Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-08-26
CANIP-GROUND CRITICISM.
The Il. 81 o. Railroad Under
Fire.

Correspondence of the Register
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company has complained somewhat
bitterly, OF late, that there is a feeling OF
enmity and opposition existing in this
community toward its road-that the
sympathy of our people, in a contest
with a rival corporation, is always with
its opponent. l do not propose to dis
cuss the question as to the degree in
which this complaint is justified, or how
far it may be the result of blind and
unreasoning prejudice.
But, however great the benefits that
a corporation like the B. & o. road, may
bestow upon a community it is impos-
sible that it should escape criticism by
the people upon whose patronage it has
grown great and independent, ii in any
part Of its management it lays itself open
to censure. There are little things IN
its methods of management; little cour-
tesies or little Sights on the part OF Its
officers and employees; little accommo-
dations or little inattentiOns towards its
patrons, that do more than anything
else TO make enemies or friends TO a rail-
road corporation, or any other corpora
ton.
The Baltimore and Ohio Company
may be unconscious OF the fact that
much of the disiavor existing in this
community toward it has grown
out of these same "hhle things" OF
which l speak. 1t may not be
conscious OF the fact that there
is wide spread indignation
i'm this community in regard to the char
acter of accommodations that were fur
nished its patrons in going to and re-
turning from the Moundsville camp
ground on last Sunday, yet little in
curry will furnish the company all the
proof it desires as 10 the effect on COM
munity of such treatment as that to
which they were subjected at that time.
And il is the sole purpose OF this article
10 suggest to the company, in perfect
w friendly spirit, that it is both natural
and lust that such management should
make it enemies.
The company was doubtless aware
from past experience, that there would
be-, as there was, from three to five
thousand people depending on it for
passage to and from the campgroundon
Sunday. Yet there was not a single an
nOuncement, in the way of advertise
ment, either in the newspapers OF the
city or by posters, either here or at the
campground, as to when the b. q q.
road would run trains in either dlrec-
ton. or whether it would run any at
all There was no other resort for per-
sons in the city to find out the time OF
trains than in going 10 the depot and
making inquiry. On the campgroundlt
was an absolute impossibility TO ascer-
tain anything concerning the runningot
trains. Crowds of people sat around
the depot and at other points for an
hour or more at stretch, waiting the
starting of train as the only surety OF
getting passage.
nNow will the B. & o. Company say
that IL there had been competing line
to the camp gronds, that it would not
have announced, for the accommodation
Of the public, the hours at which it would
run its trains2 Would it nave left the
people to run a hap-hazard chance all
day Of catching a train? These are
questions the patrons Of the road are
asking, and it may be well that the
Company, consider them.
But this is not all. There is even
greater complaint that the trains were
Kept on the road between the city and
the camp ground, distance OF eleven
miles, from one and half to two hours.
We Judge that the ordinarily railroad
time for such distance is thirty min
utes.
The trains were run, or seemed to be
running, from each point at intervals OF
not less than one hour, so that there
was ample time at an ordinary rate OF
speed, for the trains TO run the whole
distance without the necessity OF pass
ing each other. Yet hundreds of passen-
gers were kept lying on switches along
the road during the entire day, unable
then, as they are now, to explain any
necessity for such predicament
With a repetition of such instances OF
bungling management and lack OF enter
prise, can the b. & 0. Road complain
that it has enemies in this city?
CITIZEN.