Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-01-14
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nl,,iiu~ before the lCDfHitiec ~ ltou'S
Narigcticn Il! Ritimoad, IiroisG .'ah"asy ot'' '7'
by o. ". LANGFlTT.
D,ued nc have been ny the citizens of Wels5ug 10 re-
nrc.ent her interest before this committee In 50 Tar ash Is IN
volyed in the nrayer of her petition cannot do less an
thank YOU for the personal favor done me- ny mus a'ou
an opportunity 10 do the Work ioF wen mas
more must thank The disposition tertb? manifested
10 endure paen, hearing Of the Whole casc ana 10 a,o"
Wcllsburc for he.aeli exhibit the neFs ~ ier eih ne
hast return which make !,F al ese ia'ors VII
49, my immediately the business in question:
and relieve YOU as soon possible by tho brevity Of my
marks. ,. .,.r i,
., mia T., consiruc, md maintain railroad rom Wellsbrg,
in the county of Brooke, 10 the line dividing virginia una
Pennsylvania By an instrumental survey, recently haue o.
the route, the entire railroad distance Is i'uu " " s anu
The FIRST question that arises the bill is Of what use
will the charter be If granted or, IL mace, "it 'e' "
the road be the petitioners!
IL the charter granted road made 10 ound 20 Dc penen-
cial second question arises, what "es', nn "a,
ton should be given the objections urged against The 9l
The first question involves inquiry into the geogfaphi'
cal poson u Wo-bur nnd OF the proposed route Tor tae
road together with a the facts and circumstances
with that region, and which supe'lnduc'a ne
Welsburp il on The Ohio rv. sixteen miles North
or above lie civ Of Whetac, and about sereny-hve miles
South or below the city OF Pit,sburg. Tho plain on which
il is situated u miles in length ana over an average
of halt mile in BREADTH while the town itSe now con
Trims population Of over two thousana considering
rho size the place, 1t may be salo' WIN 'fuih 'as
manufacturing in iron, glass, cotton ana IN other
branches is most extensively carried on there now
while il possesses all the natural advantages requisite
to make one OF the foremost manufacturing towns IN the
Commonwealth. il is situated III region than winch none
is more heahy--on plain admitting OF un Indefinite
growh-wili conl Immediately adjoining The Town. beyond
any visible possibility eXhaustlon and surrounded by
country THAI which Is more healthy wealthy or pro-
ducvc better improved Such are some OF the ihctS
which connect themselves WIN Ne5burgi 10 "hcn
may be surpeTaddcd tie tact ai morning but me "a o
railroad connection with tire western and eastern " III.
terdics most furnishing ant poPnious CITY.
The valley o Buialo Creek extends rom Ne!!souf2 10
the State nnsyvana and is connected with that town
by the valley OF Lets Rum at common or average ascent
from Wcisburg 10 Washington Of about twenty-five feel
per mile. The OF Washington contains population
of quite five thousand is Tie county seat lar one OF the
most wealthy, best improved nrgesI most productive and
popnous counties State while brooke county 10 as
wealthy wemproycd and productive as any county OF lis
dimensions excepting cl'cs) in Virginia Moreover along
either side OF the railroad route from Nesourg ~ washing
ton, = n continuous field of superior coal
is apparent from mere inspection OF these facts, that
railroad extending from Wesburg merely 10 the State line
would not only afford an easy facility 81 Transportation Tor
the products Of tie county but would at the same
time open these coal fields 10 the markets oi the world
and bring them in Immediate connection with the ONO river
the market which be gutted, Or the demand
satisfied By these The OF The county be-
developed s inhabitants tnricned and TIE town o.
