Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-03-18

4 lOuG states bFCduSG bilEy SURROUND
| us; and | think it il fair to com part
/ them with West Virginia. Even
| Virginia has over thousand more
/ miles OF railroad and while the aver
age square miles of our area TO each
/ mile of road is 81. in the adjoining
/ States of Pennsylvania and OHIO the
1 one with an area double ours ami
1 the other 80 per cent greater. the
average is respectively bur Is and
/ 81 5, and in the whole United States
about % Tnis would appear u
show that there is something wrong.
or else West Virginia with her great
mineral wealth. her central location
and proximity To tide water, would
/ have more miles of railroad.
CENSUS RETURNS.
"Anothpr thing,n aided the Sena
tor, consulting his mem ,randa, 1.-THE
census returns for 1880 will show
that in our State the counties thro'
which "A railroad passes have mater
tally advanced in wealth and popu
lati0n, while in the majority of those
having no railroad facilities, the
population has been at nearly stand
] still, and III some instances have ret
rogI AIDED. For instance:
Marion county, with railroad in
1870 had 12,107; in 1880, 1913. An
increase of AZ per cent.
Monongalia county. without rail
road, in 1870, had Is SAT; in 1880 IA,
9S5 An increase of but 10 per cent.
Preston county with railroad in
1870, had Ia $50; in 1880, 1901. An
increase of "a per cent.
Hardy county, without railroad in
1880, had 5,5lS; in 1880, 6,794. An
! increase of % per cent.
PendletOu county, without rail
road in 1870, had 6,455; in 1880, ,022
An increase of "a per cent.
Cabell county. without railroad,
p.evIou5 10 1870, 6 AS; with railroad
in 1880, 1874. An increase OF 113
per cent.
Ohio county, with railroad in 1870,
had 2S,l3l; in 1880, 81 ,457. An in
crease of 80 per cent.
OF this population. Wheeling had
in 1870 10 $50; in 1880, 30,737. An
! Increase OF 30 per cent.
Competition i'll railroads has done
much to bring this about. Without
railroads Wheeling would retrograde
| instead of advance
Kanawha county, without railroad
previous to 1870. had % $40; with
railroads in 1884, 2 ,467. An Increase
of about so per cent. iat
Aud SD | might go on multiplying
| instances, but it is not necessary, In
uumoer of towns with and without
railroad facilities the differences are
still greater.
THE FEELING AGAINST RAILROADS.
There seems, Senator, to be some
| feeling i'll our State against railroads
| probably engendered 10y the dlscrim-
nation in favor of through traffic.
Do you think if the people under
| stood the matter better and more
liberal feeling toward railroads
would prevail.
| Yes, do. Now, while | do not
wish to be understood as endorsing
all railroads do as right, neither do |
believe in condemning everything ii
railroad does, simply because 1t is IA
corporation. We ought first to tind
out all the facts in "a matter CON-
| planned OF, and then apply the prop
or remedy. While it is true that
many railroads have ariff rates that
appear TO be, On0rouS so lar as local
trade and travel are concerned, Vet
We cannot do without them. You
might as well say we do not need or
want more rain, because a food
comes occasionally and Injuries our
crops and iuficts other damages.
Take away the Baltimore and OHIO
road, for Instance, and restore the
old stage lines over the Northwest
ern and National turnpikeS, and We
would soon beg for the restoration
of the railroad, even if the rates OF
freight and travel were much heav-
Ter than now. 70 make prosperity
sure and to keep up with the rest OF
the world, we must not only retain
our present roads, but must do all
We can To encourage the building of
new roads. We must bear in mind
this is IN advanced age, it is 1882
not 1852. IT we do not want to fall
behind the rest of the country, We
must be progressive; we must EN-
courage labor, immigration, internal
improvement, etc.
There is great hue and cry rails
| ed about the
| MONOPOLY AND EXTORTION
Of railroad corporations, but where
| would We have been but for the few
railroads WE now have III the State.
The way to make railroad do right
is not solely hy legislation but main
y by competitions; more of the latter
and less OF the former will pay, and
be far better for our State and peO-
pie. But to get competition We
must encourage the building of new
roads, and it must be recollected
that while every mile of railroad
built increases our wealth and pros
....riL ND tL,a s..li,a IF LII.