The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-03-28
THE BRIDGE COMPANY vs.. THE
ISLANDERS.
A Big d Enthusiastic Meeting Last
Night = Resolutions Passed, dc,

NBkut hovAv"s "7Seus NC,
&c.
Last night the Thompson NJ. L.
Church contained about 40 or $50 of
the prominent Island citizens who had
assembled in answer to postal netiica-
ton and otherwise from Messrs. z. j.
Stone, A. Cowen, A. G. Robinson and j.
A. Armstrong.
The meeting was called to order by
Mr.. e. H. Collier, and organized by plac-
ing S. p. Hildrith in the chair and max
ing Charley Watkins, Secretary.
Pending other business Mr.. Robinson
was called upon to address tie meeting.
In answer TO the call he stated that he,
together with Messrs. Armstrong, Stone
and Coen, waited upon the Board OF
Directors of the Wheeling IL Belmont
Bridge Company to ascertain what their
intentions we're in regard to the change
OF toll. The directors informed them
that nothing definite was yet decided
upon, but they felt MS if some change in
that direction might produce better
feeling toward the company on the part
! Of the Islanders. They referred to abus.
I've articles which had appeared in some
OF the papers, which had caused the con-
sideration of The matter. Mr.. Robinson
stated that as he had never read the Sun
day Leader, he did not know the nature
of any one Of the articles referred to, but
he was free to say that he did not think
it reflected the views Of most of the Island
citizens, and that as far as he was con
cerned, the bridge company's treatment
of the citizens was just and equitable.
Mr.. Stone was then called upon, who
said his attention was first called to the
matter by tenant OF his being notified
that no more monthly tickets. would be
issued, and, for the present, the tenant
would be compelled to pay five cents a
trip. He Investigated the matter, and
ascertained that the Board contemplated
taking some action in the premises be-
cause of the mystified attacks made upon
the company by some of the city press.
As a meeting OF the directors waste take
place on Saturday evening last, he gath
cred in Messrs. Cowen, Robinson and
Armstrong who waited upon the Board
and asked for information iu
the matter. The members OF the
Board informed him that they were
contemplating change in the rates
of tolls because OF the assaults made up
on the company by the Erenimg Staudard
in times past and the Sunday Leader,
and the belief that the major part CT the
Island folks acquired therein from the
fact that the Leader continued its abuse
and that many of the Island citizens
riding across the bridge on the street
cars took the trouble to jump out of the
car until it passed the toll house nd
then hoped on again, by which means
the Bridge Company lost four cents for
every performance of this nature, when
it was stipulated with Che street car com.
pany that each passenger riding over the
bridge should pay this sum to the Bridge
Company, in lieu Of the use Of the
bridge by the car company
the bridge company, would like to hear
fro IN the Island citizens in the matter
The company onl y charged six dollars a
! year 10 families, which was much less
than was charged by either the Pitts
burgh or Cincinnati Bridge Companies.
Mr.. Stone and the gentlemen with him,
requested the Board not 10 take any ac-
ton il che case at present, as he was
prepared to prove that nine-tenths Of the
Island community were in SYM
patty with the bridgec ompany
and opposed to the unwarrant-
ed attacks of the paper referred to. He
was prepared to back up his assertion by
positive evidence, if the company would
AVOID taking any action at present. The
meeting tonight was the result
Messrs. John Mcclure and g. L.
Cowen made some remarks pretty much
OF the same tenor Of the preceding gen.
tlenan. The former added that he
thought the company's charter would
not hold good in law, and that
ferry might be established
if desired, yet the bridge wa. the Com
pany's property, just like any other
property, and their rights were equally
inviolatc. Mr.. Cowen thought too,
that the great trouble was not IN the
charges OF the company, but that citizens
should be compelled TO pay as individuals
fer the privilege of going from one part
of the city to the other; when by right it
was the city.s duty to assume that ex-
pense.
Mr.. Campbell then moved that
committee of three be appointed
by the chair to draft resolutions OF the
object and views OF this meeting. The
motion was seconded by number of
voices.
Mr.. Blair, who came in late at this
iuncture desired to know the object of the
meeting The chair attempted to ex-
PLANE, but Mr. Blair was obtuse and the
president was requested to again state the
object of the meeting before Mr., b. re-
ceived light.
The chair then appointed Messrs. A. j.
Robinson, John Mcclure and Al Stone
rs members OF the committee TO prepare
the resolutions. These gentlemen retired
to the ante room and pending their
deliberations the meeting resolved itself
into committee of the whole and dis
cussed the toll question with decided
energy and earnestness.
The committee made the following re-
port:
To the President and Directors Of the
Wheeling and Belmont Bridge Com
pdmy:
GENTLEMEN: The undersigned, repre-
senting to a very great extent the citi-
zens of the Island, having learned that
your company contemplated n raise in
the tolls OF your bridge as well rs radical
change in the manner Of collecting the
the same, to-wit:
That the tolls were to be paid, indi-
yidually upon every passage of the
bridge" and understanding that said
proposed change WAS to a largo extent
brought about by that which you deem
assaults of the Sunday Leader and Stand
ardagainst your company, beg leave to
repres' n
First that we are not responsible in
any way tor the publications complained
of and have not instigated the same.
Second, That we believe the rate of toll
upon any large public improvement,