The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-05-19
T HE RAIL R0A D.
LET ALL THE VOTERS READ
Umnortance Of the Vote
Tomorrow.

munity the same advantages at so little
cost as are now presented to the people
of Ohio county by the Pittsburgh
Wheeling and Kentucky Railroad Com
pany. No people of any enterprise In
the Union would hesitate a moment 10
accept the proposition now extended 10
us by this company. Its public utility
no one can deny, or successfully COM
bat. Now let us look what will be &C,
complished by the construction of this
road from Steubenville to our city.
Surprising it should stop here, we would
then have a direct line to the cities and
country of the great Northwest, extend,
ing from the Lakes to the Pacific shore,
and being a part and parcel of the
great Pennsylvania Central, would have
all the advantages Of its numerous
branches, extending to every city of i'm
portance East and West, thus al
fording our shippers and manufac-
turers the means of shipping their
goods and receiving in return the
raw material from every quarter.
Can the city of Wheeling afford to
stand still2 No! She will either have
to advance or she will 60 back. That
there is necessity to make her advance
with that increased rapidity which is
needed to keep pace with her enterprls-
ing neighbors, all will answer that
something must be done to increase her
mercantile facilities and foster our man.
ufacturing establishments already in
existence, and encourage others to EN-
bark in the same enterprise. How can
this be done but by offering greater "a
cilities for shipping and opening up new
markets for our goods, extending our
communications in every direction
Now let us see what this railroad would
do for us in developing our resources at
home. All must admit that our great
est wealth consists in our iron
manufactures. Well, now, what caused
the capitalist to build his factories here
in preference to other localities, was 1t
because the ore and the pig metal was
easier of access here than atother places?
By no means but just the contrary.
Then why was it, it was because we had
abundance Of the best quality Of btu.
minous coal in our fields, which could
be had at fair prices and in inexhausti'
bic quantities. We had the advantage
of river navigation and had limited
outlet by the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road. | will just say here word about
that much abused Baltimore and Ohio
road. We admit that the company has
not treated our people as. well as they
should have done, but is there any one
so blinded by prejudice as not to adj.
nit that without the advantages Of
that road Wheeling to-day would be
without "a population necessary to
constitute second-class village. Who
can visit her depot and see the amount
of traffic by that road and say that it is
no advantage to us. Yet there are some
"old fogies' who have the temerity to
say the road has been no benefit to us.
Says one, she don't pay her taxes. Says
another, she did not pay us back our
subscription in full. Whose fault was
it2 Our own. If our cold city dads
had exhibited an ounce Of foresight we
would have had besides the great ad-
vantages of the road q handsome profit
on the investment. The same might be
said with equal, if not greater, force in
regard to the Cleveland road across the
river.
But let us resume our argument
whatever tends to open up and put to
practical use our coal-beds in the vacin-
ity of the city, always has and
ALWAYS will offer the best in
inducements to capitalists to locate and
build up factories of every description
in our midst, upon which we mainly
depend for the growth and prosperity OF
our city. Owing mainly to the impetus
given by the Baltimore and Ohio rail,
road, that portion Of the great coal bed
between the city and the town Of Ben
wood has been absorbed, or held at
prices beyond the reach of manufacture
ers. Then where are they to 60 for
cheap coal and cheap lands? They
must either 60 out on the Hempfeld
road, away from the river, or 60 to the
Ohio side, where they will have all
the advantages of the river, railroads
and cheap lands. The question is easily
answered. They will 60 over the
river, where they are going now, and
will continue to so unless we can
offer them the same inducements
on this side OF the river. Have we the
cheap coal and cheap lands on this
side of the river to offer them? We
have. There is an inexhaustible sup
ply of coal in the river hills immediate
ly above the city, which has never
been worked to any extent, easy OF &C
cess and cheap, with fine river frontage
and bottom land sufficient to locate a
city. Why have not these mines been
opened and worked the same as those
below and across the river2 Why has
this source of wealth to the city and
county been for years lying in state of
nature undeveloped, while other locali-
ties far less favored by nature are the
scenes of busy strife-the prosperous
suburb or embryo city? 1t is because
the iron horse has never disturbed the
solitude of the valley or walked up the
"old Rip Van Wrinkles" who live
along the river shores or
back on the river hills. Through this
beautiful bottom and along these hill
slopes the Pittsburgh, Wheeling and
Kentucky railroad is proposed to pass
Who would by his vote refuse to open
up this highway Of wealth and lay its
rich deposits into the very lap OF the
city?
In order 10 obtain this desirable