The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-06-02

tue river DetWceA W hceIilS ulu AhuLtlA
Ferry.
When the Garrison parties, with sub:
stantiaIIy the same officers and manage
ment as now tMr Woodford then rs now
director and General ManHger) had
completed their road from Toledo to
Valley Junction (fifty-tive miles from
Martins Ferry, they practically consol-
ihated with the Cleveland & Marietta
Railroad; made their line Toledo and
Marietta line; abandoned the line from
Boweston to Wheeling, and abandon.
ed the bridge; and whether they would
ever build from Valley Junction to
Wheeling was wholly uncertain.
This abandonment was determined
upon in 1888 or earlier, and eliminated
early in 1884 by an express refusal by
Garrison to bullion which refusal his
board Of directors OF the Wheeling &
Lake Erie Railroad Company took con-
iirmatory action.
A few OF US, who had been especially
devoted to the interests Of this end Of
the line, did all in our power to point
out the merits OF the Bowerston.
Wheeling end to the Garrison parties,
and to induce them to build, but they
turned deaf ears to us and said: go on
and build it yourselves, and let us have
n traffic arrangement with youT and
papers to that effect were formally exc
cuted.
Some associates and myself then or,
gani2ed the South Pennsylvania 4 Ohio
Railway Company, with authority TO
build a line from Valley junction viz
BoWorston to Martins Ferry and Wheel
ing, in order that the Wheeling 4 Lake
Erie railroad, the Valley railroad, the
Connection Valley railroad, the Cleve.
land, Youngstown 4 Pittsburgh railroad
NOV the Lake Erie, Alliance & South.
ern) and the Cannon Ball" railroad
might all be brought to Martins Ferry.
With full knowledge and recognition
by the Wheeling d Lake Erie Railroad
Company we have devoted more than
four years and much money to the work
OF carrying out this plan. Most OF this
time has been inauspicious for new aud
independent work. We procured nearly
all the rights Of way from Martins
Ferry to Bowerston, placed many OF
them on record and enlisted railroads
and capital in our enterprise. AS Il part
OF the system we acquired the franchise
to bridge the river ut Wheeling and the
surveys, rights OF way and franchise OF Il
line toward Connellsville.
1t has always been and is our purpose
to construct the bridge and the road to
Bowerston for the use OF all roads, upon
equal terms, thus giving to the people
along the line and securing to the bridge
four or five railroads instead OF none, OF
possibly one. The fact that several rail
roads may titus be brought to the bridge
has alone enabled us to interest capital
in building both bridge and road. This
alone has made it seem desirable and
profitable for independent capital to
build either, and to hold and operate
them in n common interest us union
road and union bridge.
Since the subscription by Wheeling
it has been so apparent that both enter
prises are desirable and will be carried
through, that even the Wheeling& Lake
Erie Company now see that others in
common with them may be permitted
to enter field which they might once
have had alone, but which they despised
and abandoned.
They have been trying for quite a
while to get us to abandon the plan Of
constructing Il union line from here to
Bowerston, and to surrender our posi-
ton and all we have acquired to them
but we have tenaciously held to the po-
sition that the road to Conversion should
be common 10 allan inlet and an out
let to all roads-and that il any one OF
the several companies built it, the 9TH
ers would he excluded, and thus the
largest interest to Wheeling and Mar.
tins Ferry, and to the bridge and to the
people on the line would not be served.
Their present zeal to secure the line to
the exclusion OF all others is only ex.
celled by their indifference when they
supposed we were unable to build it.
Their activity became especially marked
when they discovered few days since
that we were paying money on our
rights OF way and taking deeds. The
w. & L. L. Railway Company has not a
right of way between here and Bow
crston that is worth straw, unless they
have secured it very recently, and then,
ii any, have been obtained by them
with full knowledge OF our claims and
rights.
The parade and show they are now
making are delusions and snares and
threats of danger to every interest at
Wheeling and along every foot OF terri
tory from here to BoweFston.
They are putting men on the line to
bulldoze and frighten people into con-
tracts, and Just learn that the contracts
they are taking are in the name Of Il
dummy" company, called the Hnrri-
son, Jefferson & Belmont Railway Com
pany, Of which n Mr.. Adair, Of Leesville,
Ohio, is President.
Don't it seem like child's play and in
consistency for them to say they have
raised millions on mortgage given by
the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad
Company, and then put the title to the
lands they attempt to get in the name OF
another company?
We have offered them trackage rights
or traffic arrangements on equal terms
with other companies, but they now
propose, II they can, to frighten other
capital away and play the same dog-in-
game which has character
lied their past history.
II they could once get possession OF
this field, then you would see them send
"boomers" along the line to
demand subscriptions and donations OF
money to pay the right Of way, de-
mand Of Martins Ferry $4,000 under a
threat not to come; build only into the
coal fields or delay completion so as to
defeat q part Of the bridge subscription,
md In every way possible try to defeat
he bridge or get its absolute control
md ownership.
More than four years ago they wholly
abandoned their road and bridge and by
'epeated acts since have recognized and
that abandonment. When
he old road WINS sold, the old stock
FOLDERS wiped out and the new road