The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-12-05
THE RAILROAD AND BRIDGE.

ISpOIt moue ~ sNS
to the City Council with accompanying
uspers, in relation to the proposed
wheeling and Lake Erie railroad and
the proposed railroad bridge across the
Ohio river at this place. The report
has evidently been prepared with much
care and after through investigation OF
the, subject and expresses with great
clearncss and force the opinions OF the
committee. A full and plain statement
Of the condition and prospects OF the
enterprises which the city 10 asked to
sssi,t ia also made, and careful and
candid pe-sual of all the papers relating
10 the matter cannot fail to satisfy the
most cautious Of our citizens that their
interests will be sufficiently guarded by
the adoption Of the several ordinances
in the form proposed.
The desirability OF the railroad and
the bridge are not now in question nor
omen for discussion. All that branch
of,he subject was considered last May
aud, on the first Of June, more than
,bree.fifths Of the voters Of the city
declared very empbatically that they
wanted the road and were willing to be
taxed for it's construction. Its advan-
t.ses were then set forth and whatever
could be said against it was repeatedly
urged, and the verdict was very decl-
dedly in it's favor. 1t is therefore un-
uecessary at this time to rehearse the
Arguments then used both for and
against the subscription, but We need
ONLY zee whether the conditions which
the Council proposes to exact are
in accordance with popular un-
derstanding at the time the vote
WAS taken, and whether sufficient guar
sptees are afforded to assure US that
the bridge and the road will certainly
he completed if the city OF Wheeling
.ubscribes to that end the several sums
proposed.
And, first, as to the Wheeling and
Lake Erie road. The President Of the
company reports that, including the
100000 to be subscribed by Wheeling,
there has been raised an actual cash
subscription at various localities along
the line amounting in the aggregate to
$l244,950. 1t is expected that this
sum will be increased to 81 100000 or
81 100000. In addition to THE, the
Valley Railway Company OF Ohio pro"
poses to pay one half of the cost of the
construction of the fifty miles OF the
road lying nearest this city and, from
the nature Of the ground, the most DIFF
fcult and expensive portion of the line.
The length Of the surveyed route be-
tween Wheeling and SaRdusky is 100
miles and the funds provided for as
shove will furnish an actual and reli.
able local subscription OF more than ten
thousand dollars per mile throughout
the whole extent. With this cash basis
il cannot be difficult to procure the re-
mainder OF the funds necessary for the
completion and equipment OF the road.
1t is greater than that originally raised
for three fourths of the railroads now
in successful operation in Ohio. II
Wheeling's subscription Of 100000 be
made, there is no room for reasonable
doubt that the building Of the Wheeling
and Lake Erie railroad will be perfectly
secured.
AZ regards the bridge, the prospect is
equally fair. The company has re-
ceived from the Keystone Bridge Com
pany, of Philadelphia, one OF the most
reliable and beet known Bridge Com
panies in the United States, an offer
10 contract to build such railroad
bridge at this point as is need
ed, for the sum Of Sb5O,OOO'
AZ we understand it, this does
not include the cost OF approaches, an
outside estimate for which cannot ex-
coed s250,00O, thus making the cost OF
the bridge when completed, nine hum
bred thousand dollars. To provide this
fund we have the city's subscription,
$500 900; the county's subscription,
100000; and the Wheeling and Lake
Erie railroad proposes in connection
with the Valley Railway Company to
subscribe 100000 more; in tact the
subscription of this sum 10 the Bridge
Company on their part is made one Of
the conditions precedent to subscription
~ this city to the stock OF the road.
This will furnish cash basis OF $780,
900, and assuredly the Bridge Com
psny's own bonds will be good for the
remainder OF the cost OF construction. |
What guarantees" the most obs,i-
nate opponent OF these important i'm
provements can insist upon beyond those
already offered, it is difficult to con-
ceive. The case is a plain one and
easily understood. With the subscrip-
tons authorized by popular vote last
June, it is manitestly within the ability |
OF the Wheeling and Lake Erie Rail- /,
road Company and the Wheeling and
Ohio Union Railroad Company to con-