Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-04-01
Ths Interests of Wheeling at Richmond.
again Considered.
LPron the RIehmOnd Enqulrer.l


communication, appearing; in "The South,
Of Wednesday, complains that our view OF this
subject seems to ''ignore entirely the interests
of the city of Wheeling, as explained and advo
Gated by her representatives. Now, 1T Is IN
deed psssible that we may not have failed TO ap
prchend entirely the exact phase in which the
matter is regarded by the representatives of
that city; but the author of the communication
must be aware that in our previous article, we
have never lost sight of what we consider to be
the true interests of Wheeling Indeed, we
have regarded itas one of the great recommen-
dations of the measure so ably advocated by the
representatives of Brooke and Hancock, that Its
adoption will add materially TO the commercial
Importance of Wheeling, by placing that city at
the head OF navigation.
The Scnth's' correspondent confines his ar
gument OF this question to the assumption that
the completion of the Steubenville road will pre-
vent thatof the CHARTERS Valley and Hemp
field roats. 1t may very well be questioned
whether even the completion of these roads
would bling as much additional trade TO Wheel
/ ing, as would the mere bridging the Ohio Mt
/ Steubervie. Apart from this, we must still be-
/ lieve that the whole argument is based on
mistrken assumption. The CHARTERS Valley
and Hcupield roads are both chartered, and
4 10th connect the rail road now completed be-
tween Washington and Wheeling, with impor-
tant points af junction in Pennsylvania. And,
although the work on both lines may be now
suspended, it has been commenced and glance
at the map of Pennsylvania is sufficient to de-
mODitrate the great advantages to Pittsburg
and Philadelphia, which must result from their
completion. The fact that Philadelphia still
refuses to abandon her interest ofthree quarters
/ of million in the Washington and Wheeling
road is n sufficient indication that her capital
iStsfully appreciate the advantages to be deri-
we'd from its extensions. direct connection
between Pitlsburg and Wheeling offers too
| md OfG 0f INF q former.
permit that enterprise to be abandoned, were
| not the neighbOrh0od advantages to be obtained
! bya connection with Washington sufficient OF
/ itself to secure the completion of the CHARTERS
Valley Road. Whatever speciouS appearances
may be evoked to produce an opposite impress
sion, this matter is placed beyond doubt by I'M
avoidahle considerations dictated by the conve-
nience of travel and the interests of trade.
As we view this matter the completion OF the
Steubenville Road cannot deprive Wheeling OF
a single advantage, present or prospective, and
must secure her advantage more than couI-
menSuratc with the concurrent benefit of mil
road connection with PittSburg by stopping at
the wharvcs of Wheeling the greater part of
the river trade which now ascends to Pittsburg.
! 1t is the correspondent of "The South" who
presents the only view of the subject which,
without impairing the argument in favor of the
Stenbenville road, places the interests of Wheel
! ing in conflict with the general interests of Vir-
/ gieia 1t is asserted that the Legislature has to
choose between the Steubenville road and the
! Philadelphia connection with Wheeling that
the interests of the two lines are not cO-existcnt
that the completion Of the former must defeat
that of the latter connection. Suppose we adj
init this, what then? The question arises, does
not the SteubenVille road offer to Philadelphia
much less opportunity for competition with the
| NirginiI lines, than wouli be secured by the
Wheeling connection? Undoubtedly it does
I The Steubenville road is not only further re-
moved from the Ohio termini of the Virginia
lines but it affords longer and less direct con-
nection with Cincinnati. If we admit the
premises of 1.-THE South's" correspondent, he
has presented stronger argument than we
have in favor of the Stcubenville road. If we
deny his promises, then his argument goes to
prove nothing at all.