The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-03-05
Wal virginia nna thc u. 4 .. II. II.

Correspondence Cincinnati Commercial.
BALTIMORE, March ..
Any one who has watched the course Of
legislation ut Wheeling during the winter
must have been struck with the fact that
the legislators Of West Virginia have been
cmbucd with Il singular hostility to the
railway corporations Of that State.
Judging from the accounts seen in the
Wheeling papers, it '"2uIdNppear as ii the
worst phase Of the Granger epidemic
which prevailed so virulcntly in the West
ern States year or two ago, had ut last
crossed the Ohio and lodged in the Capitol
ut Wheeling.
II is doubtful il ever u more absurd mass
OF legislation upon 50 iHr+riant subject
was ever c0nCOCtcd in the same space Of
time, but, fortunately for the Suite and
the material interests Of its people, the
leadership Of this "anli.ruiIrUNd crusade"
seems to have fallen into the hands Of
men whose radical and ultra views have
aroused the Suspicion Of their colleagues.
and the dcIcN, Of the proposed measure is
likely to cnsuc.
Probably no State in the Union is more
dependent upon foreign capital for the
development Of its resources than Yves,
Virginia. The State Itself IA part Of the
Old commonwealth OF Virginia, separated
by the rXigpncics Oi war consists Of
series Of mountain ranges, intercepted hv
narrow valleys, presenting the most for
midablc obstacles Ia railway development.
.,tt, / 1 I ID
miles, lis population is estimated n less
than GOO,WD, and itcpntalnS no city. with
tue exception Ut Wheeling, Of any prOmi.
ncncc either Tor wealth or enterprise OF
the ~ miles of railway within the hor.
berS Oi the STATE, 81 are owned or con.
troIlcl by tie Baltimore and Ohio Rail.
road Company. and most ri the remainder
by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad
Company.
One would naturally supposcthat under
these circumstances the policy OF the
State would be such rs Ia foster aud en-.
courage these enterprises 81 Is to insure
their utmost development, and At the same
time TO attract foreign capital in aid OF all
dlti"naI works Of internal Improvement.
such however, seems not Ia he the cast
The present attack whilst aimed At both
oi thr prominent railroad corporations ri
the STATE. appears to b. more directly
against the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company. which claims lo operate under
:lchartrr granted hy the sal! State in ISL,
the provisions O( which, whilst in some re-
Sprcls OnrruuS upon the company. pro-
trct it in lis right 10 chagt" . maximum
rate on freight and Passengers.
From speech n,ldr hv Mr. krvsrr,
the Second Wee President II the Company,
helOrea committee Of the West Virginia
Senate, reported in iul in the Whrr!in.
papers. is gathered some imirrc>,in. par
tlcU!NrS in relation to this road, and
especially the benefits and advantages
secured through il 10y the state. 1t ap-
pears, without on" dollar ui state aid and
with Iiilirur no private contribution from
Its inhabitants. that til" Il. " u. L, Il. G."
has invested III its works within the STATE
over 81 ,WWWU, Er>idr- this larg"rXp"n.
dilur in CONSTRUCTION il contributes an
MUally from Two to two and a hall millions
OF dollars 10 III" wealth. OF The State in Civ
in. employment to over 5000 81 It's Clt-
Zcn-, and III purchases ri supplies OF iurl,
lumber. &c, Tor the company Wsr.
In addition TO TIL, !! contributes "yrr
SGj,ro0 annually IN take, ior the mantcn.
ancr Of the >i.tr government.
As Il remarkable exhibit Of the import.
ant bearings Oi these great corporations
upon the interests and growth Of a State.
the figure, prcs"n;r,! in the speech refer.
red to show that of the !iity.iour counties
which compusrllr >'a'". the eleven ruun.
ties ON the main In" 81 the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad contain thirty per ccnt Of
the population and forty on" per cent Vi