The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-08-01
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retI,
"Gathr in Cincinnati Enquirer.

Cath" in Cincinnati Enquirer.
Being at the inlet of the shortest line
from the sea to the Ohio Valley, Balti-
more early developed good road system
10 the West 1t danked PhiiadelpEIa
and alarmed it. Pennsylvania then
opened her canal system and road sys
TEN, and scared Baltimore into canslIng
of the Potomac, and finally to beginning
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. This
railroad was begun before any perfected
steam traction power had been intro.
duced. 1t reached the Ohio river, 1851
BY that time Brown Brothers, Louis Nc.
Lane and Thomas Swami had exhausted
civic. State and foreign credit, By S56
the Ohio connections of this road were
finished. just before the rebellion broke
cut, John w Garrett, produce dealer
and the son 81 Robert Garrett, private
banker '-mc luto control of this railroad.
1t was o. Il bsd condition; ITS stock sold
low down; it could with difficulty have n
dividend. Soon sfterWard the great
civIl war began, and made this railroad
us great interior line. Mr.. Garrett had
great influence with Stanton and per
hsps some of the influence which removed
Cameron from the Wa Office With
m able executive staff, headed by the
late VIM. Prescott Smith, Mr.. Garrett
rs-estabished the railroad every time the
rebels destroyed 1t, and MS charges Were
never scsDt OF the fu. figure, and ms
bills were always promptly hu"ored BY
the Government. He was distant con
nsctior, it is said, Of Stanton. Ellhu
Wsshburne and the Republican bull
dozers who were feathering their nests on
the sly, stealing wealth and fame to-
gether, were very jealous Of Garrett he
smiled benlgnsntly on the evil and the
good, and could blush like new gold
piece. He accumulated so much money
that at the end of the war this second
rate railroad becsmea great trunk-lne,
challenging the Pennsylvania and New
York Central.
But Mr.. Garrett was great borrower
of money; he was the apostle OF econ omy.
His employees were always under bid and
yet cut down ST every revulsion. BE
out under every body's rates, ana assist
cd to make the low rates which ruiz ed
the railroad business, and then expected
% make up the deficiency by decking the
aborers. 1t was pushing too far. The
strike began on Jonn Browns old ground
3: Msrtinsburg, near Harper's Ferry and
created second revolution.
Mr. Garrett l. the father OF the great
rot. He has little or no knowledge o.
human nature, and had experimental up
on MS operatives 50 frequently ana so sue
cesstully that he had no idea
they could make successful
strike. At last they had no alter
native but to strike or die. He never
k-pt up any relation of reciprocity or
sympathy with MS men, and yet IN
dulged the dream, at times, that his mere
monetary success would make nm Presi-
dent OF the United States. People in
t1is country do not respect money disas-
ISOLATED with democratic charity. Mr..
'f4rrett will hardly die with the fame he
expected. He Is not popular IN B-lti.
more with the rich; he Is not known to
the poor. A re,pe table man in many
respects, be forgot MS pliin duty to the
men he employed He never sought TO
improve their condition though they
were very iaitnlulto mis- Interests. lie
out down Their pay three times in the
course of a few months, and yet increased
their work Like smother Pharaoh ne
mSde his bondmen build bricks without
straw. This man has been lncaicusbiy
exposed and injured. lie hss not years
. ough left to retrieve his reputation a.
: great snd good American