The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-03-29
avheeling &egistrr.


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DEAR Sir In reading Mr.. Dickens
derfers report Of Wheeling creek sur
vey, and in your editorial remarks, you
seem to convey the idea that the pro-
ject would have to be given up because
Toledo was about to build on some
t-other line. Why give upf we see moth.
ing discouraging, all Wheeling can do
or should be asked to do is her duty in
the premises. She proposes to give
100000 to building bridge over Back
river, $500, 900 to put into the road on
the end next to Wheeling. This is
just what we asked of Wheeling six
months ago. Eastern capitalists are
ready and have been for year to build
twenty or twenty-five miles of railroad
into coal regions, agreeing that if SIC, 900
per mile could be raised by local sub
scription and the right Of way, they
would finish the road and put on the
rolling stock. We have this guarantee
and have secured about $1,000 per mile
and the right of way from the farmers.
Let Wheeling come forward now with
her subscriptions and Wheeling can
have the matter in her own hands as
regards the terminus Of the road. There
is not man interested in this project
but what knows that we will be met by
some one Of the many railroad projects
from the Northwest. The time has
come and Toledo is not the only city
northwest from Wheeling by any
means. We are well aware that the
cost of building roads in Eastern Ohio
is very great. So much the more neces-
sity of pushing the matter. They
are not built anywhere in
day or a month, nor is it worth while
for individuals, by private enterprise, to
try to do it. But it must be done by
corporations. They are said to have
no soul, but since it is corporation or no
railroad, we propose to take the rail-
road, corporation and all, trusting
that the benefits arising therefrom will
counter-balance the evils, if any, in cor
porations. You say "a railroad
through the section of country travers-
ed by this surveying party is very de-
sirable to Wheeling" Would the
local trade Of Wheeling creek be much
more to you than it now is? We think
not. Would it not be much more to
the interest Of Wheeling to secure the
trade Of the greater part Of Jefferson
snd Harrison counties that now goes to
Pittsburgh and Steubenville, and will
ever do so unless there is railroad
built by which it will be brought to
you? We think so. The local trade
of Wheeling Creek valley and its
branches goes to you anyhow; it can
not 90 anywhere else. As for the
through freight, it does not make any
difference; it ought to come over the
shortest route, and this we claim ever
all the routes as yet surveyed; also, less
bridging, less heavy work, and as good
coal route as any Of them. We are not
ready yet to advocate narroao gauge roads
for this line. l would be one who
would advocate the broad gauge instead,
for this is destined, when built, to be
one of the heaviest freight roads in the
State, if not in the United States, and
is destined at some future day to extend
from ocean to ocean, and from Wheel
ing to the Lakes be one Of the links.
Our people do not intend to let this
matter drop. We shall continue to agl-
tate the question until the people awake
to sense of their duty, although we
have to fight against opposition and
Encouragement at home and abroad.
Snubbed, as the saying is, by Cadiz,
who is somewhat jealous of her rival,
and makes her brags about wealth, &c,
the returns of taxable property in
Green township being nearly 100000
more than Cadiz township, including
her four banks, county seat and all, we
have no objections at all to the rivalry
of the several lines, but we do object to
Wheeling Creek and Cadiz routes trying
to steal our thunder.
Yours truly, A. b. PAUL,
Secretary Railroad Committee.