The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-01-11

u tisiuS on Inc 4Siaho-h I'LL LILO
Island People Say about tho Matter.
It has been a long time since any
thing stirred up greater feeling in a
community than prevailed among the
Island residents yesterday on account
OF the agreement OF the two bridge
companies abolishing monthly toll
tickets for families or individuals.
Wherever one went this was the princi-
pal theme of conversation, especially if
there were Island people present. AS
an outcome of this feeling a call ap-
pears in another part of this mornings
ward residents, to be held this evening
in the hall over r. 3. Burt's drugstore.
The: object is to. formally protest against
the action of the bridge companies:
Although not yet formally announced
by the bridge companies, it has been
semi-omcially given out that rate for
the tickets spoken OF yesterday will be
fifty cents for sixty tickets. That is, a
mar can, by buying these tickets, make
lilo trips over the bridges for 81. ~ re-
port had before been circulated that the
rate would be sixty cents for 100 tickets,
and another report wac that the rate
rate wovld be 100 tickets for forty cents,
but these stories came under the head
OF ''too good to be true"
The expressions of their feelings by
Island people were not all strictly tem-
perate. Not a resident of the ward not
interested in one of the bridges was
heard to speak of the changed rates
~; Il ,1-4I III an In < IN n ntjnn and
protest.
One man figured out for an INTELLI-
GENcER reporter how the change would
affect him. He and his five sons have
heretofore crossed the bridge from their
home on the Island to their placesIof
employment in the city on q family
ticket. costing fifty cents q month.
This also entitled all other members to
cross. BY the new plan each OF the
six making at least two round trips per
day, or 144 single trips per week, eXclu-
sive OF Sundays. it will cost them in the
neighborhood OF S1.10 q week, an aver
age of $4.75 a mouth. This means that
for this family the cost of living on the
Island Is increased over $50 per year,
which wonld compensate for q consld-
erably higher rental in the city. It was
in this view that real estate ownersrWero
among the warmest in their indignation.
a man who has no member OF the
family but himself subject to pay toll
under the new schedule is also the loser.
Where he now pays fifty cents a month,
it will hereafter cost him that amount
if he crosses a bridge but twice a day,
and of course twice as much if he crosses
four times a day, as the average man
does. That is, nobody will find the
new rates cheaper in the long run,
while most Island people will find they
entail an advance in cost of from 100 to
900 per eel
''The declaration by the bridge Off
Gals" said one Island resident. that
this change would not increase their
income, is simply childish. If it did
not bring them in more money what
would they make the change. for? Was
anybody dissatisfied with the old rate?
Inever heard anybody object to the
former tolls, and what logic is there in
doing away with a satisfactory state OF
affairs for a very Objectionable one II 1t
does not benefit the companies? They
can tell that to the marines"
There will no doubt be an interesting,
not to say breezy, time at this evenings
meeting.
One man figured that the increase
would mean Is per cent on his rent,
while the increase will run anywhere
from 10 to is per cent.
One Of the directors of the Wheeling
Bridge Company was asked, Suppose
the city were to condemn your bridge
for public purposes, and make it freeT,
'rThe company would be glad OF it,"
he answered.
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