Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-02-03
OUR OPPORTUNITY
I'd DO SOMETHING To SECURE THE AID
VANCBNENT OF WHEELING.
The Union Bridge Election to Come Of Tomorrow
Reasons Why a Full Vote Should be POlsd-
The Making Of the City.
In abouttwenty.fOu hours from the time

luo A0AWS "N n.y.
In abouttwenty-four hours from the time
the average reader is perusing this article,
the polls will be open at ali tine voting pre-
cincts in Ohio county for the ratification or
rejection Of the ordinance subscribing
three hundred thousand dollars to the cap
ital stock of the Wheeling and Harrisburg
Railroad Company. If three-ffths OF the
people expressing an opinion upon the
proposition cast their votes For SubScrip-
tion," Wheeling will have a good deal
more than 3 reasonable certainty that a
Union railroad bridge, giving ten Ohie
roads An entrance into the city, will be
built This bridge, as has been shown,
will he o tremendous value. With 1t IN ex-
istence our merchants and business men
generally will be assured that a wide ex-
tent of country, now almost as a sealed
book TO them, will be brought within easy
reach, and that they will be given the most
ample facilities to extend their trade; our
manufacturers will have conferred upon
them the almost inestimable advantages
of competing lines and new outlets;
the laboring men of the city will
have distributed among them a
very large sun, during the progress OF
the great improvements; and last,
but By no means least, the general citizen
and taxpayer will be assured that a pro-
iect, which has been held up for half a gen,
Grafton as being of the greatest possible
value to the prosperity Of the city, will
have at last been placed beyond all reason
able doubt, aud that the city has
been put upon the broad highway OF prog
ress, with the goal of lsrgely increased pop
u~lation, wealth and resources in sight. On
the other hand, should the proposition fail
TO receive the requisite majority, it will be
virtually giving notice TO the world that
Wheeling is not included in the list OF
live Cities" that her people are content
to remain near the tail end Of the process.
sion; that odd fogyism," witha all that the
term implies, rules supreme, and that no
matter how inviting may be the offers OF
outside capitalists to aid in our develop
nent, and how plausible their projects to
expand our trade and increase our means
Of communication with the outside world,
they will meet with little sympathy or &C
tive support. This is the situation IN a
nutshell. and tomorrow the choice must be
made. Every citizen should to-day re-
solve to place hsmself upon the side OF
progreSs, and tomorrow should not only
east his vote for the subscription, but
should see that his neighbors, friends and
acquaintance perform q like public Ser
vice.
Last evening Judge Cochran was asked
what he thought of the outlook at the
polls tomorrow. In reply he said he was
afraid he could not form any very accu-
rate opinion. The only knowledge be
had of the sentiment of the people was
gathered from his conversations With bust
ness men and others, and what he saw III
the papers. He said:
THE people of Ohio county cannot al
for to let this matter be jeopardized. The
bridge means too much for them. Its erec-
ton will benefit the city in almost every
conceivable manner. 1t insures the dOub-
ling and trebling of yOur rallrond facilities.
1t means a great amount of work for labOr
ing men and mechanics, II means a very
considerable increase in the population,
with a corresponding demand for residences.
And more than all, it demonstrates To the
world at large that Wheeling, whoSe clti-
zens have Tor time cut of mind been
noted for a leaning to conservatism, y
has at last thoroughly awakened tC the
Importance Of making a serious effort, and
have at once placed their best foot orward
as an earnest of what they intend 10 do
further along. These things have been re-
ferred to before, it is true, bat they should
be reiterated nj the Threshold Of election
day. The great Importance of the matter
should be once more urged upon the PEG
pie, aud the proper impression onLe made,
there need be no fear as to the result.
But there il one mOre point. To CARY
this proposition by II bare three-htths ma
iority il one thing, and to send IL through
by a large majority, on n full vote, Is
another. The expression Of the public
mind should not only be for subscription,
but should be- emphatic. 1t will create a
decidedly more favorable impression
abroad No one should refrain IRON vOt-
ing tor the reason that it will 20 through
anyhow" or for any other reason. A full
vote should be brought out tomorrow
Judge Cochran dwelt at considerable
length upon the future of the city. Among
other things he referred to the prevalent
idea that Wheeling vas "hemmed IN, .
and that she had W room to grow, and
said that a greater mistake could not be
made. There was ample rOOm IN Wheel
ing for q great manufacturing city, md Al
at any time there shOnld be a lack oil
building sites, room would be very quickly
made. The city had the greatest natural
advantages. and the people need only make
use of them to increase aud prosper.
The ward committees appointed at the
meeting of the Chamber of Commerce
Wednesday evening should he early at
work tomorrow morning. Much Is eX'
pected OF them, and they ought TO roll up