Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-05-02
SPIRITED DISCUSSION,
OVER THE PROPOSED DOUBLE TRACK on
MAIN STREET,
A Protest Filed BY Citizens Of North Wheeling
The Committee Deferred Action o Go Over
the Marks. Street. Route.

The Council Committee on Railroads
met at the City Hall last evening for
the purpose Of considering the ordl-
nance offered in the First Branch OF
Council, at the last session. By Mr.
PAUL, providing for a second street
railway track on North Main street, to
be nut down by the Wheeling Railway
Company, parallehng the existing track
Of the Citizens Company. The measure
was read one time in the First Branch
ana then referred TO Z 10 Committee for
considerstionaHd repot. There were
present at the Committee meeting
General Manager Jolly, OF the Railway
Company, General Alfred Caldwell, ana
several citizens OF the upper part OF
town. H.,
Mr.. Dobbins said Mr.. PAUL, who had
introduced the measure, had expressed
a wish 70 have the grant changed 10 the
Citizens' Company, and he moved that
such change be made. This was under
Mr. Grimm asked about the relations
Of the two companies. and Mr.. Dobbins
said the Wheeling Company had leased
the line Of the Citizens Company.
General Caldwell then offered the fol-
lowing protest against the passage OF
the measure
TIE PROTEST.
"The undersigned, property owners ana
residepts Of Main and Market streets
Il efr
but earnestly urge the rejection and oeieat
of the ordinance now pending granting
right for another track 20 tne wheeling
Railway Company on North Main street.
WThis Company has a perpetual grant on
certain of your streets, and TINS oralnahce
is intended TO give il perpetual right on
Main street, north Of Tenth Street, without
the slightest compensation. Ferpetual
grants are crimes against the pOouc. 4ney
absolutely prevent proper return TO the
citv for the use OF its streets FOR al time,
make the Company independent OF mum
cipal control, and prevent the poSSlollty
of the Company being compelled TO adopt
new and better systems OF transit, no mat
ter what discoveries and inventions may DC
made. ..-,,-- -,
dent and its stockholders have no interest
in ANYTHING here except its own valuable
franchises. IL has dehed your authority
and rushed the city into the Courts upon
CROSS and uufounded claim 70 mononollze
a street without regard 70 the terrible loss
inflicted upon adjacent property or your
taxpaving citizens. With this fresh IN the
public mind they come asking laVorS az
YOUR hands and want 70 have an eYerIaSt-
ing right 10 iniure all the hne properly on
North Main street. The new track. II on
Market street. would add 10 the taxable
value OF all the property and be OF benefit
10 the CITY and the citizens, but on Main
street il will be a great and positive injury.
Nearly ali the houses on North Main
street face the street without front yards,
and all the coal etc must be delivered in
their fronts With this new track on the
street such delivery will De al
most impossible, and all ousl-
ness practically prevented Tue Company
has too many franchises, now and the inso-
lent vvav in which your streets are torn up
and the commands Of your officers 10 re-
. nair having along their tracks are treated
\ demonstrate the reckless improvidence OF
! the Council that has made masters or the
non.residant owners OF this corporation,
when Shey should be the obedient servants
of the city authorities. Some OF as, under
INSTRUMENTATION ofthe Company's agents,
have signed petition FOR the grant, put
we withdraw from IL and sign TINS one as
we were deceived and our desires are not
properly stated in the document we were
formerly induced TO sign
This was signed by Messrs. Louis c.
Stifel, Peter Welty, A. j. Clarke, John
]. Jones, Henry X. List, w. L. Stifel,
DIR. r. w. Hazlett, J. n. Vance, Gen.
Alfred Caldwell, and many others.
THE DISCUSSION.
At the conclusion Of the reading Of
the document General Caldwell made
some remarks, saying the matter had
come I'D very suddenly this time. He
proceeded to state the proposed double
track was an entirely unnecessary thing.
1t was nonsense 10 say track could
not be laid ard operated on Market
street. 1t only took a little money.
The franchise already owned by the
Wheeling Company was unprecedent-
ed In the annals Of legislation by
the Council Of Wheeling, and was
almost without parallel in the annals
OF municipal legislation in the United
States. Granted originally 70 our own
people Ct had been shifted TO people who
had no otker interest in this city than the
monopoly they now hold, and by IL the
city and its citizens were tied hand and
foot for all time 10 come, no matter
what might happen, OF what discoveries
might De made Granted originally In
a moment OF passion by Council anx-
ious 10 wreak its vengeance upon the
old Citizens Company, ii had been de-
nounced by the very people who caused
Il to issue. The grant OF such leprOuS
legislation was an awful thing, unPre-
cedented and unwarranted, and care
should be taken for all time 10 come
that the thing be not repeated.
Mr.. Caldwell called attention to the
manner in which the company had left
the streets, and said Il was patent that
the city needed n club over the head
OF the Company ALI the time, If
the streets were ~ 60 In good
condition and the rights OF the city and
the public respected. He dwelt upon
the character OF Main street, the only
outlet Of the city north, lthe impossi-
bility, over most of the SHEETS length,
of reaching residences by wagon from
any side except the front, Rnd said the
laying down OF another raj lway track
would practically close this means OF
ingreSs TO nearly every r4sident on
both sides OF the street. AS 20 Market
street, it would be improved (bY rail-
road track, and If the &ompany
had the least desire tOl make
the city return flor its
enormously valuable franchise, ID would
lay track down on that street, thereby
bene6ting every foot OF ground on the
street named. He said il had beeA the
feeling Of the Company to take of 4 Zee
trio cars on North Main street and put