The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-08-18
From the Wheeling Intelligencer Thursday.
Wheeling on a switch.

We regret being obliged to say that
our citizens have been unpleasantly dis
appointed by some recent changes in
the running Of trains on the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad, in respect to their
connections with this city. We noticed
a week ago that two through fast train',
the Cincinnati Express and Fast Line,
were taken off the main stem and start
ed from Parkersburg instead Of Wheel
ing, obliging Wheeling passengers for
the East to make a change Of cars at
Grafton. Now the trains connecting
with those two trains instead OF being
started from this city are started from
Columbus and run through to Grafton,
not coming up to this city at all. The
only through train now from Wheeling
to Baltimore is the mail, which leaves
the city at the unreasonable hour OF
midnight and arrives at the still more
announcement hour Of o'clock in the
morning; and even this train is also to
be taken away from Wheeling in few
DAYS. and run from Columbus to Graf.
ton. We shall then have no trains at
all except the Cumberland Accomoda-
ton and the little "dinkey, which runs,
wrong end before, down to Benwood. A
passenger from Wheeling will thus
have to ride from here to Benwood on
a third class car, and make two changes
of cars, to say nothing Of the vexatious
waiting for trains, before he can get on
train going directly to Baltimore.
The same is true Of passengers coming
to Wheeling; and we learn that quite
commotion occurred at Benwood yes
terday among passengers who were set
atoot there instead OF being brought on
up to this city.
Wheeling is thus left on a switch
with only a filthy little train run over
it, TO connect her with railroads east
and west.
Now we submit to Mr.. John W.
Garrett, as We do to our own citizens,
whether this is fair dealing towards this
city. Mr.. Garrett was quite recently
an applicant for valuable favors at the
hands of this municipality. Those IA
vors were freely granted, in accordance
with the wish Of nearly all our people.
We understood Mr.. Garrett gave the
committee OF Council, who waited on
him, ample assurances Of the purposes
of his company to do the fair thing by
the city. Assurances Of this kind
were very freely given BY the officials OF
the company stationed at this point
Our people were led to expect that an
era Of mutual good feeling and mutual
benefits was to follow the granting OF a
free right Of way through the city. 1t
was upon the faith OF these circum-
stances that we urged the Council to be
generous toward the company, and upon
this faith that they were generous.
Nov, we should like to know if Mr..
Garrett considers il a fair return to take
away all our trains and leave US, as late
arrangements do, virtually on switch.
We should like to know whether his Of
ficials here were parties 10 the fraud
that has been practiced on our city, or
whether they were deceived and i'm
posed on too BY their superiors.
We suggest that the ordinance grant
ing the right OF way is not immutable
as the laws OF the Medes and Persians.
The power that gave the grant can take
i, away, if good cause appear.
Doubtless it must appear now to
many who could not see it before, that
Wheeling made a mistake last spring
in not voting subscription to the road
up the Panhandle. So long as we have
a single iine of road, so long are We at
its mercy. If We had short connec-
ton with the Pennsylvania road such
as the Pittsburgh, Wheeling and Ken
lucky road would give, we should be
quite independent Of Mr.. Garrett and
his Benwood switch. Now the question
for our people is how long will they
submit to the present state Of affairs |
without an effort at relief. II Mr.. Gar
rett is going to pursue the policy to-
wards Wheeling that has just been de- |
veloped. the sooner we make up our
minds to look for another outlet the
better. Will our people be content
with a switch and a ope-horee "dinkev"