Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-12-18
REVIVAL IN RAILROAD ENTER
PRISE

The overflow OF the business DOOM ~
running almost exclusively into new
railroads.
This is manifest at every point OF the
compass. A real railroad fever has
taken possession of the American peo-
pie.
And it is one OF the natural and iney-
liable results of an expanded currency.
With plenty of money our country will
steadily develop. There is scarcely a
possibility of danger Of too much money
for this great, broad and undeveloPed
country. As soon as plethora is felt
in the more ordinary and regular de-
partments OF business, our currency
will always flow out into enterprises
that open new and untried fields OF OPP
Grafton.
1t is perfectly natural that railroads
should be the first and choicest invest
ment for American capitalists. The OPP
portunities they offer for developing
new territory and new kinds OF trade
and traffic are ilhmitable.
A good railroad, established on bust
ness principles, is one Of the best invest
ments money can find. 1t IS better
investment with every year that is adj
ded to the age of the road. 1t builds
up and is being built up constantly by
the country throughout which it passes
1t always has future before it, and its
dividends are always on the increase, il
well managed.
Our people have faith in railroads and
they ought to have. 1t is well founded.
There is scarcely any limit to the posi-
bilties they may open for city or To-
cality. What could not any locality
make of itself with means sufficient to
extend a railroad in every direction II
conceived to be profitable?
Cities and towns are waking up to the
fact that the railroad is their chief de-
pendence in this day for maintaining
their standing or augmenting thelr
growth in wealth and population.
Cincinnati, with courage not less
commendable than her perspicuity, has
invested SlS,OOO,OOO in a single road, de-
signed only to give her share OF the
trade of locality she could not other
wise reach. And it will all come back
to her, perhaps, before she has really
paid the debt thus incurred.
There was time in the history OF
railroad building in this country, not
long past, when these enterprises gen.
orally fell into the hands OF crude and
inexperienced managers, or were other
wise, controlled by shrewd spectators
who managed to bag the whole business
before the road was a year old. Many
municipalities that voted money for such
purposes reaped rare and racy expe-
rience in such connection.
For these reasons, railroad projects
got into bad odOr for a time. Some
localities are still so suspicious OF them,
that while sadly in need of an outlet
they are too timid and incredulOus to
give them sanction or support.
But it is never the fault OF railroad
that community is feeced, nor is ii
often, if ever, the case, if the railroad is
built at all, that the town or city possess
ing it, has paid more than it gets in re-
turn, however much they may have
suffered in the original contract.
There is no city in the country that
has not been made by the patrOnizing
aid OF one or more important railroads.
The Baltimore and Ohio railroad has
made Baltimore what it is. The Penn
svlvania Central has made Philadel-
phia. And so with all other large cities.
Their growth and importance began
with the building OF one or more Their
leading railway lines.
These cities, too, have, as a rule, in
vested largely in the building OF their
roads. Baltimore subscribed very
large share of the stock to the building
Of b. K o. Philadelphia did likewise to-
ward the building Of the Pennsylvania
Central. And both cities have found il
TO be the best investment ever made in
their history.
1t was long time coming, and the
project originally had to encounter the
usual opposition, and the promoters OF
these enterprises had to bear a burden
of complaint through tedious years Of
waiting, as the roads developed and be-
gan to pay, but now they find the stock
rating at onc-hundred per cent. above
par, while it has been paying substan-
tial dividends through almost every
year of the roads history.
We might cite instances OF the profits
of railroads nearer home. Wheeling
holds no better stock than that in the
Pewky, which is but two years old,
And this was a road that had been aban-
doned by ils original projectors.
Does anybody doubt that if it were
extended down the river to Parkersbhrg
it would be a profitable road; that, in
fact, it would enhance the prosperity OF
every locality through which it passes
Just as it has the country up the river
Does anybody know of any railroad in
this country that is not good, paving
property?
TIMELY TOPICS
tbs West Virginia Journal Of ECl,cd-