The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-02-03
Another Outsiders Views About the
Railroads.

Another Outsiders Views About the
| Railroads.
Editors OF the Register:l
The gist of the matter appears to be
shall we, the citizens Of Wheeling, bt
taxed and pay to build railroads il
Ohio, to move our capital, manufac
tories and population to the other sid'
of the river. Until a bridge is built
not to the Island, but to the city proper
this we argue will be the inevitable
effect. Suppose the Tuscarawas road
does come on the Island, can any prac
tical man suppose that the company
will put expensive engine and machine
shops where they are liable to be over
flowed, or that other expensive or costly
buildings will be erected there? If we
have to dray over one bridge, we might
as we'll 90 over two; there would be
only one loading and unloading OF the
dray or wagon anyhow. And are We
in all Ohio county prepared to be heavily
taxed for railroad benefiting only the
island. The practical benefits of the
road would enure mostly to Bridgeport
and vicinity, where capital would seek
sites for building above high water
mark. The same objections apply also
to the Hopedale road, but the subscrip
ton to that road is only to be made on
the condition that the cars are TO run
clear across into Wheeling proper, and
that Wheeling is to have the practical
benefit of the terminus. Is not this
right2 The controllers OF the present
management of the Cleveland and Pitts
burgh railroad have expressed them,
selves authoritatively as ready to CO
operate literally with the city in build
ing bridge, and it will surely be no
objection if the Hopedale road will
help.
Let us have the bridge first and the
railroads will come to it. One OF the
speakers at the Court House Tuesday
night said the Tuscarawas road was
coming to the river and it was for us to
saw whether it should strike the Ohio at
Wheeling. If we show them that we
are in earnest about the bridge the trade
and freights OF this city are not so in
significant that they will not come to
tue bridge. After we pay these enor,
nous subscriptions to either or both
these Ohio roads, the city.wili be too
crippled to bridge the river. Let us
make sure of the bridge and we will
thus make certain of the benefits Of the
railroads. The Baltimore and Ohio
railroad contracted once to give us the
practical benefits OF its western terml-
nus, yet the highest courts permitted the
crossing at Bellaire, and we are minus
the benefits. The lesson appears to be,
we should give these Ohio roads our
money so fast as they build the bridge.
1t is all right to make the railroads,
but until we get bridge clear across
the river, if the Ohio people want rail-
roads let them build them. Let us put
all our energies and money on tine
bridge, and if we have any left we can
help Ohio roads afterwards. Not pay
to build roads to stop over the river,
attract our population, business and
capital over there, and then find our
selves too poor to bridge the river,
thus paying to depreciate our own
property here to enhance that on
the Ohio side. Yesterday petitions
were circulated over. the city in favor OF
the Tuscarawas road. This is very
unfair and deceptive way to obtain the
public sentiment. Almost anyone OF
an obliging disposition, without re-
Election, and to get rid Of an APPELLANT
without displeasing him. will sign any
petition presented; but at the ballot
box is the test, and only test which
should have weight.
The foregoing considerations are
urged by one of themselves, on those
who neither expect lucrative posi-
ton from either of these roads, nor
have large amounts Of Island or
Bridgeport vacant real estate for sale,
nor land up Wheeling Creek Valley,
and who are not more interested min
creasing the tolls Of the Suspension
Bridge Company than in the general
welfare Of the city of Wheeling. The
writer asks every citizen before giving
his influence or vote to either Ohio road
to scrutinize the names Of those con-
nected with furthering them, to see
whether there are any private axes to
grind and let all whose taxes are not
high enough now, and who want
them higher than they will be
when we have to pay our
share Of the old State debt, go for these
Ohio roads. And when the city ana
county get all these burdens OF taxation
on them, the same causes which even
now drive our own citizens into Ohio to
build new nail factories and furnaces,
to wit, our high taxes, will operate still
more unhappily for us. The railroad
fever is high; let US all think, reason
together make haste slowly in such
matters, at such times, and then shall
all the people not say again, as they
had reason to do the last time the same
fever visited US, experience is the only
school fora certain class, and we
have been scholars there at high rate
oftuition, not yet paid in full.