Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-10-09

street is reached. 1t is explained, how
ever, that the stretch south of the
WINDSOR alley need not necessarily
come within the scope of the proposed
Improvement, or if it does, that the
street can be graded without interior
ing with the side walk, a high curb
being put in at the points where a cut
is made in the street so as to leave the
sidewalk unmolested. The proposed
change in the grade of the street would
involve the raising of the "Pewiky"
track Is inches to two feet at the in
tersection of Twelfth and Water streets,
and this in turn would necessitate a
change of grade and the repaving of a
considerable portion of the lower part
of the wharf
This is fair statement of the plans
of the engineer, as the Register under
stands them. The property owners do
not understand them that way. In the
first place, they fear the changes of
grade from Main street to Windsor al
ley would inevitably lead to the other
changes further down Water street;
again, 1t appears to be the impression
that the "Pewiky' road is really behind
the whole matter, and that it not only
wants a change in the grade of Water
street to take the dip" out of the track
at the foot of Twelfth street, but that
the company wants another track or
a switch on Water street, in addition
to the track now there. In the third
place, there seems to be a general sus-
picion regarding the whole matter,
somewhat indefinable, perhaps, but
still existing, and these facts, coupled
with the apparent Discrimination of the
city authorities to be frank. made yes
terday's meeting good deal of a <'par-
rot and monkey time" Everybody ex-
pressed his opinion, nobody's opinion
agreed with anybody else's, the Coun-
Gil committee did not explain things
where a short explanation would have
done a great deal of good the property
owners charged railroad influence. and
the Councilmen denied any knowledge
Of it, and the net result was lot of mis-
understanding and bad feeling, which
might have been averted.
The Council committee went off by
itself and agreed to meet again at the
City Hall next Monday night and have
the property owners present. At the
same time the property owners met and
agreed to meet again within ten days"
and have the City Engineer present.
Then each side informed the other of
what it had done, and neither was sat-
isfied, and the Committee meeting was
declared off. After half an hour more
had been spent in useless controversy.
marked by an absence2of frankness all
around. the gentlemen separated and
the outlook appears to be dark.
h In Tofn Il L Io,- = l,
streets are undoubtedly IN bad shape.
Water street is badly paved with boul-
ders and presents succession of hills
and hollows from one end to the other,
while Eleventh street from Main to
Water has been horrible example"
since the days of the war Something
might easily be done to satisfy all par
ties concerned and improve the river
front of the town, but when it wifi be
done. under existing conditions. is a
problem.
And right here it might be well to
remark that the river streets of Ohio
River cities. with the exception of Ma
rietta, are all back numbers, and that
property along them has steaily been
depreciating in value for forty years.
PittSburg is one example. Steubenville
is another, and Moundsville is a third.
Parkersburg is a fourth, and Cincinnati
is a very conspicuous fifth. to say moth
ing of other towns Marietta is an ex-
ception because ii has the finest wharf
along the river. and the front street
has always been desirable Wheeling
has maintained Water street in fair
shape through the decadence of the
river trade, but with prospective river
improvements it would annear to be
the part of wisdom to put Water street
in better shape and improve the river
front generally. This remark is with
out prejudice to either side of the case
as it was presented yesterday, but has
for its origin the hope that the property
owners. the City Engineer. and the
Council committee may find a speedy
means of getting together upon common
ground and do that which will lie ben
eft all around