The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-02-25
Hon. ). RCFus Smith and tho CITY of
wheeling

-
wheeling.
To the Editor OF the IntsIIigencer.
1--WE caf4not for the life of: us conceive
what in the world got into the head,
heart and stomach Of our jolly amiable
friend, Hon. j. Rufus Smith, in his
abuse OF .Wheeling. He certainly must
have parteken of something more lndl-
gestible than peanuts. With Mr.. FLICK
We have'no acquaintance, and of course
have nothing to say; but with our friend
Smith, with whom we have had much
pleasant daily Intercourse, we expected
better things, for our opinions and feel
ines we're decidedly on his side-we
really liked the gentleman. But whilst
we make the admission, we do not like
to have the city of Wheeling abused;
We have been treated too kindly and
considerably by her citizens TO be for
getful or ungrateful, and think am
not, oYersteppfDg the mark when say
Wheeling has q fast friend In nearly eve
ry merchant, manufacturer, mechanic
or business man in this county. Why,
[ think If those gentlemen will reflect
moment on the history and achieve
ments of Wheeling (and against adverse
circumstances too) for the past few
years. they will feel like clarifying and
extoIfng her. Let us look seriously for
a moment and see what she has been
doing, whilst those old fogy towns. viii
lagos, anu Clues east VI luS 4DAu0 4Sl"HCI
have been sleeping their rip Van
Wrinkle sleep" (and TO the verge of
which we once belonged, but thank
God not now She has expended some
500, 900 for n suspension bridge over
the Ohio River, and after erecting the
same expended many thousands in de-
Tending and securing 1t against the city
of Pittsburgh steamboat men and 9TH
ers, who persistently determined on Its
removal. She also was at great expense
in lobbying in the Virginia Legislature,
in order TO secure the terminus OF the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at that
city, and in order to secure the Samo
took $500, GOO stock in the road. By the
elements her fine suspension bridge
was destroyed, and at an expense of
many thousands she erected another OF
inferior structure, and subsequently re-
moved that aud erected the present
magnificent bridge which now ispans
the River. BY, az she conceived,
fraudulent act, of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company, virtually
making their terminus or connection
with the Central Ohio Road Mt Benwood
in defending and maintaining this
her legal right she expended a large
sam; she built splendid and lNagnih-
cent line OF steamers ut the suggestion
OF the Railroad Company to ply daily
between that city and Louisville; she
also with the same object in view,
erected two elegant and costly hotels
she took 5000, 600 stock in the Henlptield
Railroad and has since greatly increas-
ed her stock in that road. Besides all
this she has built a number OF large
commo6ious, costly aud substantial
school editices and still further has
perhaps built more houses OF divine
Worship land many of them elegant
and expensive) than any city of her
size west OF the Alleghanies. Add
L., 10
glass works and other industrial and
public improvements which time will
fail me to mention and you have
picture of enterprise and indomitable
industry ard energy not surpassed By
any city in the Union, and which
should inspire feeling of pride that
she is our city and within our young
Commonwealth. With the many and
untoward events with which she has
had to grapple Der prosperity has been
steadily upwards and EDWARDS. Her
merchants and business men we have
found to be honorable upright men.
Having been in busine9s for Il number
OF years aud dealing with New York,
Philadelphia and Wheeling during
that time we found our intercourse
with the latter city pleasant, profitable
and satisfactory In this we testify to
that we do know and speak OF that
which we have seen, and as u citizen OF
prosperity and have the same wish and
desire for the growth and upbuilding Of
every town and village within the
length and breadth OF our Stale. The
proposition of Wheeling for.the con-
tinuance Of the capital there and which
may have disturbed our friends, l
cannot but consider frank, fair
and generous, but whether it
would be wise or polite to ac-
cept we do not propose to discuss,
we have our own opinion. But of one
thing we are certain, that the PROPOSE
ton should be entertained in the same
generous, kind and courteous manner
in which it was made. If perchance
the Register proclaimed the Legislature
calamity, it was certainly declara-
ton unbecoming a respectable journal
and what from our acquaintance with
one OF the Editors, we hardly ex-
pected; but still legislator standing
on his dignity and propriety of conduct
should not for II moment discend TO
notice it-QMt non pCccaUlt poemant non
fcrct. With charity fsr ali and malice
towards none, we think if the gentle
men will look fairly at Wheeling as she
Is through our Spect0cLeS, they will GER
tainly in their own minds more to re-
consider. VERITAs VINCIT.
CTdrkS6Wrg, ". Va. FEB. %.