Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-02-12


timore and Chicago.
And in order still further TO protect
| the local interests, the trainers OF the
! bill have seen fit, under section seven,
TO classify all articles OF merchandise,
except gypsum and lime, whether silks,
satins and laces, or coal, pig iron
and hoop poles under one class, and to
enact that the tariff OF this heterOgene-
GUS class shall be the lowest fixed rate
! on merchandise between Chicago and
| Baltimore. In order that no interest
! within the State may be exempt from
its benign operation, the bill enacts that
the same rate shall be charged between
Wheeling and Baltimore as between "A
| point five miles east of the Ohio river
and Baltimore, thus securing to the
capital of the State and its principal
| manufacturing centre, not only the All
yantages OF tn lowest through rate, but
the use of sixteen miles of the road to
| the point named entirely Tree from COM
pensatiOn to the company.
| think this statement OF the effects OF
the bill will satisfy your honorable COM
mittee that however beneficial ut the
first glance, its provisions may he to
| the citizens OF your state,
| that it must result IN the
financial ruin OF the company
itself. 1t not only ignores all the estab-
lished principles upon which business
is conducted but it arbitrarily reserves
them In the first place il undertakes
10 regulate the details of the most lntrl
cate and important branch i'll the carry
ing business by fixing arbitrary rules,
allowing no latitude for the Judgment
and experience OF its managers. Ii as
sumeS that men engaged IN the Ordl-
nary pursuits of life are more competent
to determine questions etfeCting so many
vital interests, with more accuracy and
fairness than men skilled and trained IN
this particular vocation. 1t places the
retail dealer upon precisely the same
footing as the wholesale. 1t ignores en-
tirelv the element OF the cost OF tho SER
vices rendered in determining the com
pensation therefor. Ii assumes that no
more shall be allowed per mile for trans
porting mercandise over the mountain
ranges Of this State, than over an equal
distance of the prairies of Illinois. 1t ~
nOres all question OF cost, both IN con
structing the road and in operating II.
Ii ignores all question of responsibility
on the part OF the company for the Gus
tody and security OF the articles COM
mitted to its care. Ii forces il to take
merchandise valued at thousands of
dollars per hundred weight, necesslta-
ting costly depot services, the use OF ex-
pensive cars and rapi transportation,
AT the same rate as the lowest grade ul
traffic, the value of which renders loss
by accident impossible, and the trans
portation of which can be done ON the
cheapest hats at the minimum rate OF
speed and cost. Ii places the emigrant
passenger on par with the first class
passenger, and prohibits the company
from maxim. such special rates aS CN-
pcricncc has demonstrated To bc wise
aud necessary fur the fostering and
building up OF all the local interests OF
great railway line.
Admitting then that the effects OF this
law will seriously mjurr the company
represent, let us look ior moment to
see in what particular its passage will
benefit the general interests Oi the pcO-
pie of this State. If the usefulness OF
the company br impaired AMI It's credit
br threatened by hostile legislation, 1t
must to that extent recOil upon the IN
trrrsts of those which this bill purpOrls
To protect, and in order to determine the
extent of this injary, beg that yoHr
honorable body will allow me briefly To
review the past relations of the company
to the State, as well as its present. policy.
The Baltimore and Ohio railroad, as
YOU are aware, is one of the trunk lines
Of the country. 1t owns and controls
lines to Chicago and st. Louis,
and through its connections reaches
nearly all the important trade
centres in the northwest, central west
and the southwest, and has working
connections through TO the Pacific
coast The amount of money directly
invested and under control OF its man
ayers is but fraction short OF SlOO,OOO,-
10000. OF its main line and branches
east of the Ohio river, the larger part is
within the borders OF the State Of West
Virginia, and whilst it has invested in
its works within the state 81 .2jS, Sol,
it has received no peCuniary assistance
from the State, and but little or none
from its inhabitants. | think II one OF
the miSiortunes under which the com
panY labOrs to-day, aS respects the pub
lie sentiment OF your people, that there
are no parties within the State largely
Interested in its stock or securities
who would feel it their interest to inves-
tigstN its relations TO the State AMI ia
miliarize themselves with its policy, and
thus be able to represent its views on
the important issues which often arise,
and defend its policy when unjustly as
sailed.
As an officer OF the company, | point
with pride To the fact that whilst NIr-
ginia is to-day struggling under load
of debt created mainly for public inn
pruvcments, not one dollar OF It was ON
account Of this, thegreateSt work Of them
all. Your committee will more fully
appreciate the benefits secured with
out cost, To- the people OF your state, II
YOU will for moment consider the
almost insurmOuntable obstacles which
were overcome in the construction OF
this ROAD. From the point where
costly structure spanning the Potomac
strikes the eastern borders OF the State
10 the point on the Ohio where the road
leaves the State by two great bridges
built at a cost of nearly two and hall
]
Of obstacles was encountered. Two
ranges Of mountains were crossed, in
yolying the erection Of costly viadurts
and lengthy tunnels. The kingwood
tunnel, which crosses the Alleghanies,
nearly one mile in length, cost the
company over SlOO,0O,OnOO, and It
would seem as ii nature in this State had
lifted up her mountain barriers an |
poured forth her floods as II forever
t. preclude man from constructing
highway through its territory. On the
Parkersburg branch alone, one hundred
/ and four miles in length, constructed at
cast oi over >ll,uOO,O1O, there are
twcnty-thrce tunnels, acgreSsling three
and hall miles in length, AMI tilty-
three bridges Certainly the men who
! had the temcrity to hsZarl their money
in this enterprise and Surmount these
difficulties, have some claims upon the
people OF this State, and should not h.
| deprived, without just cause, OF any OF
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