Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1871-10-05
DIR. WEYERSR. r, YOFE.


subject.
The Marietta and Cincinnati Rail-
road Company was chartered in 1915
with its termini at BeIpre and Gin
cinnati. Afterwards by an act of the
Legislature it was extended to Marietta
and its name changed to that by which
it is now known. In 1S50a special act
passed the Legislature permitting the
Company to extend their Road from
Marietta to point opposite Wheeling.
Under the authority of this act the
Company surveyed Road a long the
River as far as BelIaire. About one
million of dollars was expended in
grading, bridging and culverting this
Road and the work was suspended.
Afterwards the entire Road with its
branches, right of way, and franchises
were sold under foreclosure of mort
cages and the Company was reor-
ganized under the name of the Ma
rietta and Cincinnati r. r. Co. AS
reorgd1ized the charter required the
Company to complete and operate
specified number of miles of the Read
during the first ten or fifteen years and
an additional number of miles every
five years thereafter, and this condi-
ton of the charter not having been
complied with, two or three general
acts were passed by the Legislature,
about five years apart each extending
the time for the completion of unfin-
ished Railroads, and giving an addi-
tional five years for the fulfillment of
charters in this respect. Under this
act the charter of the NJ. & C. R. R.
remained as good in every respect as if
the Road had been completed accord
ing to the original charter. This char
ter would have expired in May, 1860,
and all the right of way and improve
ments forfeited by the Company, had
not an act been passed in the Spring
of 1870 extending the same. This act
was passed April IA, 1870 and is an act
entitled an act to extend the time
for the completion of unfinished Rail-
roads. 1t provides that any Railroad
Company that has performed labor and
,lexpended money on its line of road and
from any cause has been unable to
Icomplete the amount of road specified
in the charter within the time specified
! in the charter, it shall be lawful for
said Company to proceed in the con-
struction of its Road and complets the
same within five years from and after
the expiration of the time required by
the charter.
i While this act was pending in the
House after having passed the Senate
it was demonstrated against by the cit
zens of Highland County, praying in
their remonstrance that noact be passed
authorizing the NJ. & c. R. R. Com
|, pany to extend the time for the COM
pletion of the Hillsboro & Cincinnati
Railroad. This remonstrance created
an opposition to the bill in the House
. and there was some doubt of its pas
T sage in its present form. While the
act was pending and meeting with op-
position in the House, Mr.. Oldham Of
Marietta, who is said to be an attorney
for the B. O.. r. r. Company together
with others applied at the Office of the
Secretary of the State for charter for
la Road called the Marietta & Bellaire
Road, which was accordingly granted
; March 4, 1870. The OBJECT of this char
; ter was evidently to enable the Com
j pany in whose interest it was taken
: out to keep any other Company from
, building'a Road along the line of the
! Ohio River from Marietta to Bellaire
u The Marietta q Cincinnati RoaC
: being now under the control of the b
so. Company and it being contrary t.
the interest of that Company to have {
Road built by themselves or any other
: Company along the River from Mar
; ietta to Bellaire, this charter was evi
Identity taken out to be used only in
event of bill to extend the old char
, ter failing to pass. This bill having
: passed on the 18th of April, 1870, we
! of course hear no more of the MARKETS.
& Bellaire Railroad.
All the people along the line confi
: IDENTIFY believed that this Road would
r be built by some Company, at the ex
r piration of this old charter in 1870; bu
!, this is prevented for another five years
. by the act of April IA, 1870.
DIR. Weyer voted for this act contrary
d to the wishes of the people of his owl
5 Township and Village and the section
O of the county bordering on the River
While the citizens of Highland count,
: were notified by their Representativ,
y in time to demonstrate against the &C
e and secure an amendment preventin,
4 its affecting their Road, our Repre-
sentative paid no attention to it othe
than to vote for it on its final passage
i and in a few days, he with his daugh
ters were on their way to Washington
= City, enjoying free excursion givel
. the Legislature by the Baltimore 1
Ohio r. r. Company which wa
benefited by this act. Last winter tn
I'll Ohio Valley r. r. Company was char
fI tered and now has its books openet
: for subscription, and might go on an,
: build their Road along the River from
llj Marietta to Bellaire if it was not fo
4 this old charter, but as it is they mus
e seek some eother route or wait five year
longer. ,eai
In view of all this, how can an,
7 Farmer, Merchant or Mechanic livinI
r within the River Townships vote agail
" for a man so Indifferent to their inter
: ests. You want a live man to repre-
? sent you and, see that you vote +
8 secure him, next Tuesday.
Z
4 Who shall be our choice for Commits
d sioner? Nothing can save party il
K power from censure, SO much as tn
Y fact of there being one member in tn
IS Board of Commissioners, who is a mem
!, Der of the opposite party. With on