The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-01-30

AS ] nm called upon, however, | will sub
nit some considerations that II strikes me
ought to influence tllepeople of the clsyoi
| Wheeling, =,
II Is an old adage that "the world
moves" and no man nor no community
can stand still in IT, 1t must go
forward, or II will go back
ward. It cannot remain stationary
and unless II makes the effort which Is
necessary to put II forward in the progress
of physical development, II must inevi-
ably go backward; because its present
facilities, It's present opportunities, It's
present trade will be taken from 1t by
other points to which 1t will be diverted
by the efforts OF other localities, i
The two principal points on the upper
waters Of the Ohio for the concentration
Of trade and capital arc Cincinnati and
Pittsburgh, and they have drained the
trade and commerce Of the State Of Ohio
principally by railrtad connections, They
have railroads centeripg from every point
and in every direction am told thai
twenty years ago the city Of Wheeling
commanded the trade OF almost the en-
tire counties Of Belmont, Harrison, alarge
portion OF Jefferson and Guernsey
portion of Ohio that is now exceedingly
wealthy. Now my information Is that
you take comparatively but q small por'
lion Of Belmont. The reason Is perfectly
obvious. The Pittsburgh & Steubenvllle
Railroad has furnished them with other
facilities of transportation and trade; and
the trade that naturally belongs to the
city OF Wheeling has been diverted from
it by the enterprise Of rival points.
The city OF Wheeling Is the largest
centre of capital and population between
Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. 1t Is hun.
bred miles by river from Pittsburgh, and
some three or four hundred-l don't know
precisely how many-lrom Cincinnati. II
Is In the best coal region on the whole line
of the river, and has facilities for manu-
featuring not equNlled by any other point
on the river. II has here concentration
of 90 900 inhabitants on the West Virginia
side Of the river, with the addition OF Mar.
tinsville and Bridgeport, which contain
some 1000 more, making somewhere about
1900 that are dependant on the Wheel
Ing markets, and connected with them by
most intimate business relations. There
Is here in this locality capital enough,
II 1t Ia in the hands Of cnterprising men, to
control the location and destination OF the
lines of trade and commerce ind travel
that arc to DO constructed in the neigh
bOrhoOd, -r|L--. -. ...-rl ..
The occasion which calls for the pres
cnt action Is, that the people living in that
very rich and fertile belt OF the State OF
Ohio that lies between the Central Ohio
and tho Pittsburgh & Steubenvillc roads,
have determined to dig way out to y
market. They will have it; and they will
connect with such points on the river OF
other highways Of communication as viii
render them efficient aid in making their
way to market. That Is perfectly appar-
cnt.
The city of Toledo is looking To the
Southeast for u coal field She wants II
railroad to point from which she can
obtain supply Of fuel for her market.
Toledo has now raised and has ready for
appropriation fund Of $3.50, 900 for the
construction Of o road to the Southeast
in tho direction Of Wheeling. 1t is said
II will be increased to half million.
Ten years ago Toledo contained $4,000
inhabitants 1t now embraces 1000;
and in the intervening ten years she has
devoted her energies to bringing railroads
from every portion Of the country, and
there is no better railroad city in Ohio
than Toledo; and her prosperity and
growth have resulted from tho invest
ments she has made in railroad enterprises.
Eastern capitalists in the interests oil the
Pennsylvania Central Railroad Company
have been in correspondence with citi.
zens here; and they say that II the ter.
mini of the road, Toledo and Wheeling,
and the intermediate country, will raise
$4,000 to the mile for the road, they will
complete It and stock il from here to TO.
ledo. II Is In round numbers just about
200 miles from here TO Toledo, and $lO,-
900 mile will make just Sc 600, 600. The
city of Toledo proposes To raise her
quarter Of it, they say they certainly can
raise million on the line, between To-
ledo and Wheeling.
Now, the question Is rs to what Wheel.
ing will do-what contribution she will
make to this enterprise, upon which, in
my Judgment, her future prosperity most
essentially depends. She has more wealth
to-day than the city of Toledo, twice told.
Wheeling has not as much population; she
Is not improving as rapidly; but she has
more solid substantial capital. The only
difference Is that there is IN enterprise
and spirit which nm afraid donot per-
wade the population Of this city.
Now allow me TO make this suggestion.
The Baltimore 81 Ohio Railroad has rail-
road bridge ut Bellairc. A week ago COM
mittee passed over the Central Ohio road,
and crossed tho riverat Bellaire on their
way to Baltimore, who had In their hands
and under their control this fund oil $780,
900, 10 consult tho president of the Dalti-
more and Ohio Railroad about the con.
struction OF a road from Bellaire to To-
ledo. You will see, therefore, that al
though there may not be so large CAPT,
tai al Belaire US in Wheeling-though
they may not themselves be able to make
so large contribution as wcI-yet they
have very essential backing and the I'D
vantage ofa railroad bridge across the iy.
or, which Is one not to be undervalued.
On the other hand, we have advan.
tages on any route it is proposed to adopt
from Wheeling to Toledo, which they Gun
never overcome. On the Central Ohio
Railroad, when you have Travelled ten
miles out from the river, you have got
upon the top Of tho coal vein, At tho
very point where they propose TO leave
that road and strike ST. Clairsvillc, they
climb over the coal vein; and they pro-
pose to cross the hills away oyethc coal.
This Is not such line as TO make the coal
readily available, On the other hand,
whatever line you adopt, up Wheeling
Creek, or up Glen's Run, striking over to
Short Creek-or whatever course you
adopt, you have along the whole distance,
over the crest between the waters Of the
Muskingum and those Of the Ohio, coal
fields accessible and above the bed Of the
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