The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-04-12
THEE. & 0. H. n.INyEsTIaATIoN.

THE II. d O.R. R.INyESTIaATIoN.
The special legislative committee has
closed its labors in taking evidence for
The present, the last place of their sitting
being at Clarksburg on Tuesday OF this
week. At that place large number OF
business men reported to the committee,
and the evidence taken was quite vol
luminous and important. The one shame
iul fact is brought out prominently, and
it is supported by ample evidence, that
the whole policy of this road dlscrimi-
mates against the people and the IN
dustries of West Virginia. Goods
are carried BY this corporation, without
regard to distance, from any point out
side of West Virginia to any point on
the road in West Virginia, for less mo2-
ey than the same freight is carried like
dstaLce from one point TO smother with
in the State. For instance the Company
charges greater sum to carry freight
from Parkersburg to CIerksburg, (both
these towns being within the S:ste), than
it charges for carrying the same freight
from Marietta, Ohio, ria Parkersburg to
Clsrksburg, or from Cincinnati to
CIsrksburr. II CHARGES more for
carrying articles of merchan-
disc say from MoundsvilIe to
Grafton than it does for carrying the
same freight from Z4nesvllle, or Mans
field, or even Chicago, ria Moundsville,
to Grafton.
On this point we present the sworn
testimony of Mr.. j. F. OSBORN, of CIarks-
burg, which is, by the way, only cor
roboratlve of the testimony OF all the
witnesses that were examined at every
point at which the Committee sat. Mr..
OSBORN is in the foundry business at
Clarksburg. He said:
l pay on iron from Baltimore 81 COL per
ton; from Wheeling So % per tom from
Pittsburgh So 90 per ton. On coke
from Connelsville, Pa, $38 per car load.
| pay from Cincinnati on Babblt metal
80 cents per hundred weight; from
Wheeling here on Rabbit metal, IS cents;
from Pittsburgh, | pay on Rabbit metal
50 cents per hundred weight. l get
freight from McKeespor., Pa, for 30
cents per hundred weight. The charge
from Wheeling to this place on same
class of freight would be higher.
The railroad company dlscriminates so
against Wheeling that it amounts almost
to a prohibition to get goods from Wheel.
ing, w. Va. The freiyh's to this place
are lower from New York, PeunsylvG-
MIA, Maryland and Ohio than IRON
points IN our own State.
My freights from McKcesport, Pa, are
carried here via OF Cumberland, over the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad.
If we had rates Of transportation such
as other States have our country would
equal Massachusetts in few years as a
great manufacturing State,
nave travelled great deal over the
United States, and have visited the
thriving manufacturing sections o! our
country, and have not seen anywhere
locality which affords greater natural
facilities tor manufactures Than West
Virginia. Thriving, industrious towns
are springlng up Oh the lines Of railroads
in the North and West, while West
Virginia, with decidedly superior natural
advantages, remains stagnant and uude
veloped. This, ain confident, is caused
principally by the constant discrlmlna-
ton OF the Baltimore and ONO railroad
against manufacturers and Shippers. In
fact the industries of the State are re-
pressed by this policy Of the road, l am
thoroughly satisfied that If the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad would give the people
of this State fair and equitable rates OF
ireight-such rates as are conceded -
THRIVING localities in other States West
Virginia would be great manufacturing
State; her wealth would be developed,
her prosperity enhanced, and Ler posi-
ton rs a furnishing, happy State would
be secured.
IA we said in the opening of this art-
Gle, the committee has now about closed
its labors in the way of taking evidence,
and we have 1t from authority that can
be relied on to the fullest extent, that it
will unanimously report that the Balti-
,,,oro ODD NH, y, ;l-,,I T,r,roDy, Lova
no authority, either under their charter
or the laws of West Virginia, to charge
any greater sum for the transportation
of persons or property from any point
east of Wheeling and west of Hsrper's
Ferry to Baltimore, or from Bal
timore to any such point, than they
charge from Wheeling to Baltimore, or
from Baltimore to Wheeling. That is,
the Company can in no case charge
greater sum for q short distance than for
the greater distance. If the Company
charge 20 cents per hundred pounds from
Wheeling TO Baltimore, 1t cannot charge
more than 20 cents per hundred pounds
from any other station in West Virginia
to Baltimore, or from Baltimore to such
station; or from Wheeling to such sta.
tion, or from such station to Wheeling.
We deem this information TO be Of the
\ ,rbos4 ir,,,lrtor1a g., thu Y,ag,,1a &c Wet