The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-05-23
RAILROAD MATTERS.

tHe " uecilHS " Lake Erle railroad, the re
suit Of m interview with Mr.. @. K. Griggs
general contractor md lessee Of tho road
During tho conversation he was asked
"Who has furnished the capital for this
entcrprise?" e A%,,t sESs
Commodore Garrison" said he, ''la.
been my backer, rs chief contractor and
lessee, and he has furnished $3,470,00O
whicl. have paid ont for the construction
OF the road" . s.
"a pretty round sum for man to invest
without any personal knowledge OF his
acquisitions" suggested the <oley. "The
Commodore must be- conhding man?' n
Yes, he is" said Mr.. Grigss, mcdita.
lively. Commodore Garrison is most
remarkable man. OF course he did not 90
blindly into this enterprise. Probably few
incn on tho line Of tho road knew more OF
the territory and It's resources natural and
artificial, when he projected it. He Is II
scholar, and, though getting along in years,
is still student. lie Is ono OF the highest
intellects, always Of sound and good judg.
ment, and he never knew the word fail.
Men OF half this equipment have been pro.
nounced remarkable. iie is true us the
star 10 every honorable gentleman with
whom he Inns dealing, and his confidence
and support are unbounded for those who
arc loya. to the interests intrusted to them
by him. ! know Of no man who would
have sustained mo in the manner he has
while constructing the Wheeling 4 Lake
Erie railroad. l trust and fully believe
ed" .aT =. -.
"Now that he has seen his property what
does he think OF the investmen;W .as5
II wish you could see him; think that
he would say more than could consistent.
iy say for him with regard 10 that" said
MIR. Griggs modestly, "but he has expressed
himself us highly satisfied with tho road in
all respects" 5. 5E'fI
'rhe Commodore Inns gone to his room
for a little much needed rest" the inter.
viewer suggested, "and I would not pre-.
sumo to disturb him, much as would like
to learn his impression OF the road and its
future What equipment have you now on
the road?' N ~ .
"We have now twenty locomotives,
eighteen hrst-class passenger coaches, also
mail, baggage, and express coaches, and
over eight hundred box, stock, and coal
cars on the line ready for business"
lou are far enough along to have made
up Il slate for its management N
"No. The operation Of the road, accord
ing to contract, is in the hands OF the con-
tractor and lessee until completed to Wheel
ing. and unless some other arrangement is
made l will be responsible to the public ior
the present"
And you expect to have trains running
IRON Toledo to Marietta, and from Marietta
to Cleveland, by July p"
"Yes," said he, iaughingly. "Commo.
dore Garrison has instructed some OF the
gentlemen who form our inspecting party
to take me out and shoot ME il I do not run
trains through on the Fourth of july, and
shot"
CHlcAGo, May 222.-An inspection OF the
igures OF the past week with those OF the
corresponding week OF last year show some
startling facts as to the business now being
done; BY the railroad companies. In one
word, the railroad business WIS never
dulier than at the present time. This is
true OF all railroads in the country, WITH
the single exception ofthe St. Paul, Mime
apolis u Manitoba. The lines running
to the west, northwest and southwest, and
which are known rs the "Grauyer roads"
are doing only about so per cent OF the
business which they transacted last year ut
this time. From comparisons Of the receipts
OF flour and breadstuTs in Chi
cago during the week ending May 20, lsS2,
and the corresponding week in 1851, it is
found that the receipts OF flour show de-
crease OF over 80 per cent, OF wheat almost
Q per cent, OF corn nearly Is per cent, and
OF oats nearly IS per cent. None OF the
railroad officials have any hopes that there
will be any betterment during the next
three months. The sidetracks for miles in
every direction are covered with empty
cars, and iorthese there will be no demand
until the next crop begins to find its way to
market. The operating expenses have not
decreased IN proportion to the decline in
business. 1t is true that on many OF the
railroads good deal OF retrenchment has
been going OIL. The train hands have been
cut down tomeet the actual necessities OF
the business on hand; work in the shops
has been reduced, and on many OF the roads
the round-houses are filled with locomotives
lor which there is no immediate use.
TRENTON, n. j., May 22.-Thc Chanccl-
lor has ordered an election to be held by
the New Jersey Central railroad company.
OMAHA, NED., May 22.-Thc Union
Pacific earnings increased So4O,3S2 in the
first eighteen days OF May.
The Mystery OF the Sprn.ue sInnstOn. :
NARnAGASsErr PlER, r. l., May 2222.-The