The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-05-28
Letter from a W.. & L. e. Railway
Director,

Letler from a W. N LIE E' halfway
Director.
The letter from Mr.. JOSEPH BELL which
sppeas elsewhere was handed in at an
hour when we were left with little oppor.
tunity or space for the reply which It in.
Vites We can only notice one or two
points in the briefest way. The leading
argument is that the provisions Of the con-
tract, some Of which he recites, afford all
The security that could be desired that the
subscription of this city to the W. & L. Z.
Railway Company will be faithfully ap.
piled. blr. BELL has not considered,
perhaps, that the contract itselfi is far from
Immutable. Indeed as security for any.
body but tho contractors it does not seem
Ious worth the paper it is printed on, fol
It's exposed to such changes as might
eliminate all the provisions quoted or any
others. ltCan always be modified by con-
EntOitheparties to it. And who are theys
The Company Tor stockholders arc one,
shecontractors the other. But a peculiar
I'y OF this contract is, that the contractors
Nes part OF the company-hall of it to
begin with. And from the very start
they will receive their half of the stock
Just as fast as the other stockholders will
receive theirs. The contractors will cast
IS many votes for directors Of the com.
pauy as all the rest Of the company, and
have only to buy one share or proxy to
give them the directors, and to become al
once both company and contractors.
Being thus within themselves both par.
ties to the contract, 1t will undergo Just
whatever changes they may find advisa.
bio, and all the other stockholders, this
city among Others, will be quite helpless
10 their hands.
AF' BELL is much surprised and indig.
nant that anybody should say this con.
uact was entered into without ample and
correct Information as to the character of
the work to be performed. Yet II not.
how does it happen that the engineers re-.
port ofhis examination since the contract
was closed is so unfavorable that Mr.
WILSON is looking for another route ? II
ae knew as much about the route as Mr.
DELL says he did before making the con-
uscs' why should he say to Mr., A1ExAN.
DER that he had letter from his engineer
IN MS pocket saying that the route would
nO'do' and that he was looking for a bet.
'eF route, and would even examine that
up wheeling Creek Mr. BELL and Mr..
WILSON ought to get together and com.
pare notes before putting them into print.
as Tor Mr.. BELLS eulogles Of tho
SVuuc'l IL may be sufficient to suggest
'uA' no doubt twenty years ago when the
UOnas ot the city were entrusted TO the
council and subscribed 10 the Marietta &,
cincinnati Railroad, the same things
could have been and were said with equal
justice OF Council then. No doubt coup.
cInen then were honorable, hiChtoped
men, performing a thankless task, lust AZ
'Aey are now. Yet the city has suffered
cruelty because of their mistake and NIGH
CoSo again from error on the part Of til,
present Council, The experience Of al
cues Is that it is not judiclous to eutrus
"o much power or too much money will
unlimited control in the hands of munich
Ml0Odles. Those who will not learl
aS' even by such experience as this cit,
AS had, are hardly entitled to commits,
aStou.