The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-08-18
The railroad subscription.

which / trust you VIII &C. OF MT. DUH
Or Chief Engineer of the P. ". d KY
,silroad, made to the Board Of Direc-
tors on the Goth OF May last, and pub
li.hed in your paper about the same
time, it will .-answer very many of the
INQUIRIES made in your editorial of SAT-
urdav, as we'll as those of your cores
pondent TX"
That report will show that the indi'
vidual subscriptions referred to were
counted and relied upon as a part OF
the assets of the company and that it
would take in addition upwards o.!
SO 900 more to complete the road. The
Directors with view Of providing tor all
contingencies and knowing that some
OF the private subscriptions were con-
sidered doubtful, asked for $4,000, one
half from the county Of Brooke and the
other from the county OF Ohio. Brooke
county has subscribed $4,000 and
Ohio county will decide TO morrow IN
regard to the other SIS 900. 1t is prop
er 10 cav that the Board OF Directors
has not failed 10 regard to toe private
subscriptions that instalments Of stock
were called for as the work progressed,
the last instalment being due
on the first Monday in April
last. When it became evident that the
private subscriptions would be paid,
very reluctantly if at all, a committee
OF the Board was appointed TO call on
the subscribers Individually, and solicit
psymert. This committee reported o.
the May meeting Of the Board their
total want OF success, and at the came
meeting of the Board an order was pass
ed instructing the Attorney OF the Com
paw to bring suit sgaipst every stock
holder, whose stock was not paid up by
the Ist Monday in June. The Attorney
subs euuently stated that he could not
get iud cement before the meeting OF the
Circuit Court in September, aud that be
would bring the suits in time. Ac-
cordipgly, at the last rule day In
Brooke county, suits were brought
against several parties, which will come
I'D for hearing at the September term
The reasons given for not paying are
various, principally that this IL not the
same road to which they subscrlbed,
the road having been extended from
Wellsburg to Wheeling after their sub,
scription was made. Eminent counsel
are very positive that the money caa be
made out OF all who are able to pay.
The report OF Mr.. Becker states come
what in detail, the causes OF Increased
expenditure in building the rosd over
and above the first estimates, and ALEC
gives assurance go far as human tore
Sight can go, that the present subscrip-
ton, when made, will complete the
road in accordance with the contract
with the Pennsylvania company.
1t is proper to be known that much
valuable time was lost after the origin
al subscription OF Ohio county was vo-
ted, before satisfactory agreement
couId be made with the Pennsylvania
company, by reason Of the insutiicleney
OF legislation in West Virginia. This
legislation has since been had and the
agreement is now in full force. The
DELAY thus occesioned threw the heavy
psrt of the work into the winter, when
the work was prosecuted under dltiicul>
ties which could not have been anticl-
mated. The rains and high water OF
one month often destroyed a large part
OF the work OF the month previous, to
the great damage OF the contractors and
Tho comnspy. the winter proving TO
be one OF the longest aud worst to do
out of door work OF any on record.
1t is true that the original subsorlp-
ton by this county WAS thought to be
amply sufficient by the Chief Engineer
himself and it is a source Of regret to
none more than the Directors Them
selves that such has not proved TO be
the fact. Il may be stated here that
under the agreement with the Pennsyl"
vanis Company, the engineers are ap-
pointed by that company and the work
must be done under their direction and
control, and the estimates OF the work
as it progresses made and supervised by
them and paid under the certificate OF
the Chief Engineer. II being the prin'
ciual business OF the Board o! Directors
OF the 2. W. & X. r Il. Co. to obtain
the right Of way, secure contractors to
do the work and provide means to pay
for it. How far they have succeeded
in doing the duties CT their office is not
for them to say, but they believe they
hsye done as well as any others would
have done under like circumstances,
whatever may be the Judgment of their
fellow citizenq. Voucher, will lie fo:th-
coming for any committee OF examina-
ton for every dollar expended, showing
thst it was 8 legitimate expenditure
and that the delays and disasters which
have attended the road were not caused
by their negligence. but beyond their
control.
The question now recurs, will tue
voters OF Ohio county make further
Investment OF Sl5, 900 in order 10 secure
the investment already made, and the
completion Of railroad which when
completed will be second in Its advan-
tages to no road now entering the city
or will they refuse the subscription and
thus delay il not destroy the further
progress OF the work and render value
less the investment already made.
There should be no doubtful answer to
this question. Let the subscription be
made and the road completed. 1t can
be done beyond peradventure in six
weeks, possibly in four, ready to hand
over to the Pennsylvania Company. |!
the present Board of Directors are IN
efficient turn them out--the County
Commissioners have the power-aud
put in one that will be effective, but let
us have the road in the shortest possible
time, and with it the development OF
com mercial and manufacturing enter
prise, the advanced value of property
and the increased basis Of tsxation