Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-01-15
SPEECH OF MR.. SULLIVAN AT THE RAIL
ROAD CELEBRATION.

Rail Road Company-Ihe rapid progress OF lneiI
work is an evidence of their ability and faithful
ness. Maytheir hopes Of an early completion OF
the Road TO the city of Wheeling be realized
when we may join with the East and the West IN
hearty congratulations On the completion OF con-
tnuouS Railroad connection between the Atlanuc
and Pacific.
To which Col ]. H. SULLIVAN, Presidentof the
Central Ohio Rail Road Company, responded as
follows:
Ma. PREsrpENr-The sentiment embodied in the
toast just read compels response from one who
makes no pretcnsons of ability 10 interest you.
The Road which have the honor to represent
is partly in successful operation, and the remainder
in rapid progress of construction. By next week
we shall have an unroken line of railway between
the cities of GAINESVILLE and Columbus, distance
of So miles. At the latter place we connect with
the whole railway system of the West,-having
outlet by railway to Cleveland, SanduSky, Chica-
20, Dayton, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Terre
Haute. East Of GAINESVILLE the whole line 10 the
Ohio in the vicinity of this city, and in sight Of
the Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road, is i'll the
hands Of contractors-some of the sections alrea-
dy graded, and the balance in position for com
pletion of the entire line within eighteen months.
BY the fourth of July, 1884, at farthest-we hope
earlier-we expect to ask you to rejoice with us
over the completion of another chain that shall
bind the interests of extremes together; and add
another assurance to the already secured prosperity
of your city.
Permit me, sirs, in this connection to Sugs eSt
that notwithstanding the interest in the Central
Ohio Rail Rsad which has just been expressed, the
citizens of Wheeling have not fully appreciated
the importance of this Road to their welfare.-
Whilst most cheerfully concede to the Road that
is now engaging your enthusiasm, and to the sew
eral other railways which the Baltimore Road is
attracting to your borders, all the value great
commercial avenues which their friends claim for
them, hope shall not be charged with arrogance
in assuming that the Central Ohio Road is more
essential 10 the prosperity of your city than either
perhaps, than all ofthe others. With them your
relation will be principally the medium Of trans
fer; with this your business relations have been
and still are intimate had almost
said, dependent The region of country border
ing upon and penetrated by the Central Ohio Road
has done more TO build up and sustain your man
ufactureS than all Of the balance of the country
together. You have heretofore had the control Of
tits trade How will you continue to control it (?
Only through the Central Ohio road. There is sig
niicance in this prospect which fear the people
Of WheelinD, generally, have not realized.
How is this to be accounted for7 Delicacy,per
haps forbils referring to misunderstanding which
occurred between your Rail Road Committee and
our Directory. but the gentlemen who composed
that Committee will forgive a slight remind. if
what say in all kindness, shall be productive OF
better understanding and better feeling here
after.
In their conclusion, in the case, we think these
nF tbo ntf
but we must concede TO them the ability TO judge OF
that better than ourselves. We know however
that they not only msconceived our motives, but
wholly Inexperienced our position. Had we
been the representatives OF close corporation
which it was admissible TO use for the promotion
of special or local interests, we could have maze
the question of route one of negotiation and con-
tract; but such powers not entrusted 10
We were the agents of State for the promotion Of
great public utility. Though our Charter we are
endowed with one of the highest and most sacred
attributes of Sovreignty-the Right Of Eminent
Doman-whch would never have been conceded
except as sacred trust 10 be used for great public
ends, and for such purposes only. The geograph
ical position of our line-tS relation to the COM
merce Of the great central belt stretching from
Wheeling to St. Louis through which that
terry Of the West, the National Roai had throbbed
the pulsatonS of travel for the last twenty years
its position as great trunk line-all inspired
consciousness of our responsibility from which we
dared not shrink.
The line Of our location brings into the ra-
vine Of the Ohio about three miles below your ci-
ty; but as since the final adoption Of the present
route of the Baltimore and Ohio Road our Compa-
ny have not faltered for moment in their desire
or design to make their terminus at Wheeling, we
have paused ii the mouth of MCNlahOnS creek for
the purpose of selecting the best line aud mode Of
approach to the accomplishment OF that object.
Between the place OF our entrance into the rayine
of the River and this city, three sites avail
able for the passage Of the stream by railroad
bridge at an ample elevation to avoid interference
to navigation give unnstakable indication of what
mode of transit would be hest both for our Road
and this city. But toaccompIish this we had no leg
islation from your Stnte recognizing corporate
powers and giving the necessary authority. This
might be done with such guards Us shall protec
from any imaginable unfavorable result, and in
asking our concurrence. You have the ter
minus of our our Road in the heat OF your city
if you will. Do you so wish it?
But gentlemen, although had more to say, am
conscious of having already exhausted your pa
thence and will close. 1 cannot, however, do it
without joining i'll congratulations upon the event
which has brought this great crowd of people to-
gether.
Not yet taught what continuous effort could do.
when the people of the West were told, quarter
of century since, that Baltimore had determined
to unite herself with the Great Valley, by an un-
broken railway, the matter was looked upon as a
chimera, about which, pleasant speculations might
be INDUCED; but from which could flow no sub
stantial results. The then theory ofrailways was,
that lines nearly level and straight were ndispen-
sablet to success. That such lines could be obtain
ed through the narrow and precipitous defles of
even the nnnroaches to tie Alleghenies, was known