Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-02-01
THE Union BRIDGE.

On Saturday the polls will be opened to
receive the votes OF the people of Ohio coun-
ty on the proposition to subscribe $780, 600
to the capital stock Of the Wheeling and
Harrisburg Railroad Company, which
upon its ratification pledges itself to
build the Union bridge, n connect
ing link of forty-one miles to
Conversion, o., to bring in the Ohio roads
that centre at that point, terminal facili-
ties in this city, a tunnel through the hill
to the north OF the city and build a belt
line down to Wheeling creek valley that
is to extend to the COnnellsyille coke fields.
The cost to Ohio county of this vast pro-
ject, which will cost the Wheeling and
Harrisburg Company millions, will he
$500, 900, which will he utilized simply
on the terminal facilities in this
city, the least part OF the project.
Thus it will be seen that in fact we are
getting the Union bridge, the Bowerston
connection and the hill tunnel for nothing.
No one therefore can refuse TO vote 10
ratify the subscription on account OF its
size. Railroads are the arteries convey
ing the life-blOOd OF commerce and are the
greatest ciyilizsrs OF the age, without
which the world would nos be hut little
advanced over the time when they were a
novelty. Cities everywhere bid high for
them and Ohio county we doubt not would
be willing to double the subscription asked,
il the amount of her Indebtedness would
permit rather than not have the Union
bridge.
No one can refuse tn vote to ratlfy the
subscription on account of any risk in
volyed, for it is provided that the first
500, 600 of the city'S subscription is not
TO be due till $500 OOO shall have heen ex-
pended by the company on the bridge and
terminal facilities; the second $lOO, 900 not
to be due till $500, 900 shall have been tx
pended on the part OF the company, and
the remaining 100000 is not to
be called for until the company
shall have completed the whole
project. What safer terms could be askedP
1t would he hard to imagine any. The
company's proposition has been scanned
and revised and re-Scannsd by the best
railroad LAWYERS in the city and agreed to
and if it be not safe there is nc confidence
to be placed in a written bond. ,
Every citizen has by this time a pretty
good idea of the benefits which this section
will derive from this project, aud it is
not our intention to rehearse them, al
though on this point we wish to say a word
10 n rfriends in the country. The Union
bridge will not benefit Wheeling alone; it
will not benefit Ohio county alone. Its
efEests will be felt over the State wherever
we have railroad connections.
The farmers of Ohio county will find
that the Union bridge has enlarged the
market for their farm products, They
will find that through the large in
crease of taxable property their
taxes will be greatly lightened and this
tightening OF the tax rate will go on stead
ily from year to year. The growth Of
Wheeling will be felt by them in the en-
largement of their markets and in the en-
HANGING of the value Of their property.
They win participate with the city In the
benefits of increased shipping facilities and
competition in rates. Wheeling will not
racaiye a benefit from the bridge that viii