Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-11-26

were conn leted to Bellaire in 1854 and i'll
1857 the Hempfeld Railroad was opened TO
Washington, Pennsylvania, and the IA
CilitieS of river transportation
were largely increased by the establishment
of the Union Line of steamers plying in con-
nectiOu with the b. 4 o. X. r. to Cincinnati
and lower river ports. Bellaire was inCOr-
pOratcd in 1857, and with added cOmmuni-
lions by rail with the north, east and west
Bellaire Bridgeport and Martins Ferry all
took Startas successful manufacturing AMI
mercantile points. Benwood, begun IN 1871
by the location OF the HcuwOGd Iron W rkS
at that point, became prosperous through
the success Of that establishment NheeI-
ing got her United states Government
. building. including Custom House, fOSt
Office and Court Rooms. in 1859 and rOUnd-
cd orr the decade with a population OF IT,
~; an incrt aSc OF $3.50 over that of the
prec,Ging census. This period was marked
- -onr losses i'm railroad and river interests
which tended to make business men OF this
section cautious il not timid about publ
enterprises. The collapse OF the Union Line
at river steamers. in which large portion
0t the surplus capital OF this vicinity was
invested, crippled good many OF III" pub
lie spirited citizens Of the community, and
the failure 20 realize expectations from
railroad stock subscriptions made exercised
Il deterrent influence upon their action, when
asked to help out subsequent enterprises.
Nevertheless the close OF the tittie> lett this
section i'm Il hopeful and encouraging cpndI-
tiuu. our manufacturers had more than dOu-
blcdduring the decade. andmcrcantile inter
cSt> under thcstrc>> otaCtiyr competition had
hprncd up most of the territory that could
u" made tD contribute To and be served by
tur enterprise. when. suddenly, like
ohuuIrrrloud in clear sky the civil war
was iuuugUratcd and
The New Order of Things
was upon us Those who were engaged in
business i'm this section at the outbreak ot
the war will remember the feelings Of mis-
giving and apprehension that were cNper-
fenced when the announcement OF the ne
ginning Of hostile operations between the
two sections was made. Located on what
was supposed 10 lC the dividing line III IN"
cuutc>tiug States. il was supposed that this
vicinity would become a dcbIJablc ground
ON which the contest would BE- wagcd, field
likely 10 De claimed by either army and raw
aged by both. The prompt action OF inc Ell
ural authorities, however placed the ONO
VALLEY beyond all reasonable danger oil m
CurSiOu and transferred the baitleheldS OF
the rebellion L" points iurthEr wet anu
south. and the political happenings,
which were feared u bringing in their tram
the seeds oi dcSol@tiOu brought fresh lie
10 the business interests OF this nclghOOr-
hood. War, which stopped 50 many wheels
Of progress elsewhere, made ours turn the
faster. Its dcStruCtiyeue>S opened up new
markets for our mercantile amt manuiac-
turing industries. The influx OI new people
put fresh yigor in the veins Of the body pol
tic. II wiped out all remaining traces ot
caste and cNclUSivcnc>, impressed by old
Virginia rule and example. good many
OF the top rail. went To the bottom ami
good many of the bottom rails went to the
top. but the shaking up helped the situation
wonderfully and pun very different phase
on our future. From an uld-idShl"hcu'
Stcadv-guing. dn-thc-Samc-thing h"-SIInc-
way community. Wheeling and its cnvironS
suddenly became an active, pushing amt am
biriou~ ncighbOrhuOd. having confidence IN
lis ability To- do aS much and having the m
rliuatiun 10 do il a. we'll Is any other sec
ton i'm the country. II became impressed
with belief that Nature intended ms VI
,inity ubc thcScat OF manufactures only nm
Ted by the industry and foresight oI ITS III
Eabitant> CARRYING with them mercantile
,ntcrprisc, subject only 10 similar reStrlc-
tion~. and in tina, belief went 10 work to i'm
prove the facilities placed in their hands.
Most OF the beginnings OF tn" really success,
ful cutcrl,ri~cs Of this vicinity can be- traced
back To- that period. Manufactures Tor
which this location had no special htneNN
were discontinued ami capital and labor
flowed into more profitable channels. IRON
and class manufactures came more than
ever to the front I'm lSrD the iron and nail
mills and glass factories "t this section
were an incun<jdrrablr element IN the
industries 10 which they belonged In 1860
the former furnished une-tiith OF all the
nails produced in the United States, and the
latter controlled the tr1dc'in the SpcclaItlcS
they manufactured The growth IN other
branches Of business WAS scarcely less rapid