The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-03-28
The Bridge and the Railroads.
Concluding Lstterfrom spectator

alton, and draw from them his own con.
illusions.
ln.what 1 have said relative TO travel
and traffic across the proposed railroad
bridge at the city, ! presume ! have been
understood as having reference TO the local
business alone Of the roads that may cross
on It 10 the city. Now few words only
In regard TO- It's becoming the avenue OF q
Through route" between the East and
tho Northwest ,ag.l
The Cleveland and Pittsburg road be-
ing by lease q part and parcel OF the
Pennsylvania Central, cannot be expected
10 furnish the bridge with q single
through car Tor the East, since II has Its
own direct line TO Baltimore, via the
Northern Central from Harrisburg, Pa,
as well as It's main line to Philadelphia
and New York. Anybody with hall an
eye Can SEQ this, And it may rs well be
said just here that President Scott, Of the
Central Pennsylvania, will hardly pay
toll on Wheeling freight ever, when lo
can transfer It over tho river on his own
bridge OF Steubenyille without additional
cost; lie running the Pittsburgh, Wheeling
and Kentucky road on this side, as well rs
tho Cleveland and Pittsburgh on tho other
side Of the river. What ground Is there,
therefore, to expect even the Cleveland
and Pittsbnrgh's local trains 10 pay trib.
ute 10 the Wheeling bridge. upl0Ss IL De q
car Or two occasionally to or from points
on its line this side Of Steubenvillep
Then, the Wheeling and Tuscarawas
Valley and Lake Shore and TuscaraWas
Valley roads lone line) will have through
route to New York and points farther
east, by the Lake Shore and New York
York Central, Philadelphia and Baltl-
more freight and travel along that line
will be far more likely to 60 by the Cen
trail Pennsylvania route than by the Bal
timore and Ohio through this city. There
Is not much, therefore, to expect for the
new through route" from that source.
But we arc toldthat when the w. P. s.
B. road fold Hempfeld) shall be complet-
cd through to the Connelsville, and new
line opened from here to Lake Erie, that
then the short, grand through route from
the Chesapeake to the Northwest will be
through Cumberland, Md, Washington,
Pa, over the proposed bridge here, and
on to the Lakes by the w. s. LIE. line. Il
believe | have never heard the Tuscara-
was road mentioned in this connection
" SO. fs.
Now is 1t reasonable to suppose that
President Garrett will pay tolls 70 a
bridge company here when he has his
own bridge only four miles below? Or,
is it rational to believe that he will aban-
dOn-save as o mere local "switch"-his
own lake connection from Newark to
Sandusly City, and injure his whole line
from Bellaire to the Lakes by adopting
this new route. Why the supposition Is
absurd upon its face. ra
] venture that when the Hempfeld wv.
P. n b. shall be extended through To
tho Connclsville line, should that become
the main route between Wheeling
and Cumberland, all through trains
thereon will! still go down lnd cross
the Bellaire bridge by an additional
approach pointing northward from
its eastern end. Such an approach was
very generally understood to be contem.
plated from the time the B. & o Company
purchased the Hempfield road. There
wouldthen remain nothing, as through
trade 10 DO transferred over tho bridge here
except what the w. & i. Z. road might
give TO or receive from the B. & o., for
points on tue former's line not reached
by the latter. And q lar proportion .el
that even would probably reach tho east,
ern cities by the Atlantic & Great West
ern or the Pennsylvania Central.
No, gentlemen, the day that Wheeling
and her people, by their illiberal action
drove the terminus Of the Central Ohio
to Bellaire, that day sealed our fate as to
a through route crossing tho river here.
This bridge project, rs u means by
which to secure u through route to reach
tile Northwest, is so aptly illustrated by
Mrs. Pettingill's trip 10 Boston that can
not forego the illustration here. Theold
lady had never seen u railroad, but,at the
mature age OF sixty she concluded to take
q trip on ono TO the Hub" So making
her way 10 the nearest country station,
and seating herself on a wooden bench on
the platform, she gazed with amazement
on the train. which soon arrived, paused
q lew moments TO take on passengers, and
then proceeded onits journey. The sta.
ton master observing the astonished dame
still sitting on the Platform, watching the
departing train, inquired whyshe did not
get on the train il she wished TO go to
Boston. ..s.s.tt.. .'Ht..fi
"Git on !" said the old lady-"Git on!
| thought this whole cOncarn went 10
Boston w au!sy ,.t s.-,,s
It is difIlcultato SEQ how this. grand
bridge is to give q route, through or
otherwise, 10 the northwest, while needed
roads are lamishing IRON want of the
money 1t must absorb, unless the Wnole
"concarn" goes, Perhaps It toiH be ',le.
Guitar, adjustable, movable" gi,Z ~.
l will devote but few sentences to the
impracticability of the bridge as a work.
AS an engineering achievement l have
admitted 1t 10 be feasible; but otherwise
impracticable, in view Of what the struc.
ture itself must cost, and the additional
heavy expenditure necessary to make 1t a
work ofuulity for the purposes proposed.
As no authentic estimate OF its
cost has yet been made known, l will
name no amount rs guess. am willing
its friends and defenders shall fix the est.
mate just as low as they choose. But, to
whatever amount may be assumed as the
cost OF the bridge, with its approaches
from the Ohio side to the eastern bank Of
the river, you must add the cost-right Of
way, damage, making, all-of a track ira.
versmg the heart of the city, across lots
anil through squares, from the point Of
landing on the eastern shore, 10 one of the
depotsin the city, or TO a suitable point
for a aeD depot and other necessary build.
ings; or else, the cost Of q tunnel through
the hill and track around it to an eligi-
BILE site for a terminus. Perhaps they
will grade down, and make 4 track Of
Main or Market street, q Ia John street.
Win theyS
! take for granted thatit is proposed TO
select " site for the work somewhere
ABOVE Union street, where the high
river bank will be available. A site be.