The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-02-02
GheGtteIliigett6er':
r,,p GRAFTON CAPITAL.MOV.
" ING CONVENTION.

Railroad
Editors Of the Intclligencer:
In your issue Of Friday Goth, you seem
n hr In The dark rs TO the doings OF inc
Convention at Grafton, on the Capital
question. Being delegate from llarri.
son county, andin attendance, lGlve you
a summary Of the proceedings, which are
nrici and easily reported. The Conyen'
ION ,r held ia session in the Presbyterian
church and was pretty well filled with
delegates from some six OF elg9t counues,
and citizens Of Grafton. The Convention
WINS organized by placing cx.GoV. john
s"n in he chair, and appointing two or
,hrc" Secretaries, after which commit
t"e was appointed on resolutions, who
SlIcr some delay reported preamble and
resolutions, the most important and es'
senlsl Of which, was a resolution instruct
inc or requesting our delegates in the
Convention by vote and otherwise TO go
for removal OF the Capital from Charles
ton to some other point, and submit the
removal as a separate question TO the peO'
ple at the same time Of submitting the
Constitution for their ratification. An.
other resolution requested our delegates
in the Legislature TO vote against appro.
priations for Capitol buildings at Charles
ton.
The most remarkable feature OF the
Convention, however, was Il laborel ar
gument by OK. Gov Johnson In endeaV.
oring to prove the impraCtiCability (f not
imp0ssibiliLy) of locating and building the
North & South West Va. railroad. II
struck me that Ills EXccllency was not
correctly informed when he stated the
heaviest grade was IS feet TO the mile and
then entering tunnel a mile or more
long, and that the heaviest grade on the
Chesapeake u Ohio road was but Is feet
To the mile. | think the Governor is
widely mistaken, and il he will cast his
eye oYera late railroad map and note the
innumerable railroads in Pennsylvania,
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Ten.
ncsscc and Virginia he will come to the
conclusion that the mighty trade, travel
and traffic of the Southwest and North
east are not externally to dodge around
West Virginia when a great almost air
line road was complete save and except
this single track, making one Of the longest
and most magnificent railroads on this
continent. The Governor would convey
the idea that the road was simply to carry
people to the capital. So far to the con-
irary land whilst noting the fact that the
local trade and traffic would be immense
giving permanent employment to thou.
sands OF people along its line through this
State the great paramount object is by
connected links to form stupendous line.
No, Ills ExCellGncy was on the wrong
trial We had expected his views on the
removal of the Capital, but regret TO say
lis time was chiefly taken up in ridiCuling
road that is sure TO be made, and our
worst wish to the kind.hearted old veteran
is that his days may DO prolonged TO see
this great work cOnsummated, and we
beg leave respectfully to say to His Ex-
Cellency that this road would be of more
Importance and benefit to Harrison county
alone than all the capitals that could be
placed between Clarksburg and Grafton.
The one would give probably an average
Of one or two hundred population; the
other, with the vast fields OF coal, marble,
iron and other ores, together with timber
and lumber from the magnificent forests
along the route, mot counting the army of
railroad operativcs) would give employ
menI, food and clothing to tens of thou.
sands in the industrial enterprises thus
openednp, besides the great number of
towns and villages that would spring into
existence. So lar as the location OF the
Capital is concerned, we honestly
Look upon the present point us
exceedingly unwise and improper, (pre.
irrring, as We do, any other place
aspiring for iD; and still we ca mot,
by any means, attach that Importance to
lis location that some so. And further,
We may say that for any town Of less size
and characteristics than Wheeling, it
might prove an absolute curse. 10 a
small town il undoubtedly would prove
such. And whyG Because, after the
buildings were erected, once in two years
IF the Convention is wise enough 10 in.
corporate in the organic law biennial
sesslonsl eighty or hundred persons
meet to spend lorty.tlVe days-the re-
mslnder OF two years the halls are dead,
and the abode OF owls and bats, if you
please. But the worst and most destruC-
tive element is the residence of the Gov
crnOr and State officers and their families.
creating ring of aristocracy which
would be death to the material prospcrity
and growth of small town. Wheeling,
ut least, is safe from such controlling in.
lIuenccs. She knows that manufactures
and l4boring people have built her up and
would look with scOrn and contempt uDon
such distinctions and castles: and vet
even large towns have almost invariably
come to Il standstill alter becoming politI.
cal centcrs. Look at Albany, New York
old and dwaried Harrisburg, Pennsyl.
vania, and the youthful manufacturing
comparatively giant Pittsburgh. C!oIum,
bus, Ohio, might send her capital begging
at the door OF Cincinnati. The SAME of
Springfield and Chicago, Illinois; Ian.
sing and Detroit, Michigan; Jefferson and
st. Louis, Missouri; Frankfort and Louis.
WILLIE kentucky, and the same Of many
other States. Political capitals give a
certain name and fame, but never build
npStown or community beyond a certain
extent. But manufactures and Industrial
institutions will, and we are moi quite sure
mi The worst curse that could befallI
Charleston is giving her tue capital.
After the State buildings are completed
she will quite likely have arrived Of the
extent OF her greatness.
| apprChcnd the proceedings of the
UFalton Convention will not amount TO
much Though not partial in the slightest
ueSrse, being about equally Republicans
ana Democrats working tremendously for
me same end and object) when the fact
SpOlent TO all that al the Constitutional
Convention distinctive uncompromisinC
paFli1an element is at work redceming
certain unworthy, dishonorable pledges
sa!d 10 have been given by Democrats at
lhS end of the State, and we think those
VINO cried out vOcilerOusly prescription
IN the days of Rcpublicanism cannot fail
IN Uiannpn L.. I..AN