The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-11-24
National Railroad Convention,

ST. LOUIS, November 23.-The Nation
al Railroad Convention was called to or
der at II o'clock by Col. Joseph o.
Broadheat, chairman Of the Executive
Committee. DR.. W. q. Elliott offered
u prayer, after which Col. Broadheat read
the call under which the Convention as
sembled and then stated somewhat In de-
tail the object OF the Convention. He
said that delegates were here from twen-
ty.seven States and Territories, composed
Of men Of science, engineers, farmers,
mechanics, merchants, men Of intelligence
and enterprise, and thoroughly repFesen-
tative OF the various interests OF their re-
speCtive committees. He referred In
glowing terms to the fact that men were
here from every section OF the country In
the interest Of peace and to promote the
welfare Of the whole Union. He then
read bill granting the charter by Con.
grca 10 the Texas 4 Pacific Railroad
Company, and gave some statistics Of the
working Of the part Of the road now fin
ished and described the country through
which the proposed line Is to run, and
drew comparisons between that and the
northern route quite favorable to the
former.
Colonel Broadhead nominated General
Anderson, Of Richmond, Va, as tempo.
rary chairman, and D. II. MacAdam and
l.. L. Walbridge, Of 81. Louis, rs seCreta.
ries and they were elected.
Colonel james II. Iiritton, Mayor OF
the city, then welcomed the delegates to
st. Louis, and extended TO them the hos.
pitalities Of the city in neat and grace.
full speech.
Committees OH credentials and permA.
nent organization were appointed.
AnOte was read from Colonel Clowry,
Superintendent Of the Western Union
Telegraph Company, offering the free
Use Of their wires to the delegates, which
was acknowledged with thanks.
The convention then adjourned to
visit the Merchants Exchange rooms, in
the new Chamber Of Commerce building,
now almost completed.
During the business Of the convention
General Sherman entered the hall and
was invited to take seat on the plat
form, which he accepted amid enthusiasts
tic cheers. Shortly afterward General
j. y. johnson was invited to the platform,
and was greeted with great applause; and
when he and General Sherman met and
shook hands, gentlemen rose from their
seats, waved their hats and cheered in
the most voCiierous manner,
Mr.. Trimble, OF Kentucky, then moved
that JEFF Davis be also invited TO q seat
on the platform, aAd made quite speech
In support Of his motion. lie wanted
all political and sectional feelings put
aside. Mr.. Davis had labored for the I'm.
provement OF The South and West, and
was entitled 10 recognition.
The motion was carried, but there we're
quite number Of negative votes, where.
upon Mr.. Davis arose and said that as
Chairman Of the Mississippi delegation |
his place was on the floor Of the Conven-
tion, but for the benefit Of those who |
voted no on the motion. he would say |
that he would have declined the invita-
tion even had II been unanimously OF.
fered.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Upon the assembling Of the Convention
the Committee on Credentials reported
delegates present from twenty States and
Territories. The report was adopted.
The Committee on Permanent Organi. |
cation reported the following officers
President, Judge Stanley Mathews, Of
Cincinnati; Vice President, Gen. William
Preston, Of Kentucky; Secretary, Col. J.
NJ. Howell, Of Arkansas; Official Report
er, l.. L. Walbridge, Of 81. Louis; Ser.
geant.al. Arms, Major ]. Ed. Constins, Of
81. Louis.
A supplemental report was made nam.
ing from two to five gentlemen from each |
State as Vice Presidents, and ono az an
Assistant Secretary; both reports we're
adopted. Both Judge Mathews and Gen.
eral Strong, made eloquent speeches In
favor Of the object Of the Convention. A
committee Of two from each State we're
appointed on business and resolutions,
and on motion il WAS agreed that all re.
solutions offered should be referred to
that committee without debate. Resolu-
tions were then introduced from Califor-
mia, Tennessee, Kansas and South Caro-.
lima. Delegations which we're referred
a II