Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-04-03
THE STREET RAILWAY.
A Cry for Flat Rails and Five
Cent Fnres. 40


Cured In ths Sscohd Brarch q Council
In regard 70 the fanchise Of the Citi-
Iens' Railway Company, has since pro,
duced no little talk on the subject aud
induced q REoBrER representative 10
enquire into the matter. The subject
under discussion was the nuisance oil
the rails now used by the company
which have, as was then expressed,
converted more buggy aud wagon
wheels into kindling wood than
all other causes together" IRON
the sentimentsthen and since expressed
| il is evident that very soon there wiil DC
! a demand upon the company TO subsu-
tute it's present rails with fiat ones or
tram rails. Why Council does not now
insist upon il, is not well known, but
probably 1t is because It has never really
considered 1t. at might cause trouble,
said member TO the reporter, when
we can save by waiting until the com
pany's charter expires, We can Then
force It 10 Law fat rails or else tax II, OF
do both. | don't see, anyhow, why such
corporation chould any longer be ex'
emptedT -,
On October Q, 1866, Council adopted
an ordinance giving the Citizens kali-
| wAy Company the exclusive right To
construct a street railway through the
streets Of the city. Ii was provided IN
this ordinance that during fifteen years
! from the date OF the grant no tax
should be imposed upon the capital
stock, railways, cars, horses. depo's'
stables or standing ground OF the COM
pany, OF any profits, arising from the
business OF the company.
The fifteen years will have expired on
October 9th Of next year, aud II remains
with Council to renew the exclusive
grant, as it may see proper. Under exist
/ Inc circumstances and with the present
state oi public feeling, II seems highly
| improbable that 1t viii renew 1t, except
under certain conditions.
| The style OF rail at present IN use Is
certainly an unmitigated nuisance and
should, under no circumstances, he per,
mitted TO remain. BY its heighth aud
shape, ondangering continually the
wheels OF vehicles crossing 1t, II blocks
out, to certain extent, that portion OF
the street from public use. IL has be-
come the bane Of all drivers IN the city
and is an object OF terror Ia even coun-
try men bringing in produce. 1t must
be changed.
While talking yesterday to a promI-
nent member ui the Second Branch,
who is also q stakeholder in the road,
this subject came up. He was heartily
in favor OF it and thought, perhaps, the
| company would not seriously object. u
know the many small stockholders Will
not, any how, he added.
Another and more important scheme
that has iatterly been mentioned IN con
nection with the flat rails, is one which
is becoming very generally adopted
throughout the country, viz. To lay
down an extra line OF track, or tram
railway, to be used, ia conjunction
with the Others, as wagon tracks The
hat rails offer many advantages to teams,
aud besides saving the wear and tear Ia
the streets, oCcasioned 10y narrow tires
and heavy loads, would do away with
| mitch OF the noise uf rumbliug over cob
| hlrstoncs. Capt John Mcclure has
been, Tor some time, advocating the lay
ing Of such a track across the Island ON
Zane street said hc:
My suggest on would he 10 lay down
n wide rail OF double track between the
two bridges, making the gauge, say, five
feet three inches, which would adapt Il
to the use OF the street railway aud
nearly all wagons, 10 each aud all pass
ing to and from could keep 81 the right
both on and off both bridges. This
plan, il adopted, would enable ircights
10 bc carried between Wheeling and
Bridgeport much cheaper, which will be
more important when the G., T.. V. *
W. railroad is finished thSn il is now.
Then with some liberality upon the part
OF the bridge company IN the way ol
cheap tolls. as is exercised upon tie
bridges ut Pittsburgh, and the advanl-
age OF hauling much heavier loads upon
these tracks will reduce the cost not tn
exceed - cents per ton on the transror.
tation Of ircights between Wheeling aud
Bridgeport"
How about the double track on thus
slider
"Wrll. think IT would be an excel
lent idea To- lay another track on Market
street from the bridge 10 the market
house
In the course Of the afternoon the re-
porter met several Councilman, and all
OF them favored the flat rail One OF
two we're quite as much exercised over
the scent fares as the round rails. They
considered IL an outrage, and used
strong language IN expressing their
| opinions OF company that would pur-
| suc SuCh "A short sighted policy.