Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-07-31
From the baltimore Exchanged


The fact has already been stated that the city
of Wheeling had caused a writ to be issued
against the Baltimore aud Ohio Railroad, requir-
inp that corporation to show why an Injunction
should not be granted at the instance of the city
of Wheeling, restraining the Railroad Company
from expeuding any more OF its funds IN behalf
of the North Western Virginia road, and In fact
/ from working that line. We have made inquiry
into the merits of the case, and are thereby en-
abled to present our readers with an ineligible
view Of the matter as it now stands 1t is
well known fact that thecities of Baltimore aud
Wheeling have long been at issue concerning
the Ohio river terminus of the road As far
back rs 1888, the Company made an attempt to
procure the consent of the State of Virginia to
terminate the road at Parkersburg, the highest
point at which it was supposed there could
| be found sufficient water at all seasons of
the year for the navigation of steamboats,
| of size large enough to make the trade pay.
The people of Wheeling, ever alive to their
own best interests, sent yearly Populations
| of influential citizens to Richmond to re-
monstrate with the Legislature against sacri-
ticng what was then a thriving town, for
the sake of a more direct communication with,
the Ohio, and thus the Company was fOiled
year after year. After hard fight, in which
much manonvering was displayed on all sides,
| it was eventually agreed upon that if the city
| of Wheeling would subscribe one million of
dollars to the stock of the Company, the State
Of Virginia would subscribe for another million,
and Wheeling was assured that she should be
made the Western terminus The period for
which the State was pledged having expired,
the authorities declined REVEAL of the subscrip-
ton; yet Wheeling fulfilled her part of the con-
tract, and the road was taken into that city,
after first striking the Ohio river at Mounds
vile, some twelve miles lower down. So much
for the main stem to Wheeling-now for the
branch to Parkersburg, better known rs tho
North Western Virginia road. The enterpri>ing
people of Parkersburg-situatedo on bluff point
of the river, opposite the island on which the
unfortunate Blannerhasset once had his ''pala-
tal residence" and which still bears his name,-
having had their hopes excited, never for a mo-
ment gave up their idea for connection with
| Baltimore. After vain endeavors for years,
they finally obtained from the Legislature of
| Virginia a charter for the North Western road,
starting from Parkersburg and intersccting the
main stem at what is now the thriving village
! of Grafton. The State of Virginia never sub
scribed one dollar towards the building of this
road, and it never would have been finished had
not Baltimore, with that libcrality for which she
| is proyerbal, come forward and lent her pecuni-
airy aid to the work. Since its completion, the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company nave
| been working the now line, and it is to put a
stop to this that the injunction is asked by
Wheeling. There is, we are informed, proba-
bility that the prayer may be granted, SO far as
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company is
concerned, but it is more than likely that in
matter involving so essentially the interests of
the city of Baltimore the means will not be
wanting to perpetuate her interest in the new
route, connected ms it is known to be with tho
great thorOughtare to ST. Louis, the far West,
and perhaps, at no distant day, to the Pacific
-SseDsSo--
Col. FoRNEY, in an article on the election in
Kansas on Monday next, when the Lecompton