The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1854-11-24
COMMUNICATIONS.
kBELLAlRs, Ohio, Nov. IA, 1885,

RDELLAlRb, OnIui NOV -, lcOf'
Mn. EDIToR:- ~
1t seems TO be propitous time to agai.
make mention of the advantages the prospec
tive City of Belare, now efiers to the Mocha
mic, the Merchant, and the Manuiacturer.--
For the following reason, viz. The great
/ Injunction suit between the City of Wheel
/ ing and the B. g. o. r. r, Co., now pending
has aroused more interest and inquiry in re-
lation to the advantages Of this point, than
could otherwise have been got up-and to
meet this inquiry propose to make a few
remarks, In the first place. the subject of
this suit, is the connoxion about to be fori
ed between the G.. OR. r. and the B. {. y.
r. X. at this place-and the consequence of
that connexion will be the building upsof
city outrivallilg Wheeling in commercial ad-
vantage and con iequent wealth. And
would just say here, that it makes no differ
ence which way this case is decided-the
conncxion will be formed. Two great Rail-
road companies have not contracted to re-
ceive each others trade and travel, without
being certain that such contract could be ex-'
ecuted according 10 their own stipuations.--'
There is too much at stake to run risks ;therc
has been, too muchs smoney expended to forG.
this conncxion, to be lost; and the city of
Wheeling has been too arrogant and selfish
to receive any more favors from these two
Railroad companies. She is entitled 10 none,
as she has never subscribe nor paid single
dollar to one, and nothing but the Interest
on her bonds to the other. But the end will
be accomplished despite the efforts Of Whee-
ling to the contrary. The same genius that
procured charter for the Parkcrsburgh
branch-=that procured a charter for Rail-
road bridge across the Ohio river at Grave
creek will form the cutinexion here; and the
same law that legalized the Wheeling Sus-
pension Bridge-wil sustain it; viz: The
Law of necessity and public sentiment. 1t
was great accommodation to the West TO
have the Wheeling Suspension Bridge, sus-
tanned and made a post route, and hence she
received the unanimous and unreserved sup
port of every Western man during the per-
sccution by Pittsburs. But it will be much
greater accommodation to the West to have
its trade and travel with the 5East received
and delivered without paying toll at Wheel
ing Hotels and commission houses, and con-
sequanlly the support and sympathy will be
mere unanimous and extensive.
The idea that the citizens of Wheeling
have been endeavoring to promulglt e about
the Ferry-boat being unable 10 cross here in
low water, is entirely erroneous, because
that boat coull have crossed with full load
at anytime this summer, rs the channel at
the crossing is deep, and the boat will draw
but II inches Of water But supposing that
the Ferry-Goat connexion should prove incon-
venent and in the course Of time should be
dispensed with, there is equally as good aif
not be tier site for Il Railroad bridge here,
than at Zane's Island at Wheeling, conse-
qucnty there can be nothing gained by 60
ing to Wheeling, but on the contrary there
would be an increase Of eight miles in dis
tance and the loss and expense attending such
Increase.
But bfr. Editor we will now 90 back to the
city of Wheeliag, and see WHY she so siren.
uonsly objects to the conncxon here. III,
first reason no doubt is, as remarked before,
that this conneXion will soon make Bellaire
her rival. The second is, that it will trans
fer an immense amount of wealth and con-
sequentrevcnue from the State of Va. to the
State Of Osio; and why should it not be SO!
The City of Wheeling has been feeding on
the fat of Ohio soil for many years. She
has been fostcred, nourishcd and sustained by
Ohio patronage ever since her infancy, and
she is now furnishing u:d der the influence of
Ohio Institutions and Ohio trade. And is
this not enough! No! She would vainly
try to prevent Ohio farmers having a market
she never can give, by thwarting ia Railroad
conneXion which must be the outlet to the
vast resources Of Free Soil and honest in
dustry. Every one will admit that Wheel
ing has a right to defend her interests; but
when she neglects her interests, must others
be injured by her neglect! Certainly not
Then let US see if she has ever neglected her
interests. Was it not neglect, when she ro-
fused to take her promised subscription to the
! C. o. r. r. only on terms which no R. r.
Co. would agroe to! Was it not neglect,
when after refusing her subscription, she refu-
sed to cooperate with Prcst. Sullivan in pro-
curing a charter for Railroad bridge across
the Ohio river into the very heart Of the city
ofssWheeing! Manifest neglect But why
did she thus act! The reason is plain. The
wires were work ed by few heavy capital
lists, who after paying Charles Elicit $780,
900, ior his splendid engineering, and having
nothing but shadow of bridge after ll,de-
termined to prevent the C, o, r. r. crossing
at any other poirt than the Suspension
BRIDGE and if possible force them to buy out
the Bridge Co. and cross there, and thus pay
them for their folly. This was the game that
was to be played, to make few land own
ers on the Island and stockholders in the
Bridge immensely rich at the expense of the
r. r. Companies. But they didn't find the
"little Ohio merchant" such slow man as
they expected He was perfectly wide a
wake, ready and able for all their manoeuv-
ering. He discovered the cloven foot and
bea. them at their own game-and thus
Wheeling has lost the Eastern terminus of
the C! o. r. r. More anon,
Yours, CAUDEX.