The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-09-15
Ole GnteILdqetlter.
WHEELING. sErrE1IDEn 10, 1891.
Tho Terminal Company and the
" &I. E.

W. ~ u. L.
In another cofunn appears a state.
ment by Judge Cochran on behalf oil
the Wheeling Bridge and Terminal Rail
way Company which is worthy Of atten'
ton. There arc in it some things which
interest the public peculiarly in view
OF the history of the city's recent rail.
road development. The public, for in
stance, would like to have the Wheel
ing 4 Lake Erie Railway Company ex-
piicitiy and without further innuendo
tell just what rate 1t was offered by the
Terminal Company, that its officers
refer to as exorbitant, and further,
what rate and what special traffic con-
tract they demanded or asked from the
Terminal Company. Will the Wheel
ing & Lake Erie Company tell the
public why it abandoned its line from
Bowerston to Wheeling and took up the
Marietta road? Why did it abandon
its right to build bridge across the
river to Wheeling? In short, why has
itgivcn Wheeling the cold shoulder on
all occasions, and only appeared upon
the local scene when another corpora
ton was or seemed about to accomplish
something for the city's advantage?
That this is the record of the man.
agersof the Wheeling & Lake Erieroadi is
matter OF open history. They lost no
opportunity to hinder and obstruct the
Union bridge scheme, though when
they had the bridge franchise they made
no use Of it An open threat was made
to build bridge at Portland. When
Colonel Bissell had about concluded ne
gotiations for the capital OF the Termi-
nal company, be met obstacles placed
in his way by them. One of these was
in the form of message sent through
all the "tickers" in New York, preiudi-
cial to the bridge scheme. The tape
containing it was cut off by Colonel
Bissell and brought to Wheeling, and
the writer saw it in his hands.
The policy the Wheeling & Lake
Erie people pursued then they are
pursuing still. They never did any
thing for Wheeling and they never
willingly allowed anybody else to do
anything. They appear again to-day as
obstructionists, attempting to influence
an action with which they have no
legitimate concern. If the people are
wise they will not permit such dicta-
ton.
The Wheeling & Lake Erie Company
has not acted frankly. 1t surveyed an
impracticable line via st. Clairsville to
BelIaire, and packed the newspapers
with references to its alleged intention
to build that line, when in fact its line
from Bowerston to Martins Ferry was
under contract. That was character
istic trick. The public should not be
duped again.
What interest can tho Wheeling &
Lake Eric Company have in the Term
inal system now, that would induce it
to try to injure it2 Simply this: II it
can wreck the Terminal property and
force it to q sale ut which tho Wheeling
& Lake Erie Company would be tho
only bidder, it will secure at nominal
price what has cost an immense sum.
That is one side OF it; this is tho
other: If the Terminal Company cease:
TO exist and the Wheeling & Lake Erie
Company secures It's property, what il
now for the use and benefit Of all roads
on equal terms, and so for the ADVANTAGE
of the whole people, would be controlled
by ono company in its own selfish in
tcrest The county would lose all Of its
subscription, and the community would
lose all that It was hoped by that sub
scription to gain. Do tho people desire
that to occur2 II not, they should in.
sist on the just treatment OF the Termi'
nal Company, and ignore tho misiead
ing suggestions Of sOlashly interested
parties whose course in the past doe'
not warrant public confidence in the
rectitudc Of their intentions now.