Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-01-12
TAG PANlnAxD1E RAILROAD QUEsr1oN.-We


TaR PAN1AxDLE RAILROAD QUEsrIoN.-We
haye.before us copy of the bill now pending
before our State Legislature, calling for the right
of way and other privileges for the Pittsburg
and Steubenyille Railroad Company. This road,
as most of our readers are aware, extends from
Pittsburg, through Hancock county, Va, to
Stenbenville, o. II was projected some consid-
cradle time ago--has been commenced-and
will be probably set a-going without aid or COM
fort from the legislature of Virginia. And why
hasit been commenced and proceeded with with
out any legislative consideration from our State,
other than ahostile one2 Why2 say we-and
that is just what puzzles one portion of the Pan
handle public and exasperates another. In
council and out of council-out in the streets
and out in the country, We have heard great
deal of talk about this Panhandle railroad ques-
ton, as to what good it would do for Brooke
and Hancock-and what harm it would do for
the city of Wheeling. 1t will be remembered
that it was with the greatest difficulty, in the
last Senatorial election in this district that the
question could be kept from an ugly shape, and
so far transcending political issues as to threat
en- Mr.. Caldwelfs vote in the two upper coun-
tics-cspecially in Hancock We have no doubt
that it did lose him number of votes up
there.
The question is now before the legislature
and of course the same people who were excited
upon the question once before, will be now
again. While Messrs. Porter and Smith, repre-
sentatives from Hancock and Brooke, will favor
the bill, we presume it is likely that the mem
bers from this city will oppose 1T.
W. oorfo,e- - coo;,,,. -, -,.ooro,, ,,nk 80
Why the Panhandle counties should not be
unit on this question as upon all others. Can
any one persuade himself that the interests,of
the three counties of Ohio, Brooke and Hancock
clash upon any item2 If they do, we should
be glad to know how it happens. If this rail-
road is benefit or damage (and we purposelY
pretermit any opinion upon that head) to any
of these counties, it effects all three of them in
like manner. Why, if every two or three
counties in the state have conflicting, irrecon-
ciable interests, what in the name of common
sense is to become of us. We all profess to re-
greet the alienation which sometimes turns up
between the river and the mountain counties of
Western YirgiDia-and we all allow that the
difference is but trivial, or rather nominal-and
if that is case, what sense is there in array
ing the three Panhandle counties against each
other, about mere petty little railroad, which,
when finished, If ever it is dragged to an end,
will, nine chances out of ten, turn out as latter
day railroads are turning out-a losin; specula
ton to all concerned.
We make these remarks, not to say nay or
yea, particularly, about this road, but TO urge
upon our readers, and through them our repre-
centatives, the careful avoidance of an open, or
even, if possible, covert issue on this question.
1t is time the era of good feeling was recurring
throughout the entire limits of Western Yir-
ginia, for all ofps have nothing to hope for from
the legislature, or from the coming Conyention,
unless we present bold, unbroken front. A
railroad neither makes or unmakes city or
county for any great length of time, unless it
rests upon something more than mere Incident,
and if the Panhandle counties come to an angry
issue on this question, they may And at no very
distant day that after all, they have but caught
Tartar
To project railroads.&c. issue bonds for their
buiiding-has been amania with the people of
this section of country, somewhat after the
style of the early Colony in this State, of whom
Capt. Smith wrote, that to ''dig gold, wash
gold, load gold, and refine gold, J" was all his
people could think about, until at last the win
ter blasts came-when their trash would not
clotheand feed them, then they set up the late
lamentation. Mr.. Samuel Weller, Jr., among
his many sage observations, once remarked that
''Wcal pic'wns very good, when you're sure
it's not kittens" A great many people are
often deluded, if not in the exact manner, yet
none theless nauseatingly thaninithe case re-
ferred to by Mr.. Weller, Jr. aud nopeople have
more sadly realized it than those, who like our
selves, have gone it blind in the love of rail-
roads. The Development of our resources has
not kept pace with the number of public case
ments which we have had. The cart foremost
policy has been pursued to our hurt, 1t Ger.
tainly, then, is worth some consideration as to
whether VIC may not be doing the same thing
now.
Kansas AA4TEtss.AAn new ''crisis's seems to
have arisen, in Kansas affairs, in conseqnnce Of
split in the Free State ranks, which, in the
opinion ofthe Federal Administration, as advi-