The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-05-30
A I'D atInntIon with q Difference.

Tho Renter Is welcome to quote as
much as It nkes-and 1t can certainly
quote great deal II 1t chooses-from the
columns Of the NTEIIEdENcER, in favor
Of o railroad and q bridge, on the general
merits Of the question. We are quite as
DESTROYS as the Register or any Of It's
crowd Of seeing these added to the public
improvements Of the city. But when we
are asked to support the particular schemes
by which certain parties propose to secure
us:these improvements, 1t becomes a very
different question. We are bound to
make inquiry as TO their ability and good
faith. 1t needs yet to be shown that the
organization styled the Wheeling &
Lake Erie Railway Company can, OF
in good faith intends, to build the
road we want That they can and will
absorb the 100000, II given to them, we
have no doubt But If that is spent
without bringing US road, we will be
farther of from having one than ever.
Everything done in the matter OF the
contract both by the company and by the
contractor looks as If neither party ever
expected to carry things through TO q
consummation; but as II all parties were
intent on getting the subscriptions of this
and q few other cities into their hands at
all hazards, leaving the future Of the
enterprise to take care Of itself.
In the matter Of the bridge scheme as
1t stands, there is not even q prctence Of
giving the city any protection. We are
asked TO put down three hundred thou.
sand dollars to company not yet
organized, and only as yet halt char
tered. We are not TO wait till
somebody else subscribes an equal
sum or any sum. How do we know
but this will be the only actual sub.
Gcription ever made, except it be further
subscriptions by the city, There has
been a pretence that the Cleveland &
Pittsburgh Company would subscribe
something, A gentleman who has con-
versed with Mr.. McCoLLoUGn on the sub
ject assures US he will not subscribe a
dollar and never contemplated doing so.
II he will, why has not the sub.railroad
committee of council who waited on him
reported the ctlong since? 1t has been
suggested-only suggested,-as means Of
amusing our people in the interest of the
railway schemers, that the w. &. L. E,
railway would subscribe 100000 to the
bridge-a company that has not to-day
100000 oil actually subscribed stock tout
of$2,00O,0O0 required and which is now
asking this city for 100000 as the only
possible means Of ever accomplishing
anything at oil. Suppose this suggestion
were ever carried out, il such thing is at
all supposable, the control OF the organi-
cation would at once fall into the hands
Of theparties who would take the contract
for the bridge. The $4,000 which the
city would have to pay down in cash, be.
fore an organization could be effected
would go directly into their hands. Who
can say what kind OF security the city
would have that ever step further would
BIO taken? Itnobody subscribed but the
city, where is the rest ofthe capital to come
from? Eight or nine hundred thousand dol
lars cannot be placed on basis Of 100000
The 100000 would be spent, we suppose
In starting tho piers. Then VIC should
have to put in another three. hun
bred thousand to get them ready fol
the superstructure, and then where would
the rest come from? The gentlemen who
are handling this bridge scheme are pain
fully reticent about their plans. They
leave us all in the dark as to how they
propose to proceed after they get this
100000. Is the getting possession Of
that as far as their plans extend? Does
it seem likely that the way to secure the
actual building Of bridge is to vote our
money to this embryo organization, which
has yet neither an organized existence
nor any plan of action known to the
publicY
And, therefore, men may earnestly do.
sire to have a railroad and bridge built,
and may be willing to vote generous aid
to build them, and for that very reason
oppose voting a dollar to the parties who
are now trying to crowd these subscrip.
tons through under pressure from Wall
street brokers; because if the subscrlp.
tons are voted and lost, the city will be
sadly crippled without having either rail.
road or bridge to help her up, and we
shall be farther away than ever from the
contamination we SO much desire.
It is from such considerations as these
that We advise our citizens to silt these
propositions critically before they give
them an approving vote.
A VUox5 xul.L ,Lo c,.oII ro,- no.o.,