The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-08-03

WV
of acting on the resolutions against the
granting Of concessions to the Pan Han
die railroad in Wheeling harbor failed
TO materialise on account of the tnabll-
ity of the first branch to secure quo
rum. 1t IS likely the resolutions win
be adopted with little opposition at the
regular meeting Of council to be. held
next Tuesday evening. The resolutions
were read in the second branch Last
night. but no action was taken because
the first branch was not in session.
The second branch met in the water
boards Office with President Chew In
the chair. The first branch gathered in
not held in councils chambers on &c
count of the repaintlng OF the walls and
ceilings. Fifteen members OF the sec
and branch were present The first
branch had some difficulty IN securing a
quorum. After the second had been
called to order 1t was learned the first
branch was three short Of a quorum,
only six members responding to the roll
call. President Chew ruled that the
second branch could proceed and act
upon the harbor lines resolutions with
out concurrent action by the first
branch.
Mr.. All moved adjournment and In
sisted upon his motion being put. He
could not understand why the city had
taken hand In a matter that concerns
only the Pennsylvania Railway Com
pany and the United States govern
ment. The only people, he said, who
are possibly affected by the harbor lines
are the business men.
Mr.. Ahl's motion was called up again,
but before It was put Mr.. Berry sug-
gested that the resolutions be read. To
this Mr.. All offered no objection.
Mr.. Ali spoke again and feared
there was something behind this pro-
posed resolution; looked TO him as
though council was to become a cham-
plon Of the Pennsylvania Railway Com
pany. This supposltion was so obvi-
ously and so far from the facts that a
general smile was created, which was
heightened when Mr.. ALL said he knew
little or nothing of the matter.
The resolutions were read by Clerk
Watkins, as follows:
To the Honorable Mayor and Council Of
the City Of Wheeling:
CONTAMINATION special COM
mittee on harbor lines submits the fol-
lowing report: Your committee visit
ed the site OF the proposed change asked
for by the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany and after making'a thorough exc
animation Of the premises and after a
hearing granted to the representatives
OF the railroad company and other In
terested parties unanimously agreed to
submit the following resolution for your
adoption:
whereas, The Pennsylvania Railway
Company has petltIoned the secretary
Of war to extend the harbor lines at
their freight depot on Fourteenth street
twenty.eight and sixteenth (2S 6-10
feet westward, thus decreasing the cross
section OF the channel about twelve hum
dred square feet causing reduction In
total cross section Of river at this point
OF about two per cent, and
Whereas, THIS contracted cross sec
ton must necessarily Increase the stage
OF water in the Ohio river, particularly
during flood periods, causing increased
inundatlun Of many acres Of valuable
city property In every ward in the city
Of Wheeling, most of which already suf-
fers severely at periods becoming more
frequent us mountains are denuded OF
forests and the channel Of the river is
being continually encroached upon, and
Whereas, The narrowing OF the chan
mel Of the river and consequent increas-
ed stage of water will in turn cause In
creased velocity OF the current, and
Whereas, The entertainments which
have already been made on the left
bank Of the river have so changed the
currents as to cause a continual wash
ing out at flood stages on the right bank,
which even now threatens the destruc-
ton OF the south end OF Wheeling Is
land; and any further encrnachment
such as the one proposed could only
cause greater destruction, and
Whereas, The value of the Ohio river
as n medium Of transportation Is being
threatened by continually increasing en-
croachments at this, the narrowest
point at this port, which Entertainments
have already changed the channel and
current, making 1t one OF the most diff
cult points to navigate between Clncln-
natl and Pittsburgh; and any further
entertainments can only result in In
creasing the danger and cost OF trans
portatiOn on the Ohio river between all
points north and south Of this port, and
whereas, The northern end OF the
freight depot OF the Pennsylvania Rail-
way Company occupies a portion OF the
southern end Of the public wharf OF the
city OF Wheeling merely by license OF
the city and the passenger depot OF said
railway companies occupies the north
ern end OF said wharf and as 1t VIII
probably become eXpedlent In the near
future to Increase wharf facilities by
Improving the wharf southwark which
Increased facilities will become a neces-
sIty TO accommodate the greatly IN
creased traffic at this port caused by
slack water navigation on the ono
river, and since therclty will probably
be under the necessity OF reassuming
possession Of the portion OF the wharf
occupied by the northern end OF the
PENNSYLVANIA Railway Company's
freight station; any further encroach-
ments at this point looking to the per-
manency OF the freight station Is not
desirable, and
Whereas, Tho location OF the hArbor
lines MS established at Fourteenth street
are plainly a concession to the Penneyl-
vanIn Railway Company, and other In
terests OF this community would have
been better served had the present har-
Dor line been located further east, ana
Whereas, There Is sufficient room I'm
mcdlately south OF Fourteenth street
and north Of Wheeling creek within the
present harbor lines for the freight sta
tlon Of the Pennsylvania Railway COM
pany. and consequently there Is no ne
cessity OF extending the present hnrbor
lines, and
Whereas, The cncronchmcnt proposed
would probably be n precedent for flr-
tller encroachmcnts and changes OF the