Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-12-12
pa1Emore ana ohio Railroad.

elaborate and well written article upon tue polcy
OF this road. We DO this more for the purpose OF
calling public attention to the viewtaken Gy others
of the causes, why this road is not now accom-
pshihg all that was predicted and hoped for IT, by
its sauguine and energetic founders, Nor do we
endorse all the positions contained in this article,
although plausible most of them, but we place
the article before the public and befJre the man
ayers OF that road more for the purpose Of having
them dispose of its argument and positions, than
with the hope of dispcsing Of them ourselves
One thing however is certain and that is that this
road will be long in equaing the expectations of
its stockholders, If it is to be Baltimore Road
alone This road i'll order 10 support itself, in OF
der to be, as it should be- the great through line
to the Atlantic, must look beyond Baltimore. 1t
must be able to take freight and passengers from
New York and Philadelphia to Cincinnati as
ckeaply and as expeditously as they are taken by
other,routes between those points. While DONG
this Baltimore has the right TO demand that tEelght
and passengers shall be taken from Baltimore To
Cincinnati, tive mean any common point west'l
at les rates than between New York or Philadel-
phia and such western point. The city OF Balti-
more cannot, and we venture to say, does not ex-
meet 10 foree western trade and travel to stop with
her. If she does she will fail i'll her efforts and
such policy if adopted, will not avail her, while
twill ruin her road. Ifshe will use compulsion,one
compuIsion only can avail her, and thatlSthe COM
puLsiOn of good market for Western products GndG
cheap make for Western purchasers. If She possess
these, then her propnqulty 10 the Western market
must AMI will give her the command oil western
trade and travel without them, it is worse than idle
10 expect to command 10 induce, or to entice it
There is 10 valid reason that we can preceive
why Baltimore cannot compete with any eastern
city as an exporting or importing CITY, II she can
sell as cheap aud pay ns good prices lor western
pFoducis as other Atlantic cities, then she posses
SEES over them The advantage TO which her relative
neprness to the West on the great through line SO
eminenlly entities her. ~
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad--Its Policy
for the Future. Ef
The recent heavy decline IN the market value
of the stock OF this road, shows that the TeSul; o
lis operation since its opening has not equalled
public expectation. This want OF success, may
h. ,eIerretI TO several causes; the unfinished coll
dtion of the road, incnpuciatng il for the trans
action of large business; the unlayorable charac-
Ter of the route, the lack Of dense and active
incubation upon its line; the want OF railroad
CONNECTIONS at lis western terminus, and the great
DELAY and expense to which the traveller going TO
Philade phia, New York and Boston, is subjected
after reaching Baltimore. All these drawbacks
have exeIted their share of influence, and they
nave been so far potential as to diSappoint The
mighty raised hopes of the friends Of the Foad'
both in regard TO its earnings and the addition 1t
was expected 10 make to the trade and commerce
Of Baltimore.
used are calculated to interfere seriously with
proftable traffic. They are sogrouped together as
TO enable them to be worked in the most economl-
cal manner GREATER part OF the route traverSed
is new, and comparatively undeyeloped, but cap
able in time, of supplying q very large business
'rhe want of western connections is being very
rapidly supplied by the construction OF number
of roads, cenieriug al Wheeling. AT present both
passengers and freight, have TO depend upon the
ohio river as means OF reaching their places OF
;fhe imperfect success of the road therefore,
NAV to a certain extent, he referred to causes tenn
Dorary in their character. For considerable por-
lion Of the year, however, the Ohio river oilers
the hest means of forwarding merchandise to the
leading points of consumption, and there is no
reason, provided the route be the best between
the Atlantic cities and the west, as is claimed,
why the road should not Immediately enter upon
n freight business fully up to ITS capacity; the re-
turns from which would yield a fair income upon
the cost of the road. sss ~. .fs.a T., y
. Tn our view Of the case the want of success re-
feTfed Ia is due partly to the fact that road has
moi vet become a part Of gre It through rcptele-
tween the leading Atlantic cities and the west
That il has not become so, has been owing TO
mistaken. policy which appears 10 have prevailed
in its management. The Baltimore and Ohio road
was lutoposed, and has been built, chiefly with
view 10 the promotion of the trade, commerce,
and general welfare Of Baltimore. The New York
and penns yIvanian Works had nearly destroyed
the tTnde butween that City ami the west 10 re-
gain " hieh was one Of the lepling object of the
road It's friends went step further. BY show
ing baltimore to be nearer to all the leading COM
merclal points in the great valley than either Phil
ntIelnhia New York, or ROStOn, they assumed
that, cost of transportation Icing controlled by
IineGL distance, Baltimore could comm md The trade
of the great interior basin OF the country as soon
as it could be reached by her railroads. This as
SUMPTION has led 10 some serious mistakes IN the
policy OF the Baltimore add Ohio Company. They
have lost sight of the importance OF makiCg their
road the most convenient through route between
New York, say, and the west. 100 .t
It's managers reasoned in this manner: "The
Baltimore ami Ohio, is Baltimore work, planned
and executed for the purpose of promoting the
prosperity of that city. II we transport over our
road Lire merchandise purchased in New York, we
make it II Nepo York road, and thus surrender one
grrat object Of its construction anu although
nj the present time this company have an arrange
ment with the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Bal
timnre road by which Philadelphia anu New York
freights are forwarded over 1t, aud the BALTIMORE
and Ohio, TO the Ohio river, at the same rate as
over the PENNSYLVANIA Central road, this arrange
ment we understand gives such dIsSa tisfactiUn IN
Baltimore, that the directors oil the Baltimore and
OhiofroadthEeaten TO annul 1t, Tor the purpose OF
rendering 1t inconvenent for the Western trader
To buy his goods in New York, and IN the hope
nf compelling him to make his p FrchaSeS in the
forner city. The result is, that Baltimore loses
trade sought 10 be COINED, aud the rond very
large business which an illibsral and unwise pol
icy forces upon other routes.
The true policy is exactly opposed 10 the one
which now seems to prevail. 1t isof piece with
,ss to6 often characterised that Of southern
r1mG1nnilies; n attempt to increase the business
of n Daf. ocular place BY throwing Impedimsntsin
The way of the free movement Of persons and
nron.rtv. Till quite recently. the city Of Angus
tn GcorEfa Steadily refused to allow any connec-
finn to he made. Ii tween the Georgia and South
- n. II thnt r,lnc.. hut forced all the