Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1859-01-24
THE INTELLIGENCER.
Mr.. sweeney's Speech.
THE HEMnFIEbD RAILROAD AND o1DER
- QUEST ONS.

haps e know, a1n no, much haccusfomed to pub
lie speaking. Yet feel thai under the present
circumstances /, becomes my dUtyfo sAT a
few words 10 lhis meeting. shall endeavOr 10
he as brief as possible, a0d, think will not
weary vour patience m0ch. For some days
past Nv ChairmGn, there has been, 10 me, q
very unpleasant controversy going on in the
papeYs in reference 10 the office OF Mayor toy
IthiS citv-or rather in reference 90 The candi'
GlRteS for That Office "a voice in The crowd
Cbairma1, consented that my name might be
used ia connection with this office, With the eS-
press declaration and hope, that the citizens
would that an efficient, active, energetic, bD-
sineSS council were elected at the Shnle election;
who would not only be able bot who would be
willing to attend to HE interests Of tnis city fi-
| naDcially; as regard Them now III very Un-
satisfactory and unprosperous condition for IFS
future prosperity, whetISer as for its growth
or lis preseni property holders Interests. With
thai hope | did consent that my name might he
used. To my surprise end chR9tin the co"tro-
verSy has turned upon The merits and demerts
of the candidates for Mayor, rather lhan upon
The question OF rthe competency and ability OF
the council. The Mayor rs you know Mr..
lChairmaH-for you have been in council here
toforc 10 thc management OF the affains Of this
Icity-is solely the presiding officer, without Ia.
king any very active part in the management of
The AiIaiYs OF tbe civ. certainty would not
the moyemcTts of fhc council; but1snY aid that
could give in the settlement of any question
upon Eir principles, of course would be vii
ling to give my utmost aid TO that object Tn
this controVesv sv the question Of the HempHeid
r. e. question wnicn TO me is Justas uppleasent
As to anv1ody else. simply becHpsc of tie laboY
rious efforts that have made in cOhpccslon with
,he BOARD OF directors TO Try TO make Something
out OF thai road One Of the papeNi, the ArgNg,
seemed 10 impvte 10 me criminal neglect, and
the conclusion OF the article on the SnlJeci,
it'll do not miSquOte il, was about IKE this
Is The citizens should to it ~thst they
10 not elect man, 10 the Office of Mayor
who has hecn guilty OF The most SuHSiin9 tihan.
cia; eXpeiients thai have ever beeR submitted
or subjected TO the crificism fan enlishtene
public,f and at the same time going onto q0Ote
iron what was called aTrep0rtto theibuaYCl fSomS
Judge Conrad. Never bsVas seen any report
by Judge Conrad to the board oidirec'orS,
requested friend TO call upon Mr. Russell ard
ask him 10 let me see that report. The gentle
man did so and Mr.. Russell handed him the
paper from which ne quoted. As quick as L
/ saw the pape", Remembered having seen NtEe Ne-
per, and having nSed il TO so ne csStect II bring
ing about the OBJECTS conSeTslatcd hg the issu-
ing Of this pamphlet.
For the completion o. this road this pamphlet
was issued by Judge Conrad and Elicit together,
gotten pp by them for the express purpose OF
uvging the completion of this roadt Green's
burg ul l.imatcy, and TO Washington in tue fast
instance Ia the front page of the pamphlet are
The names of the officers OF the company, preSi
dent Sec ctary, &c, Then follow er an elaborate
exhibition of the great value of this road to tic
countv al large and especially to tire counties OF
Washington, Westmorland, 0hoaud so 90; ard
/ a, the conclusion of this pamphlet, onj the last
page, is a statement called tue Financial con-.
ditiou OF the company, commencing with the
Subscription of individuals, thea with the city
pof Philadelphia and so on, including Monorga-
neia ci v, and Greensburg, and calling iOr the
| entire amount of Subscription; then tue csitna-
/ ted cost OF the completion of the road 10 Wash
ipston; then showing the amount expended,
and what il would vet take, according to tue
estimate, TO complete the roud 10 Washington,
leaving, as the paper shows by figures, an
excess over Indebtedness of 1886, 700. Ia this
account a-e ihe two Subscriptions by the boT-f
oughs of Monongahea city, and GreensburS of
$25, 900 each. and good many individual sub.
scription, put dowa at $297 600, OF the or!g'nat
stock, considerable portion OF Ibat beng IN IL"
eastern portion Of Washington Rnd Nestmor-
land counties, which never hRS been and never
can be collected, and those tWo borrO2hS OF SJO,1
! 600 nevet, have been and nevGr can be issued
and never will be. So 10 tact this paper ncvrr
vas Submitted 10 the stockholders. | do DOT
know that it was ever submitted to the board,
but was simply gotten up and circulated by
! Judge Conrad aud his friends for the purpose OF
selling a million of mortgaged bonds which had
previously been ordered, the plate cngraved, the
bills presented, and then in the bands OF ahe
treasurer Of the company. Owing 10 CONNER
cia embarrassments this paper did not effect its
objects; so that it is not q report in any sense
of the term, and its statements hre 0ot Telia5Ic.
1T has been said that there has'nere,' been any
report made TO the stockholders by this buatd-
/ do not know what was done before | WAS a
member of the board, but in 1863 ], in c0nnec-
ton with two or three gentlemen OF this city,
was elected director Of that company; and from
an examination which we made,!as Far rs posi-
hbe for US TO do it, we hoped with favorable
money market, that the road might nave been
finished with lie assets which were then appa
reptlv on hands on the 2lst day OF April, 1SJS
a report was published in the Times Of that
date, showing the exact condition OF the compa-
ny, according to the books kept by Mr.. Ponteux.
3hd here j will take occasion to state that
never in my life saw lupulously
exact in every entry made in t'Je book, as 20
original vouchers and evidences OF The correct
ness of the entries than Mr.. PofiauX. Accord.
to that book kept bv hi1I YOU had the re-
port polished at large, Irom the commencement
iof the company's operations up tothe first of
July, 1853. Since that time, as you.ali khofF
nothing has been done, not dollar received OF
expended on the part Of the company