Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-06-01

Elm Grove Railway Ordinance
Read One Time, and an Adjourn
ment Taken Until Wednesday
Evening.
The Council Committee on Ordi-
nances met last evening for the especial
purpose of considering pending railway
ordinances. all the members being pres
ent except Mr.. List. who was kept at
home by a severe cold. There were
present a number of attorneys and
citizens interested in the measures up
for consideration.
The first matter taken up was the
ordinance giving the Bridge and Ter
minal Railway Company the right TO
lay, maintain and operate a railway
track up Main street, south OF Twenty
seventh, curving thence into Twenty
seventh street, and then into the plant
Of the Belmont mill of the Wheeling
Iron and Nail Company. After the
measure. which has been through the
Committees on Railroads and Streets,
Alleys and Grades. had been read, the
somewhat intimately related and rival
ordinance of the Spears Axle Company,
also asking for a railway switch, con
Meeting with the b. & o.. was also
read. Upon invitation. Mr.. w. p. Hub
bard. counsel for the Bridge and Ter
minal Company. presented an argu-
ment. i'm the course of which he said
the Terminal Company was opposed to
the Axle Company switch for at least
three reasons. that it would prevent
the Terminal Company from carrying
out its plans and the Wheeling Iron
and Nail Company from receiving ben
eft: y. that it would "galyanize into
life" one of what were characterized as
sham" spur lines lately laid down by
the b & O. on its ground south OF
REIMBURSEMENT street. in the vain
hope Of preventing a crossing OF their
line by an order of Court, and, ). that
the city had no right TO grant to any
private corporation save railroad
company, the use Of the public streets
for railroad purposes.
Mr.. Hubbard was replied to by Cen
eral Alfred Caldwell who spoke at con-
siderable length. in favor of the Axle
Company line and by way of criticism
of the Terminal right, and at the same
time he said his Company did not at
all desire TO obstrUct the Terminal
Company-in fact. it would like TO see
the Terminal come there-his ComnanY
would be it's customer and would do
business with it-but II desired two
strings to its bow" and a switch Of its
own. not controlled by any railroad
company.
Mr.. Hubbard replied, largely on the
law point of the lack of right on the
part of the city to grant a railroad right
to a private corporation. which he
maintained. and TO pointing out an
evident coincidence Of facts between
certain actions by the B. d 0. and a
change of heart on the part OF the
Spears Axle Company.
The discussion was rather sparkling
and lively at times.
Engineer SchrOU. OF the Terminal
Railway Company. explained the plat
of his Company's proposed switch, as
we'll as that of the Spears Company.
Other gentlemen then took hand IN
the controversy. which was prolonged
10 considerable length. Mr. Daniel List
interfering a new feature IN the shape
of consideration for the grant, and
nroDosed that the city compel the Ter
nioal Company to donate TO the city
the strip of ground on the north slde
of Eighteenth street, between Chapllhe
and Market. Mr.. Hubbard replied 10
This i'm a very emphatic manner Illus
tr9ting his remarks by diagram, ana
recalling a celebrated conversation be
tween The late Judge Cochran and the
Iara Beni. Fisher. 1t was quite shah-
ing up of dry bones.
Then Col George B. Caldweli got
back 10 the real point at Issue by sug-
costing that the whole matter was
within the control of Council. which
could give the Spears Company the
east side of Main street, south OF IWen-
t,-seveuth. and the Terminal Company
the middle of Main street, and elaDo-
rated his argument and the collateral
points. r,
hard of the Wheeling Steel and Iron
Company. who spoke on behalf oil MS
corporation. 49,
Mir. A. j. Clarke. Director Of the
Wheeling Steel and Iron Company, also
spoke briefly for his Company
BY this time it was ten o'clock. ana
the Committee went into executive SEES
sion The Committee went over all
the maps and papers. and then the
whole matter was referred TO the CITY
Engineer and Solicitor.
The application of the Butchers AS
ISOLATION for a switch at the east end
Of sixteenth street, was then taken up
and was referred to the Solicitor 10
draw an ordinance, and the City En-
gineer for an examination.
The Solicitor reported. in the matter
OF druggists license. that the city had
no mower to levy a license for the sale
of intoXicants by druggists. so long as
the intoxicants were sold for mechan-
zeal or medicinal purposes. He forti-
fed his conclusion by reciting certain
facts
This cleared the table for the rail-
vav ordinances. and the Wheeling d
Elm Grove franchise was taken up.
The ordinance was read in full, and