The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-05-15
The Pittsburgh, Kentucky and
Wheeling Railroad.

Wheeling Railroad.
To the Editors OF the Intelllgeneer
A nerusal of your editorial of the 18th
inst ON the railroad from Holiday
Cove, prompts the conclusion that you
seek simply'to enlighten our citizens upon
this subject But a marked feature OF
your production is that you will bear no
little enlightenment upon this subject be-
fore being able to fulfill the above desira'
bic result, For instance, you evidently
suppose that the hauling OF merchandise
"a mile over bad road and through two
toll bridges is matter Of detriment and
expense to our citizens; whereas this dlsa'
bility OF the c. IL Z. II. r. is the only
thing that ever did or will cause u rall'
road to load and receive their goods right
ut our doors" in Wheeling, from 'thlln,
delphia, New York and New England
and we willadd, Toledo, Detroit, chicago
and all Western as well as Eastern points
ol competition. As the G, X +. routes
East and West have to compete WIN the
b. ~ 0, road lat our doors, they must
needs deliver their lrcights in Wheeling,
and as they have no depot in the city, the
Goods are from necessity discharged in the
The very doors OF cOnsignees; and re-
criycd from factories and other points Of
shipment, even from two to three miles
away, lrih0ut coSt 10 shippers or c0nSigHeeS,
us tie line pays this transfer from the low
competing rate-saving all drayage to
our business communicate Immunity
from cost of drayage not enjoyed by any
other city in the country, We believe
nil the result of this awful transfer to and
from BridgCpOrt-as the b. " U. road are
compelled to make like delivery OF mer-
chandi2e to compete with the above ne
cessilics OF the @. IL p. routes. And as a
consequence, when the q. " +. road ceases
to be q competing channel OF commerce
las some sanguine people seem to suppose
ii win by reason OF the superior adVan'
,ages OF the contemplated road, this dray,,
agr tax will revert TO our merchants anu
manufacturers, of course. Again, how are
the up. W. Il X. r. r" and Penn. H. X
10 be less "two lines Of road than the u
& p. and Penn. Il. r. now arc?
While the river rates are so low thai
the present road declines competition
Herewith, to all points between here anG
Pittsburgh, and, us we are informed, tue
G. " 7. proportion ON many classes o
goods from the East, (even at what somt
seem to think an exhOrbltant rate o
freiCht,l Is but three cents 10 four ant
hail cents per one hundred pounds FOL
one hundred miles haul. What would
the Penpsylyania railroad be likely Il
allow between Holidays Cove anC
Wheeling, some twenty miles0 How
long would it take this road, vi
say, with only such competition as thu
river and i. " o. road now exercise, Il
become a paying investment:
Ii seems TO be taken for granted iha
the commerce 10 and from the East /
the only matter worthy oi attention
whereas, the nails and glassware TO In
West, and flour and prOduce from tn
West, sink the eastern commerce int
partial insigniticanCe Again the north
ern routes via the lakes bring good
through Cleveland from New England
&c, al vastly less rates than either of tn
all rail lines ever do. And confessedll
your "P., W. Il X" lays no claim to nd
antagcs 10 the West or via the lax
IrOutcs,--partCularly, ms the Q. u /
hauls the nails, &c, from the mills, with
out cost to shipper or conslgnee.
As to length Of route Tor freight or pas
sengers, it Is II fact known on all hind
thai the longer the route the lower I'll
freight charge; and shOrtness of route
no advantage where competition inter
venes.
While we do believe that the rOaC
ought to he built, as 1t would be q dt
: Cidcd advantage to the interests Of pal
. ties along its route, in the development
n of values; It should be built by those VIII
arc to receive the benefits of It's cOnstrut
. ton, viz:-The Pennsylvania railrOa
and the people along It's route; and a
e Wheeling Is TO be somewhat partnke
in that benefit, she also should contribut
dccOmingH
Before voting for this outlay, 1t seem
but proper to ask ourselves the question
. shall we thus develope enough new bus
, ness, or be otherwise sufficiently benefit
ted, to mike the tax Tor this probable do
nation II paying investment. ID.