The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-12-23

expended in running the road, that would
be expended along the line, In keeping
up, sustaining it, employing hands and
repairing it, and in building and sustain,
ing the rolling stock upon il That would
in the main be poured into this city, di'
rectly and indirectly. 1t would be an
outlay, the benefit Of which in the end
would come To the city; taf cities along
railroads are TO o country very much
like the lakes on great riveF. They are
reservoirs In which the food OF commerce
must pause and spread itself out in little
Cenlers here and there. You cannot eX'
pend along road, nor develop along
road, anything that Is Of material value OF
interest that the cities do not in the end
reap and enjoy the benefit oft,
Now, gentlemen, in very crude way
have suggested some Of the advantages
of this road which occur TO US. It would
be very cheap Of constructions unques'
tionably paying road; one therefore
which will return to you in few years
whatever you may put into 1t dollar ioI
dollar; one therefore which in the end
will cost you nothing; one which Will
develop your resources, population, man
uiactufes, trade and commerce; benefit
tie whole county; one which will bring
into your midst every year large amount
Of capital which will DO expended here
and cause you to grow.
It seems indeed strange II should be
necessary to argue the value Of railroads
in this age. In travelling over the coun'
try you will observe, in the West par
ticularly, the value Of land Is governed al
most entirely by the railroads. Offer for
sale piece Of land that has no railroad
and no prospect OF one, and you get but
little orit. Let 1t Ito alongside Of road
and II cOmpetcs almost In price with
land in this old and developed country OF
ours, superior in many other points be-
sides fertility TO these western lands.
Who does not know that the cities that
grow up in the West grow in Vntue OF
the railroad facilities which they have.
Places that have no rivers, that have NO
extraordinary mineral resoIrCes-plOces
possessed simply OF the advantage
Of railroad faCilities-become large
towns in q short time. Look at Indian
apOlis She has no river worth the name,
yet how rapidly Is that city growing.
Young as she Is, how has she Outstripped
this city, with a fertility Of country
around us here unCqualed by any any
Observation-Disclosures, mineral resources
greatly superior 10 her. The conveyance
Of railroads 10 that centre has made her
what she ia, and il to make her still more
rapidly than in the years that have gone
by what she will be, l was last spring In
the town Of Dayton-A town Of $4,000 or
10000 inhabitants-which has no nayiga.
bic river; and yet that town had all the
air of on elegant city-splendid buildings,
and everything that makes up city; and
riding out ono day with Mr.. Bickham,
one OF the editors there, TO the National
Soldiers Asylum, | aske'l him how he
accounted for the rapid growth Of that
town. "Why, sir" he says, 1--WE have
coming into this city, directly and indl.
reCtly within the county, 81 macadam.
lied roads; we have coming into the city,
besides, seven railroads, and 1t Is these
that have made tho CITY," And who does
not know II is true? Take in Missouri
the town Of Kansas City. II has doubled,
trcbled, almost quadruplGd lts population
In the last dccade-in less than that.
What Is tho secret OF IN The extraOrdi.
nary energy and wisdom which It's people
have shown In procuring concentration
Of railroads. The fight has been between
her and I,eavcnworth and 81. 10, and sue.
cess Inns turned upon Kansas City the
prosperity and growth that belonged TO
The side that succeeded in getting the
best cCntcring railroads. There Is no
palmer proposition than this. And
hence, as | said In the beginning, there
ought to be no conception Of rivalry.
Make road, get your money back, put IL
into another road, lend your credit 10 the
making OF road, get your money back,
make another, and go on making others
believe within the memory OF persons
perhaps in this hall WCllsburg was q
.own In advance Of Wheeling. What
,avc TO Wheeling the start Of WellSburgH
Il was this National Road. What has
enabled her to maintain III Further i'm.
oil this kind. Few as they
ire, still they arc sufficient TO make her
abilities for attracting trade greater than
he towns about her Relatively 10 your
population and wealth, perhaps II might
not be offensive to suggest that this little
own below here Is Outgrowing you. What
8 the reason. She Is nearer the Baltimore
& Ohio road than you arc. What you
want Is railroads. II Is the spirit Of the
lge, and II Is so now that people will not
20 TO settle 10 q city that has not facilities
u railroads. II is so that when they think
If establishing a mandatory Of any kind,
,reat or small, they want 10 know what
'ailrOad facilities you have. You must
not suppose the only thing that will make
Wheeling grow Is iron, mills, or glass
works That Is not oil that makes city
,rOw. Establish railroad facilities and
you can attract here any kind Of manu-.
lectures men put their hands 10 In this
world, and every man you attract adds 10
your wealth and population. And In q
yeomctriCal ratio,all Of these will increase;
Tor II that respect II Is omphatiCally true
what the Scripture says that ITO him that
hath more shall be given; but from
hin that hath not shall be taken
lWay even that which he hath.
And this Is the spirit oFthis age 1t Is TO
absorb 10 the places that have, 80 10
peak, the greatest number Of pores run.
ling out through which absorption can
AXE place. Draw 10 yourselves by the
irresistible suction Of railroads the wealth
hat Is about YOU Wherever there Is a
breadth Of country, fertile, populous, ten
niles wide, not penetrated by railroad,
ay your eye upon II, lay your hand upon
I, lay your capital Upon It and penetrate
I with q railroad and bring its trade to
you, and you will grow and become popu.
GUS and wealthy. And when you once
commence on this career and get the i'm.
,etus there % nothing 10 hinder you, be.
,atiso In point of natural advantage there
8 no place known 10 me on this globe
uperlor 10 this hill country OF the Pan.
Handle.
Mr.. PENDLETON took his scat amid
warm applause.