The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-05-18
The p, W. Il h. and Wheeling q To-
Irdo RuilTOadS COntTusIed.

The p, w. Il IA. and Wheeling a los
Iedo RaiITOadS COntTusIed.
To the Edltorr OF the IntelliEeHccr.
Since our people have come 10 see thai
their true commercial interest lies in an
increased number OF railroads. and are
willing to invest in their. construction, il
Is but fitting that we seek ont, among the
many projected ones, such as will be- most
likely To make IN adequate return OF
trade and cOmmeTce-as it is well known
that few short lines make an immediate
return on their original cost
In thus deciding, let us revert 10 the
tact that in our carly history, Wheeling
enjoyed the trade of much Of the country
in Ohio, now lrnversrd by the Panhandle
and Pittsburgh Fl W. \ G. railroads. ~
CadiZ. New Philadelphia, Canton, NlA7,
sillon, Wooster and other towns, SOME "'
them now thriving cities Iheh on
the completion of the Ohio tanal, Tie
trndc sought mn outlet ut NieNe'
land and after the construction OF
these roads, again our interior Of Ohio
nrighhor, sought ont the quickest and
cAaust channel for their commerce, and
Pittsburgh now enjoys what was and
,huuld Jaw be among our greatest sources
OF prosperity and wealth. Few or none
Of our nails, glassware and merchandise
find consumers in these localities, for the
very simple reason that we have no SIN
ate line Of rodd, that could give us the com.
mcrcia cOntiguity that geographically We
possess. Pittsburgh, having OHs road
and one rate OF freight to all the above
named country. Is able 10 distance all
competition. Whereas, We having tr0
roads with ira local rates TO pay, and the
handling and delay OF Irans-shipment,
places restoration OI This trade entirely
beyond our reach.
When aremedy for this loss OF our trade
Is suggested by the building OF road from
Bridgeport, throug this belt OF country
Mt once, ut once some obstructive suggests
that we have no means OF crossing the
river, aud It would cost such an enormous
amount TO build bridge even TO the Is
land-ever seeming 20 persist that our
present bridges are either oi little or no
value to commerce, or an absolute dctri-
ment TO the general intGrests-never will
ing to see that IN increased traffic
over the bridges would OF necessity re.
duce the tolls; which would result from
the Grcightage that IN additional railroad
to Bridgeport would necessarily bring.
Again, u great bng.beaG Is made Of
the distance and cost Of transfer
of Rboth freight and passengers across
the Island. Indeed, this difficulty exists
only in imagination, as We propose to
show. First, passengers are conveyed
no greater distance " Bridgeport from
Wheeling, than in nearly every city in
the country, and in most cases the dis.
lance is much greater; and surely there is
no hack or omnibus line in the country
that hauls its passengers more cXpedi'
tiOuslv or at so little cost AZ OAR street
railroad and omnibus line perform this
service. Second, even the freight hauled
to and from the Bridgeport depot $50
much harpcd about, whenever Bridge
port railroad project Is mOOted,l is but an
imagined difficulty, us this service Is per.
formed ut no greater cost than local
drayage in the city from levee or b. Il O.
depot, in the minority Of cases, and In
none is this charge higher than drayagc
in other cities, and even the most of this
il paid by She railroad lines, and ever will
he while competition requires H. But
waving oil this matter Of transfer, another
railroad to bridgeport would from sheer
necessity demand bridge 10 the Island
| II not to the city, below the Island thus
connecting our city, beside its present
railroad outlets, with all the country that
formerly brought its produce to our doors
and consumed orr wares and meTChan
disc And, further, by connecting with
the Panhandle, the r., +. W. Il G.
and other roads to the west and
northwest, would place Wheeling on
an eminenCc of Railroad facilities
scarcely eXCelled by any city in the
country. For it is " the West and not
the East that we must look for the con.
sumption of our warGs:and TO our own con.
tigous territory as an outlet for our already
expanded wholesale trade In all manner Of
merchandise.
As we are asked to make IN outlay Of
$lj000O to construct road to give bit
vt territory to the larger city Of Pitts.
bnrgh, that has now no commence save
with Wheeling, we submit, II like sum
advanced toward the construction Of the
dbOvO Ohio and Western road would
doubtless secure not only paying invest.
mCnt, but also commercial advantages
that no other route can promise.
The Holidays Cove Railroad proposes
to open up for the benefit Of Pittsburgh
wares and merchandise not only Wells.
burg, but all the towns and country this
side Of Wellsburg, that are now at our
doors either by river or good pike roads.
Suppose 1t il urged that we are thus toin.
crease our facilities Of commerce with
New York, IA proposition almost
wholly problematicaD we answer that
our new lIempfeld Roiroad ar.
arrangement il likely to do much more
in this behalf than the T., W. K. Il. r.
4 gives promise Of doing.
We are by no means nlone in the BELIEF
that the construction Of Il new rOad 10
the Northwest would at no distant day
recover to Wheeling what conicssedly she
lost by her past mistaken railroad policy.
And this project fulfilled might rGasonn
bly, eventuatc in the building Of bridge
to our city, thus giving us the fullest
commercial facilities. W. A.
To the Editors Of the lnielllgcncer:
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