The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-12-05
GkeGsteuiarnrer.
The Pittsburgh, Wheeling & Ken
lucky Railroad.

The Pittsburgh, Wheeling q hen'
lucky Railroad.
We have already stated on good ati-
,bority that even were this road now fin'
ished according to contract with the
Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & 81. Louis road
vet such are the embarrassments ot the
latter company that It could not receive
and complete it. Their inability to do &c
IL freely confessed. Neither does that
Company know when they will be able to
receive and equip the road. All depends
on the outcome Of their own affairs. Just
what condition their own affairs are In no
one about here pretends TO know. Ills
understood, however, that the business re-
Iations Of the Pennsylvania Company are
not in an enyiable shape by any means
TRos A. scoTT, the President OF the
Pittsburgh, Cincinnati S 1t. Louis road,
Is badly involved. How far tho resources
Of the road itself are involved cannot be
known perhaps until legal proceedings
are commenced against him and his co.
endorsers on the California & Texas Con.
slrucllon Company's paper. This uncer.
tsinty leaves the iuture OF the Pittsburgh
Wheeling d Kentucky Railroad all in the
dark. It's lessees may be ready 10 take
and finish It next spring or next summer,
or they may not. We think II probable
that they will be able to do so sometime
during the coming year. Indeed, we have
but little doubt on this point. But be this
as 1t may, it Is not specielly important to
the question we would like to see asked
and answered, which Is, whether there
is anything In the contract or under.
standing with tho Pittsburgh, Cincinnati
i St. Louis road which will prevent the
Pittsburgh, Wheeling & Kentucky road
from making contract with some other
Company for completing the road and
succeeding 10 all the rights and priv
llages that would belong 10 The original
lessees. Without derogating In the least
from the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & st.
Louis Company we may express the opin'
ion that it would be much better for the
city OF Wheeling and the people generally
along the line OF the road were the road
TO fall into the hands Of the Baltimore &
Ohio Company provided that company
will carry 1t on to Pittsburgh, either by
the line OF the river or by line parallel
to the Panhandle road.
The counties OF Ohio and Brooke could
well afford TO donate their stock In the
road to the Baltimore & Ohio Com.
pany upon an = understanding OF this
kind because It would give them an OPP
positionline 10 Pittsburgh, something that
they can never have under the present ar
rangement with the Pittsburgh, Cincin.
natl / 81. Louis Company. And inasmuch
as there Is no present likelihood that the
road will ever pay dividend on the com.
mon stock, which Is the stock that the
two counties. hold, there Is probably
nothing to be sacrificed by rendering the
investment as It now stands to the Balti-
more Company, provided they will go i'm
mediotely on and finish and equip the
lOad. A railroad all the way up the
river or even up to the top line Of Han
cock county and thence across the coun'
try to Pittsburgh would be Of decidedly
more advantage TO US all than the present
line, especially II 1t should be in the hands
Of competing company like the Balti'
more & Ohio. 7. as
As we understand the contract now ex.
isting with the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati L St.
Louis Company, there Is nothing In 1t that
forbida a. transfer oi the property to q
third party. They are conlessedly unable
to carry ont their contract today II the
road was rendered to them. We are not
Of course obliged to await their conven.
ieuce in the matter. That Is not business
in any part OF the world. The question
is, therefore, whether we are, under the
circumstances, at liberty, to tender the
road In its present condition to another
party or whether we are first
obliged to finish 1t and tender 1t to the
Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & 81. Louis road.
lu other words. doessthe declaration Of
that company that it could not today
take the road of our hands absolve us
from any obligation to make the tenders II
/! does, should we not look to the posi-
ka1