Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-08-19
RAILROAD WAR.
THE B. l. 0. co. ATTEMPTS TO LAY
TRACK ON WATER STREET,
But Mayor Sweeney and the Police Force
Lay the Project on the Shelf
for the Present

At the session OF the Legislature last
winter, an act was passed TO enable the
Pittsburgh, Wheeling and Kentucky
Railroad Company to extend its track 10
Benwood. The righto OF way has been Sc
cured over large portion OF the route
and the company determined to COM
mence judicial proceedings for condem-
nation of such portions as they had not
been able to obtain by negotiation with
the owners OF the land. In view OF this
determination, Il conference was held
between Mr.. Hubbard, President, and
Mr.. Becker, Chief Engineer OF the T.,
w. & Ky. road, on one part, and VIM.
Keyser, Second Vice President OF the
B. & o. Co. on the other, in this city on
last Friday.
The P, w. & Ky. Co. finds it neces-
sary, in making its extension, to pass
through several pieces OF property
owned by the B. * o. Co., which the
latter company claims to be necessary
for the transaction OF its business.
The conference was tor the purpose
of arriving at an amicable agreement, II
possible, concerning the matter. In
this it utterly failed.
On Yesterday, at about 10 o'clock A.
NJ, John Butterfield, member OF the
First Branch OF Council, noticed gang
of workmen employed in digging for a
switch OF the b. 4 o. road on Water
street, south of Twenty-frst. He mott
fed Mayor Sweeney OF the encroach-
ment upon the city's property, and his
honor proceeded to the spot and ordered
proceedings to be at once suspended.
This was done.
In the course OF the afternoon, word
was sent TO the city building
that operations had been again
commenced, and the Mayor, with de-
tachment of police, revisited the spot,
and again ordered suspension OF work
Six of the workmen, with their super
visor, whose name is Nightingale, were
placed under arrest. Two officers were
detailed TO remain in the vicinity, and
see that work was not again commenced,
and Mayor Sweeney called upon Capt.
Devries the general agent OF the COM
pany, and consultation was held. The
Captain explained thatit was not by his
orders that work had been commenced
on the switch, but he ordered the work
men not to proceed with the work until
further orders. A telegram was then
sent to the road master, giving the
status of affairs, and so the matter rests.
The interference by the city authorl-
ties was merely because the switch was
encroaching upon the street, and no
permission to do this had been applied
Tor or granted. The general suppositlon
is that the b. & o. Company desired to
Law the switch for the purpose OF fur
Their obstructing the proposed route OF
the p. w. 4 Ky. Co. The b. Il
0. men claim, however, that such Is
not the case, but that the
switch is needed and was to be
constructed in the ordinary course OF
business, and without any other design
than to facilitate the freight operations
OF the road.
The b. d O. company has caused an
other switch to be constructed on South
street, crossing it obliquely. This was
also done without the knowledge or con-
sent of the city authorities.
The action of the Mayor and police
was witnessed by an immense crowd,
and rediculously exaggerated reports OF
the occurrence were III circulation. III
was said that an encounter had
taken place between the police and
the workmen, and that a fight had
been the result. Nothing of the kind,
or the slightest foundation for such a
rumor occurred. On the contrary, the
men quietly and without show OF resist
ance ceased work when ordered to, and
Captain Devries, in the interests OF
peace and good feeling, afterwards count
ermanded the order to construct the
switch until communication could be
had with headquarters. This was all
there was oft.
Whether there is anything further be-
hind the affair we are no. able to con-
lecture. Interesting complications were
predicted by those who pretended to be
Informed.