Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-10-22
THE CITY'S WELFARE.
MERCHANTS STILL CONSIDERING HOW THE
TOWN NAY BIZ ADVANCED.
An Important Paper by Mr.. W. E Hughes Read
Before the Chamber Of CO~mmsree-Psrtnsnt
Resolutions by Col. A. ]. Sweeney.

The question OF how the city Of Wheel
ing may be advanced in wealth and pOpu'
lation, through the increase and diverslh'
cation of our manufacturing and CONNER
cial interests, still continues to be tho
uppermost thought in the minds OF many
of business men, and at last evening:
session Of the Chamber of Commerce, th'
matter formed the principal subject O.
consideration. The topic vas introduced
through a call made by the Chai
(Mr. Joseph Speidel) for a report from TIT
Special Committee on Manufactures, o.
which Mr.. C. B. Hart is Chairman. While
Mr. Hart had no formal report to make,
he announced that he had in his possession
a paper, prepared by Vice. President w. l.
Hughes, of the Chamber, upon the topic
now being so generally discussed IN
mercantile circles-hOw the city may
be materially increased in size and I'M
in the commercial world. The
speaker prefaced the paper with an earnest
address to the Chamber, in which he re-
ferred to what was now being done in the
way of securing the location OF foreign
capital and enterprise here, citing as an
example the negotiations for the establish
ment ola new pottery. He then read the
pager, by Mr.. Hughes, which IS as follows:
THE PAPER.
MR. PRESIDENT:-The subject that has
been a~gitating the minds of the people OF
this community for some time Is: what
can be done to advance the material
interests of the city and bring to 1T IN
creased and abiding prosperity. with
that thought in mind, l ask your atten-
ton this evening to a few remarks which
| have prepared on that subject.
A majority of the people OF this com
munity have been andare rejoicing over the
advent of the new fuel, natural gas,
sounding its praises and extollng Its
merits far and wide; and have been pre-
dieting for our city unprecedented pros
perity as resulting from its use. But
what practical effort has been made to
bring this prosperity and to give to our
city the benefit that should be derived?
Virtually nothing. And if nothing is done,
what will be the result? Why, us a COM
muuity we will have lost in II direction
as much as we will have gained in another,
and in the end be no better of.
Beginning with those who have been or
who will be thrown out of employment by
the substitution of the new fuel for the old,
and in tracing the effects of the loss OF
their wages to this community, we can
imagine what the loss will be to the re-
tail dealers, to the owners o ftenant houses,
and so Oh through to the builders, maSons,
carpenters, painters, &c, fol
with tenantless houses would come
less demand for new buildings, and con-
s~eauently less demand for the services oI
the artisans named. Now, Mr.. President
all these adverse changes will cometo pass,
unless the tide in that direction
CAN BE CHANGED AND TURNED
in the opposite. Who will move i'll this
matter, and what shall be done? Mani
testify what should be done, is to bring K
our city new and diversified industries
Additional capital must be brought here,
and new factories and new shops eStab
lished.
We must not suppose, Mr.. President, thai
we may sit inactive, and that people vii
come unlimited and unassisted. Con
certed effort must be made
Other cities and towns are no
s%lumbering; they are alive ant
awake TO these necessities and Opportunl
ties, and while some of them may not hav'
natural gas to offer, they find other induce
ments that are quite as attractive. BE
| sides this is not the only community bless
ed with gas. Other localities are searching
for it, and some Ofthem tindingit. saw IL
July a statement in a Western paper tina
gashad been found in Dakota, i'll paying
quantities. This weeks papers announced
| the largest well in the world at Spring
field Ohio; also that an expert has been EN-
plOyed by leading manufactures in st
| Louis to look for natural gas in that 10
| cality, and that he would give in a few
days his opinion rs to the proper place Il
bore. Doubtless it will be found else
where, and if we intend to reap the ben
efts ofthe advantages we now possess, W
must be up and doing.
Already several gentlemen have vlsltet
this city in behalf of rs many dltferen
enterprises to see what we have to offer a
an inducement for them to locate here
Some of these enterprises are now estab
lished elsewhere, and for various reasons
i~nelegibility of location, want of suificlen
canital and other reasons, desire to make
change. These gentlemen have bee
kindly looked after and assisted i'll n de
sultory sort of way by the few gentlemen
with whom they accidentally met, bu
beyond showing our city of to the bes
advantage
NOTHING HAS ZEN ACCOMPLISHED,
so far as / know. Why? Becaus
we are not organized to II
ceive and practically render tn
needed assistance. The business men Q
this city-merchants as well as manutaC
turers-me busy men. l doubt If in al
other city in the land, the heads Of tn
different mercantile and manuiacturin
establishments look after the details
their business rs closely as do the mel
chants and manufacturers Of this city. ]
is with them the force of habit rather tina
circumstance. Most, if not all, hav
worked their way to their present position
and it is hard TO give up the habit Ofyear:
They are, therefore, too busy to Civ
much time or attention to strangers con
ing to examine into the merits OF our cit
as a manufacturing point, and for tina
reason we are in danger of losing the fu'
benefit which we ought to derive from til
enterprise that has brought this grea
natural advantage to our door.
have, as l said in the beginning, MI
President, as have many Others who sill
cerely desire the welfare and prosperity {
our city, thought over this problem an