Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1852-09-04
For the Daily Inteligeneer.
Central Ohio Rnif Rond.


------------- s--- 49,. I.-
For the Daily Intelligeaeer.
Central Ohio Rnii Road.
The negotiations of our City authorities with the
Central Ohio Rail Road Company, have been the
subject of frequent inquiry late and seem to be
not fully understood. Having made enquiries in
the proper quarter, propose, in a very briefman-
ner to give the result uH
The above named Company was organized in
1s47; but for the first two OF three years accom-
plished very little. During that time, neither the
corporation nor counsel of Wheeling was sought;
probably because it was not then known where
the B. & o. r. r. would reach the Ohio river.
The controversy between Wheeling and the B.
& o. R. r. Co., as to the route of that road, was
not decided until the Fall of 1850; previous to
which, Wheeling was duly authorised by law, 10
subscribe, not exceeding 100000, to the stock of
any railroad, or railroads, terminating at or near
Wheeling. And in January 1851, vote of the
people of Wheeling was taken, giving their as.
sent to the making of subscription by the City, to
the stock of the Genital o. r. Road Co., to an
amount not exceeding s25o,ooo, upon such terms,
&C., as the City Council should approve.
Mr. President Sullivan has recently announced
that this vote of the people of Wheeling was
Immature" and "dgainst his adpice1' This was
probably the first intimaton which either the peo-
ple or the authorities of Wheeling, received, that
his ''advice," touching her subscription, had ever
been asked, or gpen. The truth is, that until af-
ter that vote was taken, Mr.. S. seemed to keep
aloof from Wheeling, if to conceal his purpo-
ses;-somewhat as, when applying for her sub
scrption, he kept back the surveys and estimates
of his Engineers. .4,
Mr.. S. now accuses Wheeling of bad faith in
Withholding her subscription. Let us consider this.
A Railroad from GAINESVILLE to Wheeling was pro-
posed-and to aid in raising the stock for its con-
struction, Wheeling proposed to make subscrp-
ton of 1000, upon such terms as should be
satisfactory to herself In April 1882 Messrs Sui
Ivan and James applied for her subscription
But they disclosed nothing in relation to the route
except the length of three lines which had been
surveyed. All else, touching the surveys, and the
route to be adopted, they kept secret. They asked
of Wheeling subscription equal, probably, to all
which GAINESVILLE, and her citizens had made,-de-
manding that all questions to the route and the
connections to be made at Wheeling, should be
confded to the absolute and unqualified deteui-
nation of Board of Directors, majority of whom
lived in, and near GAINESVILLE, and none of whom
lived in Wheeling What demand could have
been more modest! What more fair and reasona-
BILE ,r
Wheeling had not proposed her subscription, for
the mere investment of surplus captal;-but to
further a work by which to attract business and
ravel;-a work which expected to promote
her growth and prosperity. The most direct route
would naturally be preferred, as best calculated to
subserve the end in view. She did not demand, as
Condition precedent to the making of her sub
scription, the adoption of any certain route But
she indicated her preference for the most direct
route unless found to be so difficult to "preclude
is adoption" And as she was to subscribe her
o,rn money, for her Ocn benefit, she did require,
before making her subscription, some information
as to the route to be adopted, in order that she
might judge for herself, whether the shortest and
best route to be secured;- or whether the road
might not be diuerted to favor private speculatons,
or adverse interests. She preferred not TO confde
he absolute determination of all such questions to
a foreign board, who might commit mistakes,
through inadvertence. or ignorance of her trade
and business; or might make decisions injurious to
her interests, from the force of sinister, rival in
Auences She did not, therefore, make her sub
scription as requested. And because she did not,
date 10 the Company!
Thus, then, stands the case. The agents of the
Company ask Wheeling to make her subscription
but refuse to disclose their purposes. They re-
fuse to Wheeling any voice in the location of the
road. They impart no information as to their
route or their surveys. And before taking leap
in the dark, at their bidding, Wheeling concludes
to wait-until some further light were shed upon
her path And this, forsooth, is called an attempt
to dictate" to the Lords Amounted President -
To our poor comprehension this request of q for
eign Company, to be put in possession of quarter
ter of a million OF dollars, to be disposed of at its
good misunderstanding implicit faith in its
inpartiality and infallibility,-but denying TO
wheeling all participation in its deliberations, or
decisions-not even conc. ding to her the poor
privilege of withholding her subscription, until
further information should be vouchsafed to her
savo-s of arrogance!
But on one occasion, it seems, offer was
made TO associate Mr.. Charles Ellet, Jr., with
committee of three members of the Board OF Dnec-
tors of the Company, who had been appointed TO
examine the surveys, and decide upon the route;
and we are gravely asked why did not Wheeling
agree 10 make her subscription, "upon such route
ms he might declare to be bestl-as if the offer had
been to submit the decision of the route to Mr. Ell
LET: when in truth the offer was not to submit the
matter to his decison but to the decision of four
men. of whom Mr.. E. should be one-the other
three having been previously selected by the Di-
,ectors of the Company Admirable fairness -
What perverseness in Wheeling not to embrace SO
msgnanimous an offer
When wheeling proposed to submit the determ.
nation. of the route to impartial Engineers, to be
selected for the purpose by Wheeling, and
nv he Company, the proposition was rejected
the Conpany claiming the prerogatiye of deciding
an such questions according to its pleasure. What
- 80. ,,,,,,roee the company would have