The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-03-22
The Bridge and the Railroads.

SVhie Out auu stl1hu IN Luc open 6Tounu
as we do. .,..... ...
The Bridge and the Railroads.
Editors of the IntellgCnccr.
1t is not precisely clear what your cor
respondent, Spectator" and "a. D. c."
expects to accomplish in the series of ar
ticles he has been recently contributing
to your columns, but enough has been
said to make 1t apparent 10 the most cas-.
ual reader that he is actuated less by a
sincere desire for the good Of our whole
people, than by an overweaning banker.
ing after project of doubtful paternity
and questionable expediency. The force
of mans writing may he often best
judged by the notices prompting him.
From his articles | assume that these
propositions may be clearly drawn:
1st 1t is vital to Wheeling that she at
once secure better railroad facilities 10
the Northwest, but whether she should
do anything towards getting the road
into Wheeling, or east of Bridgeport or the
Island, he seriously and honestly doubts"
2. lie don't want aroad 10 come East
OF the east channel Of the river. -
3. lie don't want a bridge, and there
fore is much more ambitious TO prove
that it cannot than that it can be built.
4. Since the Wheeling & Lake Erie
road cannot get into Wheeling without
the bridge, he kills two birds with one
stone, and defeats a subscription to tho
former by killing the latter.
s. Since the Tuscarawas road, only
wants four hundred thousand dollars from
Wheeling to bring it to Bridgeport or not
further than the Island, he "for one" land
there are not many beside him) "tLere-
fore honestly and sincerely" TO-! of course)
"believes It TO be the first and immediate
duty of Wheeling" 10 place its immediate
construction beyond doubt.
: Q. True, 1t was, in his first article, "a
railroad TO the Northeast" but it is such
q peculiar, adjustable, movable and l0peq.
Dc road that Wheeling should place its
construction beyond doubt, evenllit is, as
stated in his last ARTICLES a road to the
NORTH EAST.
2. Build the Tuscarawasr roadto Bridge.
port, and no more, It's business will be
tremendous, and It's stock will pay.
8. Don't build bridge, because the
business Of the Tuscarawas road and the
W. & L. E. and G. P. is so rery inSi9nif.
cant that the bridge stock won't pay. b
0. A toad Is an animal; an elephant Is
an animal; therefore, toad is an ele
phant, and each Is like the other because
neither can climb q tree. sl ,..f,.,...
But, Mr.. Editor, the vaulting ambition
of Spectator" 10 induce our people to
abandon the bridge enterprise, now in
their grasp, has oVerleaped itself, Tor it
is susceptible Of demonstration that upon
his own basis. Of calculation the bridge
must and will pay. The present rates Of
the Bellaire bridge for the lowest num-
Der OF freight cars named by "Spectator," !"
viz:Sl cars, amount to $405. The rates
per capita and car for railroads, as fixed
by the Ohio laws, would amount daily to
$72 total daily, $477.
This multiplied by 312, the working
days in year, makes the annual receipts
of the bridge, ono hundred and torty-eig1t
thousand eight handred and tireniy-t6ur
dollars. Double the amount of business,
as he says you may, and reduce the
rates one hall, it is still the same.s
This sum of $14S, ,S24.O0 is sixteen and
sixty one hundredths per cent one cost Of
$s000OO, and over ID per cent on cost
Of one million.
Now suppose We leave the Wheeling
u Tuscarawas Valley road out, at least
until the Bridgeport plan Of inducing
Cadiz, Harrisyille, Athens and Flushing
three different routes) to subscribe enough
to get ten per cent of their capital stock
subscribed, on which to organize, and
locate one Of tho routes, and then let the
three disappointed places slide 0ut, and we
have the Wheeling & Lake Erie and
Cleveland & Pittsburgh roads on which
to calculate. This on the iorego.
ing basis would yield to the bridge an
nually over 500, 900, or more than 12 per
cent on $500, 900, and over Q per cent on
$1,000 600. This gives very sale margin
to start on, and by the time the Tuscara-
was Valley road Is located and construc.
ted and comes to Bridgeport fleming with
passengers from 'the whole Of Western
and Central New York" that Is TO say,
the Northeast or the Northwest or the
North something else, and freighted with
peaches from Freeport or "old bay scales"
from Harrisville, the Bridge Company will
be rich enough 10 build another bridge for
it, and may Spectator" long liYo 10 he
there to "a. 3. Sec"
"These results arc moi estimated, lex.
ccpt as to the road not yet madeO organ
lied, but arc obtained from entirely
authentic sources and any one doubling
their correctness Is referred to the proper
records for their verification. And II the
deduction above made Is thought TO be
unwarranted, ! am willing my aggregate
shall be taken without any deduction.
And, Il that is not satisfactory, call the
eighty cars one hundred, and increase the
number of passengers proportionately
and itthat be not enough, duplicate my
tlgures-yes, triplicate them II desired
and then figure on the revenue for ton
mage, tolls and passengers per capita; or
taking these as the measure of lease
count your interest from tho Investment
In that way" and tte bridge stock will be
one Of the grandest Investments fol
Wheeling, not only-ds an investment, bul
IN the matter OF her rapid growth and
material prosperity In which she ever did
can or will venture. % J
The business Of the bridge and city
must rapidly increase. With the Wheel
Ing u Lake Erie railroad running as n