Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-01-16
Progres. OF the RaiIrood BIN.

Progress OF the Railroad Bill.
Yesterday afternoon Mr. Smith, of Mari
on county, made speech against the
Pennsylvania railroad bill pending before
the legislature. Some of his points were
verv forcible. Among others he presented
these: The Baltimore railroad whenever
her resources, by reason of the diminu-
ton of through business fall below paw
ing standard must of necessity increase
the tariff on local freights. To increase
the local rates is to indirectly tax every
producer and consumer within our pro-
posed new State who ships or receives ship
ments or consumes articles shipped over
the road. Aud who of all our people in all
our counties does not consume articles car
ried over this road And. therefore, who
is it that would not be more or less affected
by an increase in the rates. Whoever and
whatever does anything to cut down the
through business of the Baltimore road
does just that much injury to our people in
North Western Virginia, because for every
dollar taken from the road in that way the
local trade has correspondiugly to suffer.
Tle road must live. 1t is not its int crest
to oPPressivey tax local freight On the
contrary it is its interest to cultivate, nour-
ish, enlarge and popularize its local bust
ress. In order to be able to do SO must
have paying through business and enough
of it. M1uifestIy therefore it is the policy
and it is the duty of legislature, chosen
almost entirely By Baltimore railroad coun-
ties, to do every thing in their power to
give it through freight and passenger ad-
vantnges. 1t is the duty and the interest
of such legislature to secure every favor
able facility and to look closely to every
conflicting claim, and to defeat it if posi-
BILE. For in so doing they but put money
in their own pockets aud in the pockets OF
tIeir constituents. Every consideration of
sel6shness, if there was no other feature.
calls upon the counties on the line of the
Baltimore road, to vote as one man against
any and every measure which looks to its
injury.
This was one point deliberately estab-
lished by Mr.. Smith. and we believe that
the position is impregnable. And on i.
should consider, that the granting such
powers as the Pennsylvania. road ask for,
is nothing more nor less than tho most
complete suicide on our part.
Another point was this: The Baltimore
road pays into tue State Treasury one mill
per mile for every through passenger car
ried over her track. Two hundred and
eighty miles of her track are in the State.
She then pays $50 mills for every through
passenger she carries. 1t is manifest at a
glance that whatever policy increases her
throegh travel, increases our State rev
enue, aud whatever dtminlshes it, Injuries
US just that much. But this is not all;
She pays certain per cent on every
through pound of freight to the State treas
ury. sE;ery bog and bale we can secure to
her from beyond the limits of the State
helps us as so much tax.
Now contrast this with the effects of this
proposed Pennsylvania railroad bill, where
by it is contemplated to shorten and
strengthen the westward connection of
that road With the only western feeder of
any magnitude, which the Baltimore and
Ohio rAilEOGd- has, viz: the Central Ohio.
If we allow. the Pennsylvania road her
long eoyeted5right of way through our ter
ritOFy, she will tap that feeder at a greater
advantage than she even now does, and
will get that much farther into the vitals of
the Baltimore and Ohio road. OF course
the result will be to divert more pas
Sengers, and more pounds of freight
from the Baltimore and Ohio road
to the PennsyIVania road, aud in doing 80
to divert SO much money from our State
treasury. OF all times in the world we
can least afford such policy now. I'm
poverished as many of our counties have
been by the necessities and calamit,es of
war it becomes their representatives to
avail themselves not only of all past but