Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-07-04
THE w. a l.. T.. SUBSCRIPTION.
Judge Il. ii. Cochran Expresses His Views
Upon the Proposed Subscription by Ohio
County-some Very Interesting Reading.

Judge II. ii. Cochran Expresses His Views
Upon the Proposed Subscription by Ohio
County-Some Very Interesting Reading.
To tie Editor Of he Register
SRI have been repeatedly asked
whether the Wheeling Bridge and Termi-
nal Railway Company has any part in ask
ing Ohio county 10 vote one hundred thou
sand dollars TO the Wheeling and Lake
Erie Railway Company, and answer that
it.has not
Speaking for myself and as a friend to
this community, | have felt that the next
money Ohio county votes 10 a railroad
should be for a line through the county, and
TO Connellsyille and the East, aud to a COM
pany chartered under West Virginia laws,
which will not expose the county to dOu-
ble liability 10 secure payment of the debts
and liabilities of the company AS imposed
by the Constitution and laws OF Ohio on
her cOmpanies-a liability that has been
repeatedly enforced by State and United
States Courts, and under which suits are
now pending in Ohio and United States
Courts against many hundreds OF stock
holders of the Wheeling and Lake Erie
Railroad Company, most Of whom paid
their stock in full many years ago
Any money expended by the county and
our people for Ohio roads. will weaken
their ability To aid Wheeling enterprises.
and among these this COnnellsyille line.
which is more important TO them than any
one Ohio road, and | confidently believe
that the Wheeling Bridge and Terminal
/ Railway Company, which is, or If permit
ted, soon will DC, one of the heaviest tax
payers in the county, Will far prefer to be
taxed for the road to COnnellsville and
East, and TO aid it in other substantial
ways. than TO be taxed to bring in a road
already at our doors and which will come
in if the business pays it TO come, and
will not come it it does not pay
And this is true of every road on the Ohio
side of the river, and the argument that
gives SlOO.0O0 To one of these roads is equal
/ ly potent 10 give "A like sum 10 each OF the
others, and there are or will be five or six
roads on the Ohio side seeking entrance 10
the city; and let US hope that in time there
will be others still 10 come and that your
railroad development is not near its end.
| TO aid in furnishing inlet for these roads,
| Ohio county voted her s}0O,O0O and shall
each be now invited 10 demand a Sl0O,0W
before il will come in
II was TO encourage and make provision
| for all these roads that the county voted
$500. 900 10 the Terminal Company. Hav-
ing wisely done this. further subscription
10 separate roads, unless made for some
other purpose than to bring them into
Wheeling by the route already provided, is
not In keeping with business methods and
plainly antagOniZcs the cOunty's former ac-
ton
Every one can see TO what extent the
vote of the county has been successful in
providing facilities for the Ohio roads, but
upon what business principle can any
one demand or ask that 100000 shall be
voted by the county 10 create in the mind
OF any one man, or Of business corpora
tion, "A willingness 10 make use Of what has
already been prepared and offered In
other words. can the county afford TO vote
500, 900 as premium TO the preiudices of
any railway corporation.
The value or absurdity Of any request
can usually bc well illustrated by the
claims urged in its support The Wheeling
and Lake Erie Company afiirms that the
business interests of Wheeling are so great
that separate accommodations must be pro
vided for that company, and with equal
candor they say the business interests of
Wheeling are so small rs 10 be unworthy
Of approach by way OF the exceptionally
good facilities which the county has now
10 offer.
If Ohio county gives large sums to Ohio
roads, what can be done for a Connellsville
line which at an early day will seek her
attention and action and about which on
her own motion she should now be stirring
r. II COtHRAN