The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-02-28

uear Onto W Tue CDuuIIcs oe'OIc 'uel
get through With them. Icharge them
With iucompetency only upon the evi
dence o. their own transactions and
admissions. Now it appears to me the
counties should hesitate before permit
ting any more OF their funds to be
in the way they have been,
l know they have excuses Tor the swell-
log OF the amount from what they first
represented 10 have it under contract
Tor, w: Some little over S200, 900 to
nearly s400 600, and still in an III 6Oish
ed state. But in my opinion, from my
present. knowledge, they are inadequate
10 clear themselves. For instance,
they represent that it was frst let out
to a good many small contractors who
failed and lett the work unfuished,
and it bad to be re let upon higher
terms, thereby swelling the cost OF the
road considerably. Grant that such
was the case, this does not relieve the
directors from blame, for il l under
stand business, "husipess is business"
they should have required and perhaps
did, ample security from all the con-
tractors TO insure them against any loss
from the non .fulfimeut OF their cen
tracts, il not by real or personal security,
l understood they did by Withholding
20 or 80 per cen,um, forget which, oi
their earnings, until the contract was
completed, which very action some Of
the contractors claim broke them up
Now you see they had a pretty large
margin to 20 upon in re-letting, if a
contractor failed, without any loss to
them.
There ia another thing which would
like to have explained. II the Drec.
tors could have obta ned, as | nnder-
stood was represented, a few thousand
dollars from individuals, and finished
the road bed according to the contract
with the railroad company, why. iu
the name OF common sense, dldn't they
do it, aud then tender the road bed to
the railroad company, in accordance
With the contract. And il they refused
t. rcceive.it, then sue the railroad COM
papy upon the contract, II it was worth
auythipg) and let the railroad company
stand good TOR any damages to the road
bed this winter, or until the contract
was comple ed with on the part OF the
company. But. instead OF this
weare told, they went of to see il the
railroad company wouldn't help them
out OF their difficulty, and they got Tor
a reply that they couldn't, and didn't
think they could comply With their part
Of the contract at present, even if the
road bed was completed and rendered to
them. Now, wpat did they do? Come
home acknowledged they were swamp
ed by making an assignment OF the
road bed and asets for the benefit OF
ils creditors, thereby acknowledging
that they bad forfeited the contract
or the amount necessary TO
finish the road bed was 100 great to oh
tain from lndivIduals. or that a con-
..aot -th a g,""t c""n.-- ~"' PS' @''ou
like tie Penusy lvsuis Railroad Com
papy was not worth the paper 1t was
written upoo. For il the contract was
worth anything. their saying Ute rail-
road compsny) that they couldn't COM
ply with their part OF the contract al
present, was no grouse 'or the Dir.
10 abandoo the work. il it was 10 their
power 10 have finished it. But. alas, |
am arald their abilities were lar
spent, and they bad to give
it up with the bsst grace possible, by
saying tha, il was 20 use 10 finlsh it
apyhow, tnst the railroad company
couldn't or wouldn't complV with their
part OF the programme BOSh.
Now, whatever this county or couu-
~ authorities do in this matter, | hops
they will d. it with their eyes open, TOT
:, does appear, that heretofore, they
have acted in regard to railroads with
them shut. Judging from the action
o. the Civ Council IN regard to the
W L. l. E. R. T., the railroad fever
has considerably sbated in Wheeling
AID l hope it will stay so, until we geJ
something cure and worth having, not
burdening ourseives with debt and tax
alion without value received. There
tor will wind this up. by calling tor
more light, at least, to the benigbted
aud ignorant citizens o' Liberty town
ship. Gn order that they NAV vote more
intrllIgently the next time) who hon.
estly thought they conldn't zee the ne
c. ssity OF making another great high
way along the side OF two already IN
operation, (not thinking it would prove
the miserable tsilLre that it has, aid
tor Shich they were somewhat cen.
cured, BY some citizens o. your city,
who even wen, so far as 10 try 10 ridI-
cule us for voting our honest sentiments
Yours Respectfully. s. S j.
Wet I,jBsy,y Fsbyydry ODD