Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-09-01
TIE VALUE OF A RAILROAD TO
A CITY.


Cincinnati has lately built sgreat rail-
road stretching across Kentucky and
Tennessee from that city to Chattanooga,
4 distance of about 800 miles, and at a
cost OF S2O,OOO,OO0.
This was an immense investment,
and Cincinnati was frequently chated
Tor the elephant" which it had on its
hands, but recent statistics, taken in con-
nection with the recent bids for the lease,
indicate that this elephant is TO become
q paying investment on the money put
in It, as well as an important factor in
the city's growth AMI business prosperi-
Is. The net receipts this year, under
the rather bungiing management OF a
triple-headed commission. will be at
least 10000 over expenses, which
is over three per cent. interest on the
investment. But the increase OF bust
ness for the month Of August this year
over the same month last year is ever
$4,000, indicating an Increase OF bus
mess for the year of at least 100000.
No wonder, with such an exhibit, that
the great railroad syndicaies p%srmsating
the South should become earnest con-
teslants for this splendid line, which
Leads direct from the Queen City to the
ga:eSay OF the SCuth. The lowest bid
AS SN0.Ghl YEAR for The first five
v,a=-, with an ascending scale tof every
i've years until 81 100000 WAS reached
iur the last five years OF the proposed
twenty tive years lease. The best bid,
and this from 4 Responsible combina-
ton. was SSS),COO fcr the FIRST five years,
nearly four AMI a-hali per cent. a
year on the $4,000, coo investment, with
an ascending scale each five years up to
Sl,55O,00 for the fifth period, being
nearly eight per rent. for the last five
years-this bill ~agSregating 6CS per
cent. perannum. The aggregate amount
offered in the rentals to be paid in an
nual installments by the eight bidders.
whose propositions were in due forr
ranged from 50. 100000 10 S30,O00,OCU
for the term of twenty five years. These
aggregates are simply for the rent OF the
road, but in addition TO bids involved
Sl0OOO,C00 more, one-third Of which
must be paid within a year or two after
the lease is executed. This would
make the range OF the bids from SSO,-
100000 for the use of the road for
twenty. five years.
Thus it will be seen that as an invest
msnt it is a paying one ior Cincinnati;
much better paying, indeed, than any
government, State or city bonds it could
hold. And then this is only a small
rart OF the consideration. Cincinnati
has . road striking towsrds the very
heart oil the South, and at Chattanooga
ronnectsa number of Southern systems,
giving lis enterpriSing merchants q hold
upon the rapidly-deysloping trade Of a
treat producing and consuming section,
which is already pouring its rich tribute
into the lap Of Cincinnati. In construc-
ing the Cincinnati Southern Railroad at
an immense cost the 90 ahead Ciucinna-
tiaus "builded better than they knew"
aud are to be congratulated upon the
Quick realization of their investment
But there is an important les
sn Tor us ~ lie drawn
from this experience of our sister
city Just at this time. There is an un-
usual and unsccountsble degree Of sus-
p:cion and prejudice existing among our
people against railroads. The DISPOSE
ton prevails TO such an extent that Per-
haps a subscription OF Eve dollars could
no be obtained to any railroad il put to
A vote. That at least seems to be the
altitute ofour people. They viii refuse