Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-02-28
rnr RAILROAD ORDINANCES.
A Correspondent Calls Attention to One or
Two Things.

1 n C~OFfebpOuueut Iaib Atsoutoh " VI
Two Things.
To Ge Editor Of the Register:
SIR;-Are we to have q belt railroad as
one of the benefits Of the subscription to
the Wheeling and Harrisburg Railway
Company? Before they vote on the ordi-
nance, Council, by q unanimous vote,
I pledged its aid in securing rights Of way
to all parts OF the city. The Railroad Com
mittee, at its meeting last week, inserted
in the ordinance giving rights of way to the
Pittsburg and Wheeling Junction Company
! (which is the B. & o Co. incorporated IN
der West Virginia laws for q mile or two
a proyiso that the B. 90. Co. should fur
nish q crossing of their tracks south Of
Wheeling creek and unless this was agreed
to the ordinance should not take effect.
This crossing is absolutely necessary for
a belt road to reach the lower part of this
city and Benwood, and this crossing the B.
& o. Co. will not permit unless Council
compels that company 10 do 80.
After the Committee on Railroads &C
iourned, one of the P. & ". J. Co. as
serted ''that the B. & o. Co. would not
agree to that crossing and that he didn't
give a d--n if she didn't" How's that
for cool? A corporation which has been
granted more favors than ever given by
Wheeling to all Others asking privileges
from her, and which has never failed to
sting the hand proferming them fayors,
now, when there seems a chance to get
more railroad facilities ''don't give a
d---n" if Wheeling provides other means
of doing bushes than over the tracks of tie
B. & o. Co.
Council should not lose sight OF the fact
that Ohio county, or Wheeling, has agreed
to become q s~.ockholder in the W. & II. Co.
TO the amount of at least one-ffth Of the
capital stock Of that company, and that in
legislating tor rights Of way the ". &H. Co.
should be protected, and that all our citl-
zens should be given every chance TO enjoy
the benefits to flow from the construction
of a belt road by that company. II the
ordinance, prepared by the Railroad Com
mittee, is adopted by Council, the cross.
ing of the B. & o. tracks provided for in
&c, will secure the belt ru,i. ii this 10
stricken out, the W.. & H. Co. will be
placed in the same position the P, w. *
Ky. Co. was a few years ago, in is at
tempts 10 force a crossing Of the b. d U.
tracks TO reach the Riverside and Belmont
mills. 1t was only after years o. litigation,
extending to the Supreme Court OF the
United States, and a final giving by the
city, of property, on the west side OF Water
street, which had cost more than twenty
thousand dollar5, that a crossing was BE-
cured for the p, ". & Ky. Co.
A movement is now on foot, TO have this
crossing section stricken out Of the oIdi-
nance when it comes before Council. A
member of Council is printing himself for
the effort and Counci! is 10 be told that
our State laws provide for railroad cross-
ings at grades. That provision has another
p. ". & Ky. law suit in its belly, in this
belt road case. 1t means big fee for the
counsel employed by the city. 1t will i'm
pose onc-ffth OF the cost of this litigation
39p Ohio county and for whose benefit?
WIZ let it cost one cent when the adop'
lion OF III. proposed ordinance Will cost
nothing but q n~ia wind.
council should cerlairiy draw the line
between q Company in wbiCa Wheeling is
a large stakeholder and one, which came
here by compulsion, and OILY stays
through a~varice. When an opportunity
plCoCulo llSSh w ODlilu ~ blulll ldNOl
which does not 10 any way interfere with
operating tho traffic on the B. & o. tracks,
that company should be compelled to
grant it. The b & 0. Company is asking
privileges as well rs the W. & II. Com
pany, and il the same principles govern
here IA in all other cases, the company in
which Wheeling is interested ought to be
protected and no rights fit;sred away in
al attempt to conciliate q company whose
only aim is to bleed the community for all
to be had out Of it.
When cur c~i;izens BIZ q vote Of nearly
six thousand for 10 less than two hundred
against subscribing 10 the stock Of the W.
* ii. Company instructed the County Com
missioners to take stock in that company
1t was partly done with the bslief
that Council would redeem its
pledge to assist in securing ell
necessary rights Of way, and they want
members of Council TO understand ii. As
this pledge is made good, and every inter
est OF the city oud county guarded, especi-
ally IN preventing unnecessary litigation,
will the people be satisfied with the action
OF Council. No exhibition Of seltis hness,
or q desire - secure some temporary al
vantage for hiinself, BIZ a councilman, will
be countenauCed by our people. They
want ell the benefits which ran possibly
be obtained from the building Of the
bridge and belt road, ard the member, or
members o. CoUuCil, wEo attempt to pre-
yent their obtaining them, will be held TO
a strict reckoning in the future.
CITIZEN.