The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-03-17
THE RAILROAD SITUATION.
Condition of AnaIrs Regarding the Righi
of Way Along tho Crock.

Condition of AnaIrs Regarding the Right
at Way Along tho Crock.
Theree isconsiderablcuriosityt to know
what is to be theGnal outcomeofth Bal
timore &ohio railroad legislation started
in Council several weeks ago, which
came to such an abrupt end when a
number OF manufacturers, whose estab-
lishments are located in East Wheeling,
presented lengthy petition asking that
the Baltimore & Ohio road be refused u
right Of way along the south bank of the
creek, and offered one its place along the
north bank, to point near the foot Of
Eof street, where it might be allowed to
cross the creek to the south bank and go
under Market street, as contemplated by
the road in its plan for running along
the south bank.
Before this petition was sprung, the
Railroad Committee had reported the
two ordinances granting both the Bali-
more & Ohio and the Wheeling & Har-
risburg Companies rights Of way along
the south bank. In those ordinances
neither road had been allowed exactly
what it desired, for the reason that TO
have allowed either road just what 1t
asked for would have prevented right
of way being granted to the other.
II was supposed that the arrangement
perfected by the committee was satisfac-
tory TO all parties. The Wheeling &
Harrisburg's ordinance was called up
first in the First Branch, where both
were introduced, and was passedwith-
out n word OF opposition by the Balti-
more & 0hiO's friends. Then the Balti-
more & Ohio ordinance was called up
and read once, and then came the petit
ton. After it had been read, it and the
Baltimore & Ohio ordinance were re-
ierred back to the Committee on Rail
roads. To say that the Baltimore &
Ohio people were surprised at this turn
OF affairs is putting it mildly.
Following this action, there was in
troduced by the Wheeling & Harrisburg
people another ordinance bearing this
letter:
IAN ordinance to authorize the
Wheeling & Harrisburg Railway Com
pany to construct, maintain and operate
a branch railroad for terminal and con-
Meeting tracks, and facilitating business
| in the city Of Wheeling and county Of
Ohio. so far as such authority can law
fully be given by the city Of Wheeling"
The provisions Of this ordinance wero
about rs follows: There is hereby grant
ed to the Wheeling & Harrisburg Rail
;ray Company, in 50 far as the City OF
Wheeling can grant the same, right Of
way so feet in width, for branch line,
stating from the route described in the
ordinance raptingIs said company right
of way along tue south bank of Wheel
ing creek, for the center line about S2O
feet below the Seventeenth street bridge,
thence coming west oyer bridge across
Wheeling creek and running IN tangent;
and curves along the northern shore OF
said creek. said center line crossing alley
G, IS feet from the south line Of Nine.
tenth street; crossing Jacob street 200
feet from the south line OF Nineteenth
street; crossing Eolf street 1853 feet from
the south line Of Nineteenth street and
thence continuingpRrallel with the creek
south OF Nineteenth and Eighteenth
streets to the southeast corner OF AiafRet
and Eighteenth streets.
This WINS also referred 10 the Railroad
Committee and there the three papers
remain. Chairman Ferrell, when asked
when the committee would be called TO-
Cether, said whenever members oil the
committee or the railroad representatives
requested 1t. 80,
The route named in thissecond Wheel
ing & Harrisburg ordinance ispractically
the same us that Council was asked to give
the Baltimore & Ohio by the petitioners
who are opposed to the last named road
running along the south bank, and it IS
understood that the intention is TO force
the Baltimore & Ohio to accept the pro-
posed change from the south 70 the north
bank OF the creek, or get nothing at all !
in case the Baltimore & Ohio should re-
fuse the change, the Wheeling & Harris
burg to be given switch line along the
north bank.
Whether the d. & o. with Sixteenth
and Seventeenth streets in Its possession
will consent to change plans that have.
been formulated at much expense OF
cash, care and time, is matter OF grave
doubt.
The improvements 1t contemplated IN
constructing its line along the south
bank it is estimated would cost S2SO, 600
in addition to what the road has already
spent in purchasing property along that
route. Both roads have had engineers
at work on the north creek bank. What
conclusions the B. 4 o. has reached re-
mains to be seen. In the meantime its
heavy trains roll up and down Sixteenth
and Seventeenth streets to the inconYe-
nience OF the public.