The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-06-25
AN OPEN LETTER
To the Ohio County Hoard Of Commits
sloasrs From "a Country RsSIdsn''"
r. tho Jsdt,or az the intoiiiguuetr.

To the Ohio County HOARD OF
slonsrs From "a Country RsSldsn''"
To the Editor OF the lntoiiigonesF'
sIR:-on behalf OF country residents
/ ask the publication Of the following
open letter TO the Ohio county board OF
commissioners;
To the Board of Commissioner OF
Ohio County!--In the days OF Henry Cay
log rolling and schoming for persnn9I
advantage was n5 universal among pom
tlciana and Interested parties cared AZ
little for the public welfare as In this
generation. The great National roau'
the only highway from cast TO west.
wns diverted from the natural course
down Wheeling creek and sent up MI
and down dale without regard a. grade
or expense TO accommodate few lana
owners who wanted the pike through
their farms and near their houses IN
old times the stage coach men, team
sters and travellers united In denouncinS
the sclflshneSS and cupidlty OF those VINO
were instrumental In locating the rad
where Ii now IS, but the fathers bullt
wiser than they knew. for without any
such intention on their part the Location
OF the road opened up and made valu-
able for residence purposes much
WlQtE. NEONE vi ANAAAANAN AAAAA 49,
route duwn Wheeling creek would nave
done.
The National road has been such an
instructive object lesson TO the people OF
Ohio county that year after year, With
out regard 10 party, the board OF COM
misSloners has appropriated literally Tor
roads until Ohio county roads are the
pride OF its citizens and are so much
better than those OF surrounding couh-
ties that the traveller needs no guide TO
inform him when he Is outside or her
bounds. So far, gentlemen, you nave
done well. but you have come now TO
point where you must decide between
narrow makeshift. good enough, per-
haps. for to-day, and Il broad and liberal
policy looking TO the future. providing
Tor coming generations. No one VIII
dispute the assertion that II Is only
question OF time until the territory be-
tween Wheeling and Elm Grove VIII be
built up as closely as the Island and
almost every member OF the board o1n
remember the leland aS farm and or
chard not so thiclly settled as IS now
the country bordering on the National
road. Before that time comes one road
or street win not be enough for public
convenience and now Is the time TO pro-
vide another highway
Without any interest to serve except
that OF the public, would suggest 10
this board that survey be made now
for "A street not less than seVeniy-hNc
feet wide from Fulton to Elm Grove
and II such street or road should be
found practicable. let the county grant
the W. q r. q. Il, r. a right Of way FOR
n double track In the middle Of the road
fo- electric or any other power tnan
steam. conditioned upon the removal OF
the prescn. tracks from the National
road between Fulton and Elm Grove
am no surveyor but am familiar with
the territory and confident no engineer
ing difficulty would interfere with wide
street through the Thompson field, cross
Ing the pike this side OF the Thompson
house, through the Woods place ana FOL
lowing the present route 10 Seiberts
lane then straight through the middle
OF the Selbert. Bayha, Zane and Pfarr
properties, so dividing them rs TO add
materially to their value: or through the
Reid farm. back OF the Paxton place.
and then keeping within 800 10 500 feet
OF the National road unth you reach the
mark: from there make your rhad
around or through the park, through
Park View and the Pryor place 20 the
pike: let the w. & Il. @. use Its present
track from the park to Elm Grove and
It's new track on the new road IL is
probable you would be compelled to
condemn three miles of right OF way,
sevcnty-fve feet wide, say twenty-five
acres at an average OF $500 PEI acre.
suppose II cost $4,000 or 100000, what
IL that In comparison with the Dement'S
that would accrue?
one hundred new houses would in
crease the valuation OF real estate for
purposes o. taxation probably 100000.
which at 30 cents on the 800 would yield
81, GOO. or per cent. on $4,000, 50 that II
the board should sell enough OF the
stock OF the F.. W. a. Ky. r. II. which
Il now holds as part Of the profit re-
guiting from that investment 10 pay for
this Improvement II would be only 4
short Tina until the income OF the county
resulting from the Improvement would
be even better than the income from the
p. w. & Ky. stock
Every subscription by Ohio county to
bring railroads TO Wheeling has been
checrfully assentcd to by the residents Of
the county outside OF the city, and now
that there is an opportunity to build up
the country districts by liberal appro-
priation of county funds II would seem
10 be the part OF wisdom 20 deal libcr-
ally with all interests and In keeping
with the past record OF the Ohio county
board NJ Commissioners
Knowing the board az ] do u shall
confidently expect such conclusion or
this matter as will bring permanent I'm
provement and build for them fame
more enduring than the monument TO
Henry Clay now crumbllng with age;
a COUNTRY RESIDENT.
Wheeling, June q.
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REMNANTS stOo, st.s5 aud si.5o