The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-03-18

The question now with reference to the
projected road to the Northwest, is not 50
much upon what route it shall be located
us whether it shall be built at all and
after all, this is the important point.
Suppose the road built to Bridgeport,
and connected with the Island by bridge.
1t will then be local line, having q lGcal
trade, rlLtOut Eastern connections, not ter.
nindtlng on The Wheeling Sitle Of tie rirer.
All Wheeling freight will have to be
drayed 10 or from the Island. Wheeling
will not own a controlling interest in the
road. Those who do will desire if posi-.
bic to make it pay. 70 this end they
will seek Eastern connections, and thus
secure share Of through Greights and
travel.
Where shall they find it, Not in the
Cleveland & Pitts6urg Railroad Compa-
ny. 1t will rather be competing line.
They must then find it in the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company. How! BY
drays? They are not only too expensive,
but too Slop. BY bridget? A bridge will
cost near IL million dollars. How then ?
By an arrangement with the G. l. P.
Railroad Company for the use Of their
track from Bridgeport to Bellaire? or by
building u new road between those points,
ut cost not exceeding 100000, Of which
amount Bcllairc would doubtless pay
$4,000, ifthcy could not otherwise secure
Il connection with tue road?
Then, whether by arrangement with
the c. & P. r. r. Co, or by building o
new road, 1t is certain that no line as ex-
tensive rs the projected route, having val.
liable Western connections, would long
remain without an Eastern connection,
when it could have one by the expendi.
tnre OF less than 100000. 1t is, then,
very certain, that If built on the Wheeling
Creek route it would not be long before
Bellaire would become its actual termin-
us, and Wheeling merely way station.
The investment OF $500, 900 in bridge
over the back river" would then be
about as barren rs your Hempfeld and
Cincinnati and Marietta stocks. Do the
people Of Wheeling wish TO make other
such investments? Besides, the 100000
will be consumed in building the back
river" bridge, track, &C., upon the island,
and the $500, 900 is barren again, in thatit
does not aid in promoting the construC-
ton OF the road; and without such aid it
will not be built upon the Wheeling
creek route, if upon any other
TIE ROUTE VIA DELLAIRE AND ST.
GAINESVILLE.
It has been generally assumed that
Wheeling has no interest in this route.
Let US inquire If this is true. Those who
have advocated this route expect to ar-
range with the Baltimore and Ohio Rail.
road for the use Of the Central Ohio track
from NcfF's 10 Baltimore; and if Wheel.
ing would interest herself in this route it
would doubtless be equally easy to ar
range for the use Of the track from Netf's
to Wheeling.S Then It's passenger trains
would arrive in and depart from Wheel
ing-in short, Wheeling would be its &c.
tu0l terminus, as under no other cir
CumstanCes can itbe.
Cleveland as well as Toledo wishes
to reach the coal fields Of the
TusCarawas valley; and has under
consideration the building of road from
Cleveland to Wooster, where it would
connect with the Toledo line. II one is
built, the other will be also. Then iron
ore from Cleveland and the Lakes could
DO delivered TO the Benwood, Belmont,
and other mills, without drayage from
Bridgeport, as at present. In like man
ner, their manufactures can be shipped
without so much drayagc. Lumber from
tue Lakes, &c, could be laid down In
Wheeling.
BY this route and this arrangement
Wheeling has the actual terminus Of the
road, without drAying from the Island.
Expended on this route, the 100000 in.
surcs the construction of the road TO
Wooster, and complete to that point II
will he speedily carried through to
Cleveland and Toledo. When tits finish.
ed it will become Of the most valuable
western connections Wheeling would
have.
There are some persons in Wheeling,
as there are in BGllAire, who would pre-.
fer that their respective points should
mOnOpOlize the benefits to be derived
from this road, ii built; but there
will be other and larger interests
involved, which will not consent that 1t
be subOrdnatcd to the interests Of either
Wheeling or Bellaire. Nor do feel that
1t is desirable that they should. Wheel
ing and BCllaire and her other suburbs are
as essentially one in interest as are Pitts.
burgh and Allegheny City or their suburbs,
ANY idea Of conflict has no better ioundI.
ton than the "baseless fabric Of vision"
Wheeling cannot prosper without her
suburbs having that prosperity, nor can
the suburbs grow without Wheeling par
taking Of that growth. Suppose two
cases LIST, That in 1880 Wheeling should
have population of $4,000, while in her
suburbs there should he no increase what
ever. I'd, That in 1880 Wheeling should
number $4,000 inhabitants ard hersubur6s
$4,000 also Is there o sane man in
Wheeling who believes that the city would
not he more prosperous under the latter
conditions than under the former? Not
only would the city receive vastly aug
mented trade from those suburbs, but its
importance abroad would be very greatly
increased.
Again, is there any more conflict Of in.
terest between the Bellaire Nail Works
and the Wheeling nail mills than If it
had been built in Wheeling, or than there
now is between the Belmont and La Belle
millsg Upon u candid consideration Of
the question, feeling and prejudice having
been laid aside, think all will agree that
our interests are SO nearly identical that
we can at least cooperate in furthering
enterprises that will alike benefit all.
Then why should Wheeling object to
this road coming through BellAire to
Wheeling! or why should she propose
to aid the Wheeling Creek route and re-
fuse to aid that via St Clairsville?
IN CONCLUSION"
BY the Wheeling Creek route there