Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1859-03-02
FROM NEW YORK.

4 bad day out Of doors Railroad Contention
-Ifodifeation OF the rates TdytOr's Broad
,oay SaIoon-Boyd and Halls Umbrella Fae-
tory-A Visit to couple Of Artis.'-AOrs
about railroads.
NATIONAL HOTEL, Feb. 20, 1859.
You see what it is to once break good reso-
luton. For having written you second letter,
as stated in it, contrary to what had expect
ed, here 1 am seated for third. This is a
miserable day for out door business, and calls to
mind the saying of one of the old philosopher,
viz: "that he, of all men, is the most miserable
who cannot read on rainy day." Imade little
business trip up Broadway this morning, and
like the school boy, found that for one step for
wards very often made two backwards. The
smooth pavements were covered about an inch
deep with snow slush, and every few yards
had to call halt and "knock the balls" from
under my boots in order, at all to maintain an
upright position. The object of my adventure
was to look up some of the disbanded conferees
of the late Railroad Convention, aud see what
they had and what they had not done for the
past day or two. The conference OF the -four
great powers" was made up of Garrett, of the
Baltimore & Ohio, Thompson, of the Pa. Cen
ira, Moran, of the N Y & Erie, Corning, of
the n. Y. Central. 1t seems that the Erie &c
y. Y. Central have lately become greatly dis
satisfied with the working of the regime adopt
ed at the last convention held at Washington.
The complaint general that the Pa. Central
had been getting the Lions share of the freight,
owing to her superior connection with river
facilities. The monthly statements of the n.
Y. & Erie and the n. Y. Central, showed tre-
mendous falling off in receipts compared with
statements of the last years corresponding re-
ceipts. Their Lake connections have availed
them little or nothing, and being bound mp 10
fbaF EV,oAn t,yy all
impossible they were left largely in arrears
of both the Pa Central and the b. & D. What
happened at the convention has not TRANSFERRED.
There were, no doubt, strong and somewhat
acrimonious debates and comparing Of notes,
for their sessions were held far into each night.
Shippers of goods here to the West and South
west, have been holding back immense piles of
freight in the expectation of reduction ensu-
ing upon an angry break up of the convention.
l see some of our Wheeling men have been
holding back to that end. Yesterday, however,
large lots were sent forward, upon the under
standing that if there should be reduction
made, those who had shipped within the last
day OF two were to have the benefit of it
Shippers were strongly of the opinion that if
the convention did break up, a regular cut
throat war would commence between all the four
roads, to the tune of 1.-The devil take the hind
most" OF course the merchants were anxious
for such break up of the convention, for, as
=
lOr-himsef" system, the rates from here to St.
Louis were just about one half of what they are
now. found, on hunting about this morning,
that not much Of what had been discussed
among the four Presidents had leaked out al
though ii is well understood that some import.
ant concessions have been made to the demands
of the Erie and n. Y. Central The rates TO
Chicago have been materially modified-so have
they to Cincinnati; ditto Louisville, but not to
St. Louis. 1t is not probable that any arrange
Notwithstanding the present oue-can last long,
and it is confidently expected that when the
Lake opens there will be general smash up of
the whole understanding In the very nature
Of things, it is impossible to make a permanent
arrangement Of this sort Any scale or tariff
will not inure alike 10 the benefit Of each road
am told that Moran, who heads the Erie, is
becoming more and more of bone of diSsatis-
faction to his rOad-he not being practical
railroad man, and not being able to command
that amount of mercantile favor which salary
of $500 would seem to call for
I find that goods for Wheeling are being
shipped over the Pennsylvania Central ir con-
siderable quantities, aud likewise, goods for
Pittsburg over the B. & o., via Whe ling, and
up from there by river or rail ut the option of
the shippers This, of course, works une
qually for the Pa. Central inasmuch rs Pitts
burg affords a much larger field for such an en-
terprise than Wheeling. tits to be regarded MS
unfortunate aud as something very strange,
that these two roads cannot make it to the in
terest of shippers at these western termini, 10
patronize their roads. This crosswise
transfer of patronage by the merchants will,
prehaps, have the effect of bringing about a
proper adjustment of rates.
But have said more about railroads than
intended to.
Yesterday, happening in at the am ,us Broad.
way Saloon of Taylor's with fri,nI, was in.
duced TO spend an hour cx .,loring its wonders
rs the empire establish IN .nt of this empire city
Mr.. freeman, the superintendent, took us first
on an underground exploration, and SO down
we went until had got twenty feet under
ground, when we commenced going forward and
crosSwise into regions where the light of day
never enters bnt which are Int up arIifcially.-
| Upon one side Of passage way we would turn
to look at the immense culinary operations GO
ing on. There was oyster department where
men were hammerihg and opening shells all
the day long. These were passed into the
hands of receivers who sent them forward to
other parties engaged in serving them up in all
sorts of styles In another room we would SEQ
persons packing poultry in ice, which was con-
Stantly being brought in aud let down from
above by the market pnrveyors in the employ
of the establishment. In another part we would
See immense stores Of wines and liquors of all