The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-12-08
INC street RnIIrondl ProIeet.

The Street Railroad Project.
Our projected street railroad enter
prise has not yet become an accom-
plished fact. Our last information is
that all the necessary stock has not
been taken. Those who have it in
charge, however, are not discouraged.
They intend to push it through TO sue
cessfuI completion. We believe that
before great while the road will be-
built, either by company at home or
from abroad. We think we are justi-
fed in saying that the conviction gains
ground daily that the road, when built,
will pay good dividends. Those who
have studied the matter most infinitely
are OF this opinion, and are ready to
back up their faith with their cash.
We have seen their estimates of re-
ceipts from travel across the Suspen-
sion Bridge, taken from the books of
the Bridge Company, and the revenue
from this one source alone would be
very handsome. The idea of the Com
pany would be 10 extend their line to
Bridgeport, and to do general freight
as well as passenger business. Unless
all calculations, based upon incontest-
ible facts and figures, should fail, the
receipts would make the line success
from the outset.
In this connection we may refer to a
long article in the Philadelphia Amer-
lean on the subject of street railroads
in that city. The history of several of
the lines is glanced at, and the editor
reviVes the predictions that were haz-
nrded by some capitalists, who thought
they knew, as to the riskiuess of the re-
spective enterprises. Many of the mo-
-neyed men shook their heads and shrug-
ged their shoulders, and would not
venture to embark In the experiments.
The same persons were glad afterwards
to buy the stock of those roads at a
premium, as Investments. Soft is with
almost all new enterprises. 1t was so
with the Gas Company in this city but
a few years ago. The stock went beg
ging in the market, and at one time
there was probability that the neces-
sary capital could not be raised. Now
a-days who would not like to be the
owner of "a few shares of Gas stockR
Referring again to the article in the
Philadelphia american on the subject
ofstreet railroads in that city, we make
the following extract from it:
"Some years ago it was supposed that
the construction of horse Cur lines was
being OverdOne In Philadelphia, and
that some of the lines could not posi-
bly, be made 10 pay. Yet all are still
running probably, and the mileage
augments steadily. One line, the Sew
enteenth and Nineteenth streets which
was ut first run at n loss, is now doing
fine business, consequent upon the
enormous amount of building done on
the route, which doubtless was at
tract dethither solely by the faciI-
tiles afforded by this line. The Girnrd
Avenue route, which was run at u loss
also, for time, has been connected
with the Fourth and Eighth streets
route GermRntown.) and is now doing
wei. The Jacksonville line, another
weak enterprise which failed for II time.
has been merged in the consolidated
Arch, Race and Vine and CnlIowhilI
street companies, and is now prosper
ously USED as connection. The
Schuylkill River line, newly built
along the whole eastern bank of that
stream, has become II connection of the
Spruce and Pine streets line in Fair
mount Park. ana IS much used. The
Second and Third streets line has been
extended from Richmond through
Brides6urg to Frankford, making two
strong lines to the latter flOurishing
borough.
AS to the question whether the sys-
tenn has now reached its extreme deVel-
Opment in Philadelphia, we regard il
as fully answered by the history of its
progress thus far. Each successive
road has been looked upon as filling p
all our requirements, and the attempt
10 get new line has been resisted with
the same vehemence that greetS the
first. We cannot now recall one of
these corporations that was not the sub.
ject OF bitter hostility. five regard the
connection OF the city with the adjacent
villages, we should say that we are very
lar nom having as many car lines as
We need. Those we now have reach
HRddington, Darby, MRuayunk, Hes
tonvtlle, Germantown, frankfort and
Bridesburg. But there must be Mt least
u score of pleasant rural suburbs like
these yet within easy reach, that would
become delightful places of residence
for city business men IL put in regular
communication with the centre of trade
by car lines. Though beginning with
horse cars, these should all be run with
steam passenger cars, like those on the
FrankfOrd line, as soon rs possible.