Wesburg greatly benefited md enar5ei. But Wnen the
road extended ought and perhaps will be- to the town
of Washington il Immediately brings TINT town nnd that
large and wealthy county To Weisburg a. common mar
ket. II bs denied with olleci that such result will
prove OF immense advantage 10 Wesouaor that would
grow other have and known grow, IN pro-
portion the enlargement OF the county with which Is in
immediate connection. But gea these advantages
beneficial they be acknowledged 10 be- still! they
all that will be derived from the grant OF the char
in question Indeed 1t the benefits before enumerated
all that could be hoped for from the road il Is most ea
sonaby presumed that no objection whatever would he heard
from any quarter against the 1t in fact because
there other and greater hopes and advantages 10 be de-
rived BY this snail grant that Objection
made Small be allowed without objection,
when they resg in small benefits hut when they carry with
them the elements of citywhen they bring with them the
upon the recipients perpetual stream oil prosperity then
they DO looked tohen they must be objected to-
What OF those prospective ad7anGgos2 There
now railroad completed and IN operation from Cincinnati
Columbus, and another almost completed from lndona
polls TO Columbus. From Columbus 10 Welsburg by way
OF Steubcnve charter for railroad has been secured
and forty-y miles OF tho road actually completed while
company the balance Of the route has been organized and
subscription obtained 10 the stock 10 the amount Of SuUUU,
which, IN tho opinion Of those best qualified know puts
the consu Of tho road beyond doubt Hence, the
west We have made hand, railroad from Welsburg
Columbus thence by route 10 Cincinnati md BY
another indianapolis II MT object OF vast moment
that Welburg be made the point Of trans; for that trade
the citicsl Ii only be done by the the
charter prayed for in the petitions but with that charter
cam and il believed, certainty will be accomplished The
Philadelphia Central road will certainly be completed TO
Pts5urg in short time, and connection between This
road and the OHIO road al Neburg be made by either
OF BY the H,mpfri GreensbuIg,
adisaEcc Of "a miles, the Other Pittsbug, distance
Of 10 miles. Nomatte y which o these tie connection
is effected the Virginia is The SANE and is only oA
miles by actual survey Thus WellsbGtc be made the
O transit SetWccn Inc Eftdt etEnr west me
great and wealthy East nj cost 10 herself OF building only
eA miles of road Pits5urg the lIempied Company
making The residue. In securing thus connection "esbug
the elements al great and prosperous city May
size do II That she is tic prayer OF her petitions and
render her prayer acceptable she willing TO make
road entirely nj her cost md without incum6Cring
the Commonwealth for anything appcrtnning thereto,
cept the poor privilege Of being allowed 10 do Can she
have III Who is II that can in reason Say mo- Who is
that through the consraia OF general principle will
mol Surely not those friends Of Internal improvement who
have been favored by millions from tho common Treasury Of
the Commonweah-nor, surely those who in principle
opposed 10 the appropriation oi money 10 such Objects or
there is appropriation asked for in tho bill expected
hereafter. IL would therefore that all should con-
ccde grant, which, while conferred such great advan
ages Welsburg, it nobody else anything, either in
money principle. But Notwithstanding /. yet,
| in fact il is not
The city OF Wheeling Objects and puts forth her COM
plants In argument What tic objections intcrposed by
that city, and wha, weight arc they entitled 10 although
numerically they many, yet substantially they one
and that is this Ii this charter granted il will 10
the injury OF Wheeling, and have injurious effect upon
the Of ;at city This injury TO be inflicted
according the argument in one oi hcsc ways either by
aording encouragement 10 the Scu.envl'a and Columbus
Railroad and proper unaic dscou.as. the Columbus and
Wheeling Ralroa or surprising bu. roa- Completed the
facilities tbs Steuoenyle anj Wc!s5gr road III point
position and distance such that the 1dc and travel East
may he determined in liz iayoror III connection Is made
through Piitsbng, II viii have tendency u build III tho'
CITY IL the prejudice ol Wheeling.
The first objection involves inquiry into the state Of
facts connected with each oil the roads leading from Co.
lumbus-onc 10 Wheeling, the other IL S;eupenv!r-
On each route charter has been oDlncd ard each
superficial reconnaissance has been nade the Sicu
bcnsilc there has been instrumental survey and To-
cation OF the road the company have bcen organized
Ger the charter and 100000 OF The stock has sub
sc'bcd which renders The completion OF this road in the
opinion OF the company, rcfaln.
member OF tic Board o Directors writing under date VI
the 10Th Dec 1885, gays The refusal Of ho right of
10y Virginia viii proven: road om being but, hut
will give another direction aud cause IL goup L. "es
vle from which point road Piishug by Beaver will
all be under con,rac; next summer This Is settled point
None Of these things have been done under the charter and
the road 10 Wheeling, company as been organized
dollar OF subscribed Moreover, find that
the completion of the Steubenye road t!cd point; and
that in Of being prevented crossing Virginia. the drc-
ton OF the road will be 10 Wcllsvc Their is temp
taon for that company 10 take the direction OF Wellsvle,
even though allowed Virginia. For the pittsbug
and Wclsvllc Road will certainly be completed within the
next years: md from Wesvie down the river Steu
benvIe il only II miles OF additional road to put Steu5en-
vile in railroad connection with Pittsburg, distance OF
10 miles Since therefore, the Steubenvic road will be
any Let Virginia do she Will with her own
citizens and especially with Wesburg all Tho effect which
that fact the dcnie of the Wheeling and Co
lumbus road will b, wrought whether the Sicubenvie road
crosses Wcsours takes up The river through Ohio 10
Welsvie Then Is with Pittsburg. Surely then
this charter need moi be made in order 10 prevent
the construction Seuhrnve road, when that road
will be made though charter be denied The first
no