The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-08-02


The council committee got down to
business with little delay. Mayor Butts
presided, and City Clerk Watkins was
at the desk. Secretary George Hook, of
the state fair association, was present,
and was invited to express his sentl-
ments.
Mr.. Hook said l1arbor lines had been
established along the river to prevent
entertainments upon the channel. This
work was done recently by the ma
tional government to the accOmpani-
ment OF large expense. Now the Pc
wikey railroad wants to extend beyond
that line. The only question before the
committee Is to decide whether 1t will
petition the secretary OF war or the
commission OF engineers in favor Of or
against the application of the railroad.
He was opposed to granting the railroad
what It asks for; harbor lines were es-
tablished to prevent just such encrnach-
ments as the one that Is now threat
ened. The next generations he said.
would undoubtedly enjoy the blessing
Of slackwater navigation on the upper
Ohio, and It is necessary that the public
landing be kept for the publlc's use.
Fifty years from now there Will be as
many steamboats, doing business out OF
this port as there were in 1859, when the
river business was In It's prime. This
committee should as soon think OF ia
VorinE this application as It would be
In favor OF an application Of somebody
for a strip on one OF the streets OF the
city. The Ohio river is a commercial
highway that should be protected. Mr..
Hook In continuing spoke OF the many
nils that have been made above and be-
low the city, and which have so con-
tracted the river during high water that
the Island and other parts OF the city
have suffered from the swift current
and the higher water brought about by
this contraction OF the banks. In con-
clusion, he said there is available
ground below the present station Where
the railroad can erect new freight sta
tion. and he had no doubt that eventu-
ally the company would occupy this
property even II their present applica-
tIon Is not denied. Entertainments IN
the harbor lines OF this time VIII be-
come a precedent that would brinS
about many more encroachments in the
future.
city Engineer White next addressed
the committee He said the committee
members knew his position on this mat
ter, It having been detailed in his re-
cent communication to council. lie pc
IIeved, from the inspection that had just
been made, that It was practicaole Ior
the railroad company to use the Ioca-
dion Just south OF the present station
for a new freight depot, He believed
serious mistake would be made II the
railroads application were granted.
Mr.. Chew moved that a resolution oe
arafied and sent TO council with n ia
,1orabls recommendation, that 1t is ad-
Judged to be for the best interests OF the
CITY that the application Of the Pewikey
for the change Of harbor lines be not
granted. The motion prevailed unan1-
niously, aud the city engineer ana city
solicitor were instructed TO prepare the
resolution. While this was being done
the committee took u recess Tor hiteeh
minutes.
When the committee renssembled.
Messrs. Nesblbt and White reported that
they had come to the conclusion that IN
order 10 be effective the resolutions
ShouId be fun, covering the entire
ground, and for that reason they hnd De
Cided 10 asl, the committee for skele,,
ton set OF resolutions which they would
elaborate later.
Captnin Dawson suggested that 1t
would be woll to enlarge the sub-coin-
mIttee by adding two members OF coun-
iii, who, acting with the solicitor and
engineer, could report back to the COM
mittee al subsequent meeting IN
concluding &c moved that two additional
members be named 10 serve on the sub
commAttec.
Before the motion was put, Messrs'
Berry and other mebers OF the commit
tee suggested points that ought to be
brought out prominently In the resolu-
lions, as follows:
That there 10 danger 10 property on
accUpA Of the Increased current
caused by the contracted banks OF the
river.
Increased height Of the river during
floods and high water, causing destruc-
tlon OF property.
Danger 10 steamboaHng Interests by
the Increased current and through pos
slblc changes in the channel,
The establishment OF u precedent by
granting the application Of the Pcwlkey
Cutting down Of future wharf fncill-
ties, which, on the other hand. shnu.d he
Increased In anticipation OF slnchwnter
That IN taking this action the city has
no desire 10 inJurc the railroads on the