Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-07-05
OLD NEWS.
The Latest Rumor Concerning the
Railroad Bridge.
Control of the Enterprise Said to Have
Passed Into the Hands ola New
York Syndicate.


change took place several months ago IN the
dictatorship of the company formed for she
Purpose of building the long talked Of
railroad bridge ACROSS the river at the north
point of the Island. On March ii, last, q
meeting of the stockholders of the Wheeling
and Harrisburg and the Elm Grove and
State Line railroads was held in this city,
at which DR.. George Baird, B. ". Peterson
W. F. Peterson, W. H. r. Hearne, and W..
p Hubbard, of this city joel Wood, of
Martins Ferry; j. II. Reed, Of Pittsburg;
and Messis Barnes, Disosway, Carpenter
and GrOtevant, of New York, were present,
At this meeting the two roads were eonsoli-
dated. During the discussion the Eastern
men gave strong assurances that
THE BRIDGE AT THE HEAD OF THE ISLAND
would be built, it being the intention, they
said, to let the contract at an early day, and
push the work rapidly to completion. This
was published at the time, but the public
had heard so much about the bridge project,
and had seen so little of practical nature
accomplished, that many persons were
skeptieal on the subject, and weeks
and months passing by without any
thing being done, their doubts of the earn
estnesS were apparently confirmed.
Yesterday gentleman who has been
prominently identified with the. Wheeling
and Harrisburg road, and the bridge pro-
iect was spoken to regarding the matter,
when he said
There is
ONE VERY IMPORTANT POINT
In regard to the bridge which you news
paper folks have never gotten hold Of The
New York people were convinced that the
bridge would be a good thing; in fact they
thought there was big money in it, and ex-
pressed willingness TO see it through from
a financial standpoint, but declined to take
any action so long as our local,railroad men
mOnopolized the Board Of Directors and
controlled the company. We talked the
matter over among ourselves, and agreed to
give the New Workers majority in the
i}oard of Directors Messrs. Egerter
Cochran, Bell. Peterson and, Baird, Of this
city, joel Woods, of Martins Ferry, and 5.
W. Sutherland of Hopedale, Ohio, COM
posed the Board. Egert Cochran, Bell
and Sutherland resigned, and their places
we're filled
FROM MEMBERS OF THE EASTERN SYNDICATE.
Part Of the agreement Vas that track
should be bUI from the bridge TO Bellaire
IN the Ohio side, and connections made
with the mills in Wheeling and Benwood
The bridge company which | am told was
70 be entirely distinct from the various rail
road projects would thus be able to deliver
ears to any part OF the city and suburbs
passage over II be guaranteed to all the
,ompeting companies on equal terms, very
n:uch as the St. Louis bridge is used by the
score or so of roads centering there"
is there money enough in the syndicate
20 put il throughF
PLENTY of it. The first proposition
made to the New Workers was that they put
in half a million. To this they replied
Give us control and we'll
PUT IT THROUGH.
what is the hitch about the matter
now?
There is no hitch at all Eaqineers have
been busy making surveys and estimates,
but this work is now about completed, am
old, and active operations will soon be in
augurated.
This conversation was repeated, in sub
stance to DR. George Baird yesterday, when
that gentleman said:
That is frightfully old, but guess it has
never appeared in print The facts, too,
are a little different from what you have
stated. Barnes and the Eastern syndicate
have certainly taken hold of the bridge, but
their programme embraces the Wheeling
and Harrisburg as we'll We give them
control of the Board and they put up the
money to do the necessary work No amount
was or could be specified, Of course, but
tLey have
PLENTY OF WEALTH,
and the thing will undoubtedly go on"
Has the Vanderbilt interest a finger in
the pie? Mr.: Vanderbilts son-in-law, Mr.
H K. Twombly, is said TO be on the Board
o. Directors"
No sir, Twombly is not on the Board, and
Vanderbilt has nothing whatever to do with
the enterprise. The parties are outside of
his influence altogether
when will work be commencedY
THAT cannot say. Recent financial
disturbances in New York have retarded
operations somewhat, but it has not been
allowed to drop out of sight, and the whole
thing will ultimately succeed and be
AN ACCOMPLISHED FACT.
Wheeling must have an outlet to the North.
west, and our folks will not stand by and
see some one else walk off with the prize.
"Will the bridge he open to other linesY
Certainly That is part of the pro-
pramme. Primarily, it will be Waoenns
and Harrisburg bridge, but it will do a gen
eral transfer business, and al roads center
ng here can rise it on payment Of the Gus.
omary tolls