The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-05-17
LESSON FROM EXPERIENCE.
CHARLESTON, April 4, 1877.

T.. -
10 our people as the former editor Of the
Wheeling Times, has written letter
from Mansfield, Ohio, his present place
OF residence, to the editor of the Intslls.
qsncsr, concerning some former railroad
subscriptions in this city. He recalls
the fact that, some twenty years ago, a
popular vote was taken upon the ques,
ton of subscribing $4,000 to the cap
ital stock of the Central Ohio railroad.
The subscription was ordered by the
very decisive vote of $40 to 2S, but a
ring Of spectators was formed who
bought up property in the Wheeling
creek valley, in Bridgeport and on the
Island, and then demanded that the
road should adopt the route and
locate its depot at a point that
wonld most enhance the value OF
their property. This the officers of
the Central Ohio railroad refused to do,
and, influenced by this ring" the
Council refused to deliver the bonds.
Mr.. Noah WILSON then, on behalf Of
the Marietta and Cincinnati road,
pledged that road to locate its depot on
the Island if the $250,0O0 were given
to it, and the ring" decided that it
should be done. Thus the money ORR
finally voted as a subscription to the
Central Ohio road was diverted from
its legitimate purpose, and, in order to
enhance the fortunes of a few individu.
ale, was absolutely thrown away.
The moral OF this is that in making
railroad subscriptions the general good
is to be consulted rather than the
private interests of few. 1t has been
the misfortune of Wheeling to have
among her citizens some who can
not look beyond their own little circle
and who will oppose any project OF pub,
tic improvement that does not immedi-
ately and directly enhance the value of
their own particular potato patch.
What is needed is to look to the gener-
al g00d these projects will confer; the
increase Of population; the stimulation
OF all departments OF trade; the new
markets that will be opened to our
manufacturers and the new customers
that will be brought to our merchants.
In view of advantages like these, how
ptiful and short sighted is the policy
that opposes the building of a railroad
because, forsooth, it cannot locate its
depot near the objector' corner lot
Mr. WHARTON says that the only
way TO remedy the error which had
lie encommitted by misappropriating the
subscription, was to have permitted
the Baltimore and Ohio and the Cen
trail Ohio to build q bridge, crossing
the upper end of Boggs Island
and landing at the mouth OF
Wheeling creek, which was proposed
10y the joint companies on the llth of
April, 1872, and rejected by Council. y
Twenty years have elapsed since that
time and the error is not yet remedled.
Notwithstanding the city has grown, its
growth has been in spite of the disad.
vantages imposed by that grievous mis-
take. Is it not time the bridge was be-
ing built? There has not been during
the past twenty years so favorable an
opportunity as now, nor so feasible a
plan suggested as that which is now be-
tore the people. Without it, our city
will still suffer the consequences OF the
error Of 1852; with it, Wheeling will
take fresh start 10 prosperity, and it
is not too sanguine prediction that our
city will have fifty thousand inhabit-
ants ten years from this time.