Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-12-04
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The North-westernVi Virginia Rail IL ad
.-Parkersburg Branch.

When this road passed. INTO tne nanus
of the b. & o. Railroad Company under
the lease by which it is now held, It was
hoped by the friends of the new road. and
the citizens of the country through which
Il passed, that It would receive the fos-
tering care of the B. & o. Company, and
form an important link in the great rail-
road connection from Baltimore to Saint
Louis via Grafton. Parkersburg, tho Ma
rie,ta road and CINCINNATI. Existing
facts show how fully that hope has been
realized.
At 1.-The time the lease was executed 1t
was understood by both Companies. from
the report of proper officers. that the ct'm.
pletion, Of the Parkersburg branch would
probably cost thirty >one or two thousand
dollars. or thereabouts. Now that it has
been substantially completed by the B, d
o. Company. they claim to have expen-
ded several hundred thousand dollars in
such completion. How this wild and
reckless expenditure could have been
made, and for what, (if made at all has
not, and most probably will not. come to
the public's ear. II looks good deal as
if the old road has received material aid
at the expense Of the new We are not
sufficiently informed as to .he terms of
the lease to say whether the sum SO ex.
pended is to be deducted from the rent Of
the new road, or held over it as debt, or
whether the lessee undertook TO complete
the branch and pay rent in addition
One thing. however, is very certain the
B. d o Company will not suffer by the
operation.
1t is well-known fact that the curves
and grades of the Parkersburg branch are
much better adapted to safe and rapid
running than that portion Of the Baltimore
road from Grafton to Wheeling. The dis
lance over each of these roads from Graf.
ton to the Ohio river is about one hundred
miles; and the cars on each road. during
the last summer and fall. ran that dis
lance in about four hours; the Parkers'
burg branch making the most regular
time and meeting with fewer accidents
| BY this regulation direct connection was
formed oyef the Parkersburg and MARS
eta roads, which enabled the passenger
from Baltimore to reach Cincinnati by SO
miles less travel, and in two and half
hours shorter time than by any other
route. 1t is not SO now. The B. u o.
Company-for purposes certainly sinister,
and with an eye single to an ultimation
Of doubtful propriety-have determined
to mar the prospects and restrain the en-
ergies Of the branch road, and for the pre-
sent destroy its utility in the aforemen-
toned connection. The first step taken
by them to accomplish that selfish and
unjust object. was to. extend the time OF
running on the Parkersburg branch from
four hours to FIVE hours and twenty-6 five
minutes; for which there was not the
slightest shadow Of necessity or proprie-
ty. And yet they permit the running
time from Grafton to Wheeling, on a
much worse road. to remain unchanged.
They have also, recently, refused TO
sell or recognize through tickets to Gins
cinnati over the branch road. thus subs
jecting the passenger to the additional
trouble and Inconvenience Of purchasing
ticket at Parkersburg for Cincinnati.
Yet they do sell tickets to that point
CCincinnati) via Wheeling and Columbus,
Ohio. Why this obvious and unmeri,ed
distinction Is it not to withdraw the
travel from the Petersburg road. and
cause the Marietta and Cincinnati Cons
pany to submit, nolens volens. to such ar
bitrary terms as they may dictate q
Time will show.
There is another species Of partially to
the Wheeling and OF the old road, which
is oppressive to the Parkersburg interest.
It is this: cars will not be furnished for
the transportation of produce from any
way station on the Parkersburg branch,
If there is demand for the same cars at
Wheeling. a merchant at Clarksburg
may have thousand barrels Of aour
which he desires TO forward without delay
to market, to take the advantage Of rise
in that market. A merchant at Vince.
ling may have the same number of bar
rels Of the same article at the same time,
which he also wishes to forward TO the
same market. for the same purpose. II
there are no cars at either Clarksburg OF
Wheeling. but number at Grafton, suf.
6cient only to accommodate one OF the
merchants, the Wheeling merchant must
first be accommodated, and he Of Clarks.
burg can have the good fortune to bide
his time, with the privilege Of selling his
produce whenever the b. d o. Company
will deign to place him in q condition tc
do so.
Thus it will be seen that they are dan.
cling attendance to Wheeling. and licking
the hand that has most yigorousl y'inflct.
upon them the well. meriled lash.
1t requires no argument to convince the
b. d 0. Company that the Parkersburp
branch forms necessary part Of the Short
est quickest and cheapest railroad counec,
ton between the eastern cities and the
Mississippi valley-a connection that
promises to contribute more to their road
and do more for the city of Baltimore
than any road or connection OF roads ia
the Union. They see it has the elements
] of wealth and is nm ;aual..LI.