Percei'ing That ! was waiting 10 proceed fbe,l
himself imam audible tone Il ia
meeting, to inform those present that he had