The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-09-01
PARRERGRURG.


he writes out quite an account of his
trip in his paper of yesterday. He sets
out by saying that che saw many things
to admire and some to deplore." He
pays quite compliment to our old fell
low citizen, Mr.. Wharton, editor of the
Times, down there, TO whose f'indefa-
tigable zeal and energy" he says, Par
kersburg ais mainly indebted for her
present status" He also compliments
the Spencer House highly. Heremarks
thar "the streets and wharves are being
paved and graded, which will add
much to the improvement of the city :"
that "many of the buildings heretofore
erected are receiving new fronts by way
of putting on city airs" that ssthe
wholesale and commission stores are
acquiring considerable notoriety !" that
sin the number and beauty of churches
she stands without q rival"
These are mainly the features of Par
kersburg which the editor compliments.
Those which he was sled to execrate''
are the "want of names todesignate the
Streets" "Not n name" he says, was
Ito be found at any corner.p ssYou
may travel for whole day in dark
ness, not knowing whittier you CO."
The next thing the editor finds fault
with is ''the fatal error so generally
countenanced by the people-viz: tho
erection of a bridge across the Ohio"
"This completed, !" the editor says, Sand
Parkersburg will retrogade with more
than double the rapidity with which
she now increases.Y The editor OF, the
Press seems to entertain the same ideas
expressed by the Steubenville Herald
some daysiago In reference to the bridge
up there-ideas from which, it is hard
" necessary for us to say, we wholly
dissent. We quote at length what he
says on'this head-ns follows: 7
"The history of every city, where the
fatal experiment has been tried, proves
tho iact, that so soon as the railroad
passes by, 1t carries off tho trade and
travel. On the contrary. while ever
any town is the terminus of railroad,
It Will increase In business of every
Kind but let the railroad pass, and
away goes the trade and travel. Park
ersburg has grown perhaps as rapidly
for few years past as any other city,
She is. now the focus, around which
tho railroad and steamboat, travel
gather, but pass on the railroad, and
away goes all the advantages. Beside
this 1t will, land ought of right to less
en- the chances Tor the State Capital,
because you will by that means divide
the interest and capital of the State
with Ohio, opening up Mt once rival
city, and we should not be sur
prised to find in five years a larger city
on the Ohio side of the river than Par
kersburg. We wonder, from these and
many other considerations, that every
man who owns property in tho city is
not found arrayed in deadly hostility
to the erection of the bridge. Interest,
policy, good sense, and every other
consideration, cry aloud and say never
consent to the bridge. Keep the con-
wise and prosper. Mark that before II
Is too late to mend il"
With all Difference to our friend OF
the Press, we must say that his views
of building up towns and creating q
permanent prosperity for them, strike
us rs exceedingly scribbed and confin.
cd,H If Parkersburg has no other mer.
itsthan her accidental. position as the
terminus of the North Western yir.
ginia road, then indeed will she speefl;.
ly .sretrogade," as affirmed by the
Press If she is dependent ON Inc
transfer business offered by the Balti-
moro and Ohio Company by reason OF
a break in their rail connection. shewilI
dwindle most certainly. On the CON
trary If she has solid and enduring
merits above and below her soil. as has
all along been claimed, then she win
not be appreciably effected. The ter.
minus of a railroad is hardly a feathers
weight to any place. Railroads do no,
generally terminate in small towns
orfcities.S They may for a time JbysSI.
bulk there, but they are all the time
seeking their proper conneEtio,s
Just as water seeks an5 IN, s.ls
its level. The idea Of blocIsain.- to ,.SI