Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-07-11
The NEW STREET RAILWAY.
Reasons why the franchise shOuld No.
be Granted.
,-,.l.. az fhs Henfafa-.


be Granted.
gotAs kdl'or Of ths Asgtster:
SrR:-There never was wiIdar -
more silly movement seriously considar
ID bv our City Council than thai now -,
foot 10 encnmber our streets with -
racks Of the raider railroad from 0bio
n the new road were filing a real wan
N would not be so ridiculous.
II NAV be conceded that the wheel.
inc Railway COmpany's plans for er-
teDsiye improvements and additions ON
the other side OF the river have been
frustrated by the conduct OF the Bridge-
dort authorities, aud that single svs.
tom. by that company covering the
whole territory, 70 Bellaire and out the
nike. with the most economical opera.
lion and cheapest fares is aRattainabIe
al present. Still, the Wheeling Rail-
way Comp is bound to lay and main
tain double tracks on the Back river
bridge. under It's contract with the
Wheeling and Belmont Bridge
Company for the rebuilding of
that bridge, and must paw
the fixed annual tolls provided by
the contract, whether it carries passen-
gers or not. 1t already has the tracks
in Wheeling adapted exactly to carry
ing passengers from the Ohio side into
the business heart Of Wheeling. Why
cannot the business be done on those
tracks? There iced not be, and ought
not 10 be any claim that the rates OF
fare will be CheaPened by building an
additional line in Wheeling on which
10 90 the work, for the actual cost OF
the transportation would be immensely
enhanced. and hat, too, az an immeas-
urable Inconvenience 20 the public. The
TWO companies could, without the build
Ing OF the parallel tracks, make run
ming arrangements with each other that
would insure the public convenience In
the matter of travel, and save a great
waste both in construction and operat-
ing expenses, and thus make cheaper
fares possible than by the ruinous sys-
tenn proposed In this ordinance. The
man who seriously applies the maxim,
Opposition is the life Of trade, TO such
state OF facts Is not wise. la the old
DAYS of stage coaches competition was
not so waSteful. Each team was q sep
arate outfit, running on common high
way. So of steamboats,; they occupy
common highway. But in order to get
the competitors here, 1t is proposed
to build q railroad parallel with the old,
on adjacent streets, and in SONG instan-
ces along QUE side Of the same streets,
and 10 maintain and run, on different
tracks over the same general route
the entire distance covered
by the new cOmpany's line, two sets Of
cars, with all the additional employees,
making double cost of operating, and
more than double risk of accidents and
10 people using the
streets with teams. II is ridiculous.
Again, after making all this sacrifice
OF public streets TO additional tracks,
the new route is not practical. The
modern and only successful system OF
street raiIroading requires double
tracks, or a complete loop throughout.
Now, from the east end OF the east end
of the suspension bridge the new road
can, at the best, get only single track
down the east side of Main street 10
Eleventh street, and on Eleventh
aud Market streets to Chapline
street. There is no room there,
sven for passing switches, and
9 would be well nigh impossible TO oper-
- such a route, even If the tracks
MUD be unObstructed except by tho
,srs of the new company. But, in the
very nature OF things those tracks will
Do obstructed by street traffic, unless
you practically drive business away
rom the east side Of Main street aRd
rom Eleventh street, and ~ muse
streets up TO a railroad whichIJropcSes
10 run ali It's cars both ways over that
single track.
This movement may be popular for a
iay, but the people are even now be-
ginning 10 open their eyes to the situa-
ton. If this grant is made, aud the
new railroad people have the money 10
spend, and are foolish enough to spend
Il ito building a railroad over the line
aid out, the day will soon come when
there will be such howl that the ad-
yoeates OF the measure will wish they
bad taken a second thought. The Ordi-
nance leSveS 1t TO the pleasure
1f the Company to deter
mine the character Of the
road to be built, and if it is built at all,
there is no probability that it will be
we'll built, for it is sheer nonsense 10
say that il will be maintained in opera
lion for any great length of time. The
waste Of effort and loss Of money 70 the
operators will be so pslpable that the
two companies, however antagonistic
10 feeling, will not long resist the logic
d loss. They will combine, or sell out,
lne to the other, or make running ar
that will use the most prac-
.icable route, and the superhuous track
lge will be abandoned. The history of
similar movements elsewhere, and the
plain situation here points uHquestions-
lble to such results. y.