Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-01-14
A POSSIBLE CoNsoLLDArIoS,

Is What a CisIzsn Says May H.ppen-Be-
lieves the City Too Liberal to Corpora
tioDs.
To Ge Bdi.0s ci ne Register:
DEAR SIR: Reading the report Of the
proceedings before the Railroad Commit
tee OF Council, one might readily suppose
that the capitalists at the head of the en-
teTpgise are running q great charity and
that the city is a mendicant. So much
stress is laid an what is hei5g done for the
city by the company, and so little atten
ton directed to the fact that the real OBJ
jecs OF the company Is 10 obtain for itseli
property and rights Of very great value.
We do not want unreasonable terms im
posed upon this or any other company
seeking rights that will accommodate them
and bring them into position To take hold
OF the great and profitable carrying trade
that awaits them aud that has grown ny
without them, bus We sc think that 1t IL
bigh time for our city Cjuncil TO act with
more ciuticn tha1 ia tho past, aud no
peevish or defiant dtmoastrations should
deter them.
For want cf that elu.i0a, OK for wore
cause, come council hiss given away val
uable natural gas privilege, (amounting to
a monopoly 20 beat the city without even
reservDg the power 10 restrain 1t from
unreasonable charges. They have given
swaysthe ci,y's monopoly TO light the
city, and uoS, setirg the mistake, If We
cali il by 10 worse name, there are those
who want the city tn enter the field and
compete Hith millionaire stockholders es-
tablished in business given away to them
by the city without any reservation 10
take the plant at any time or TO regulate
the price. They have also given away
most valuable street railway right, and
have allowed both for that aud for light
ing purposes the most deadly wires to he
strung over the heads OF the cisizens,
and ell this in spite OF the fact that larger
cities ara refusing such license; and foT
telegraph ard telephone the slr is dark
sned with wires that ehould be under
ground, and the sidewalks rendered hid
eous end obslrucied with poles. These
rigdts were granted without adequate au-
.hofity reserved 20 the city to regulate the
use. aud without even limiting the charges
for telephone eeTSice, thus leaving us sll
IN the hands of Co1sciepceless monopoly
which txsc,s most unrfa O0abie charges.
Ii will be remembered that all these en-
terprises were sal on foot for the benefit OF
the city, ard while thst is true. 1t is true
also that the privilege granted with all
vsues, bslong TO these corporations and
they get all she prof's.
The Union Bddgs and it's terminals mag
be OF very great value TO the city, but
that depends upon how ii is msnaged and
tire rights of the city a-e guarded. Sup
pose it "a ses out Of the present hands u
der the mortgage EOw On It, or OtherTiee,
and how do We know that is net possible?
True the Railroad Committee of the Cham
ber Of Commerce seem to have gotten some
sort Of soothing syrup tsat pat i. to sleep
and we hear nothing from them, but
straws show what msy take plaza. Let
us look at them. The B. & o. we think
were never before known to let another
-ack psss over or under it without trouble
that could bs heard till i; allowed the Ter
minal Company to tear down the end OF
i,s stone bridge ct TIM tuanel and place an
iron structure instesd, to allow the Ter
minFl Company 10 go under il. /. has laid
already track 70 that it can easily i)in
the track Of the Terminal Company.
The w. & l.. +. and the o. X. K desire t'
oin tracks, And st one time looked to the
Bridge and Terminal Co sl tha means by
which they could in. Ther the B. q o.
d Ohio River rad no traffic contracts;
then the terminus of ihe w & L. L. wss
Wuealisg, row il Is Bsllairs; then the
railrosd companies had no. begun TO buy
l.nd between BenWoOd and McMechtn's
run; then there were no rumOrs that
Could had hRad in the control Of the B.
& 0. or the Union Bidge. Now the prob
ability is th.t the w. & l. +. will join
the o. X. K e. Beawood over tue b * O.'s
bridge, and not IN Wheeling ns we had
hopsd. We can then run down to Ben
wood and get aboard.
Looking at these straws it is not posi-
bic thlt great combination is formed or
is formir that will ran thu whole, iDclud-
ing The Bridge Company, thus pnitiDg IA
uuder the cOntrcl Of one company without
competing lines, eDd that rights being
granted DOW may be turned over to the
con binstion. 1t is proper, If the Council
desires to do right, to 70 not with unnec-
esssrY delay but ~itb caution. E.
Wheeling, ". Va January 13. 1890.