Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-12-24
TIE CHAMBER Of COMMERCE
CALLED TO MEET TUESDAY NIGHT
ON VERY IMPORTANT BUsI-
NESS
OF AN INDUSTRIAL NATURE
Proposed investigation OF the Diff
Between the National
Tube Company and the Property
n in Upper Benwood, With
n View to Adjusting Them-Con-
tempIated improvements May not
be Made.

The Chamber of Commerce has been
called to meet Tuesday night. The
business is the most important which
the Chamber has been called upon to
consider, involving a matter of vital
Importance to the industrial prestige Of
the community. For this reason it is
hoped and expected that there will be
d very full attendance. The apparent
indifference of the mercantile interests
to matters OF this nature. has been a
subject Of frequent comment. When
the magnitude of the improvements
which are contemplated, and which are
threatened with failure because Of the
attitude of property owners is thor
oughly understood, it is not likely that
any business mar will allow a trifing
engagement of any character to pre-
vent him from attending Tuesday
nights meeting.
The Register some time ago pub
lished the fact that Mr.. Frank J..
Hearne, general manager of the Ma
tional Tube Company, contemplated
extensive improvements to the River
side plant, the local property Of the
combination. Upon a subsequent date
the information was given that the ex-
orbitant prices asked by owners of
property which the company was en-
deayoring to acquire would probably
prevent Mr.. Hearne from carrying out
the plans which the company
had formed Mr.. Hearne has
confirmed this statement Of the
condition Of affairs in several inter-
views, and there can be no question
about his earnestness in the matter.
When it is considered that other COM
munities are offering cash bonuses and
free sites for industrial plants, the
gravity of the situation will become APP
parent.
While the plans of the National
Tube Company have never been author
itively given to the public, enough is
known to justify the statement that if
they are carried into execution. the
Riverside plant will be one of the most
extensive iron and steel concerns in
the world. Some idea may be formed
from the movements of the company
along the line of purchasing property.
The Whiteman orchard property has
hpon QarIlirQd and nvfnnCtuo i,onrNua-
mentS are already in progress upon
Boggs Run. The first section of the
arch has been completed. The COM
'pany has also acquired, so it is under
stood, all the property between the
tracks of the Wheeling Railway Com
pany and the B. & o. as far north as
the street car barn.
The company also desired all the
property on the west Of the street car
tracks, as far north as the county line.
This would give the company a river
frontage of almost a mile. 1t was in
the negotiations for the last mentioned
property that the obstacle was encOunt-
cred which may result in the abandon
ment of the contemplated improve
ments. The obstacle was nothing more
nor less than the excessive valuation
Of property by wnerS. The company
regards some CT the figures as extreme
~ unreasonable and out of all proper
ton to the actual worth of properly.
This is the situation which the Cham
Der of Comerce has been called to con
slider. The matter will be discussed, and
the hope is entertained tLat something
may develop to bring about an adjust
ment OF the unfortunate differences be-
tween the company and property own
ers.
1t is also proposed to call a meet
ing of the Board of Commissioners Of
Ohio county, and the County Court Of
Marshall, with a view to bringing about
a conference between these two bodies
concerning the matter. Members of
both bodies will be invited to attend
the meeting of the Chamber OF Com
merce.
Inasmuch as the laboring classes are
vitality interested in the subject, it is
mere than likely that the Trades As
sembly will take some action in the
matter at its regular meeting TO be held
this afternoon. The contemplated ad-
ditions to the plant would furnish en-
ployment te several thousand men. It
is the biggest enterprise in which
Wheeling has ever been interested.