The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-03-07
WHEELING RAILROADS.
The Bridge Enterprise.


From Yesterdays Intelligencer.l
1t is the opinion Of very many thai
il the city can secure the building Of a
bridge, it would be the best contribution
we could make towards the building OF
the roads in question, and that it would
be more as to each than any sum yet
proposed which it is probable the city
would be willing to vote as direct sub
scription to either. 1t is true this
would build no part Of the road on the
other side OF the river, but it would
make the enterprise 90 much more de-
sirable to the whole route and the con-
nections as to more than overbalance
this. The river is the one great obsta-
Gle to all new lines from the city west
ward. The removal Of that makes
Wheeling accessible by rail TO all the
outside world. Seek first the kingdom
Of God aud His righteousness and all
these things shall be added unto you,
ia, we believe, a text of scripture, and
if we may employ it without irrever-
ence, it seems aptly to illustrate the
present case Let US provide bridge
first and then the railroads will be
added unto US; they will come OF their
own accord.
Now, as TO the question whether the
building OF a bridge is feasible. On the
plan proposed by this charter, it seems
to be enterely so. The act authorizes a
much larger subscription by both city
and county than will probably be neces-
sary. The building of railroad bridges
by companies disconnected from the
railways using them has been found in
other cases a very profitable mode Of
investment. The chief interest in this
bridge would Of course arise out Of the
public benefits to be conferred by it, and
it is only with reference 10 them that
the city or county ought to subscribe to
il; but it has an additional attraction
for private capitalists in that 1t promises
to pay large dividends on the stock.
Let us refer to the Steubenville bridge
as an illustration. That bridge, we are
informed, was built by company or
gained especially for the purpose and
MT connected with the Panhandle Rail
way COMPANY The latter company
paid certain tolls, 50 much per passen'
ger or ton of freight carried over the
bridge. When the Pittsburgh, Cinciu-
natl and ST. Louis Company came into
possession of the road they found With
the increasing business that these tolls
were becoming very heavy, and they
sought for some more favorable ar
rangement. Failing to obtain it they
tried to buy up the stock 30 as TO get
the bridge under their control. Failing
in this likewise, they finally effected a
lease, under which they now pay the
bridge company 100000 a year, in
equal monthly instalments. The origi-
nal cost OF the bridge was $750,OO0; SO
that under the present lease the stock
holders realize a rate of interest, con-
sidering the monthly payments. nearly
equivalent to 20 per cent. Yet that
bridge is used only BY single company.
As we stated, yesterday, the c. d 2.
company are willing and anxious to
join in building the proposed bridge;
by means OF which they can come dl-
rectly into the city and save very large
sum annually now paid for hauling aud
tolls. If the building OF this bridge can
be made also to insure the construction
OF the two projected RAILROADS.&C. We
believe it can't would be worth to the
city all it might cost US, and would be
in itself very profitable enterprise, and
being so the city could pay the interest
with the dividends and ultimately re.
deem the bonds with the stock, 80 that
subscription would actually involve
only the loauing of our credit. We
cannot doubt that such bridge would
be in a few years the gateway through
which would flow an immense traffic
from the Northwest, connecting here
with the Baltimore and Ohio to the
East. With q line from Toledo con-
Meeting with the Hem pfield when fin
ished through, this bridge would be a
connecting link in the shortest line that
can ever be built between the Northwest
and the Chesapeake bay. The profits
of bridge under such circumstances,
not limited as to its tolls except by the
necessities of the railroad using it, could
not fail to be very great.
We conclude that the success Of like
enterprises elsewhere, and the consider
atoms We have mentioned, will 50 COM
mend this project to capitalists that a
large part OF the sum needed 10 build it
probably half-can be raised upon
the companys own bonds. There
would have to be large enough sub
scripticn by the city and county to con-
stitute basis Of security AMI insure the
completion of the work. Until an
engineer has made an estimate, no one
can speak with anything approaching
accuracy as to the cost, but by compar-
ison with other bridges it is believed one
may be built within the city limits for
something between 100000 and $780,
600. How much OF this the Cleveland
and Pittsburgh Company would take,
remains to be ascertained. How much
it is advisable to ask the city and county
to take, is for Council and the Super
visors to consider, in connection with
the inquiry how much could be obtained
OF private capitalists on the companys
own bonds.
1t cannot be doubted that the pros
pect OF coming directly into the city by