Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-06-20
GRAFTON'S STATEMENT
Concerning the Baltimore s. Ohio Shops
and the Suggestion Removal to Clarks-

and the Suggestion Removal to Clarks-
burg,
To the Editor of the Register
GRAFTON, w. Va, June 1.-THE
correspondents at Clarksburg, w. Va,
have for. some months been parading
the intelligence to the public that the
B. & o. Co. in the near future would
remove their shops from this city,
where they have been located ever
since the completion of its Grafton &
Parkersburg branch to Clarksburg. The
information the correspondents have in
their possession, on which to base this
assumption, our people are in total ig
norance. They may rely upon the great
influence to which Judge Golf has re-
Gently obtained over the officials of
this road to induce them to reach this
conclusion and to make them believe
that such move would be to advance
the interest of the road and not ad-
vance the value of certain property
owned by certain citizens of Clarks-
burg. Up to the present time our peo-
pie have taken no interest in this mat
ter as they felt secure and were conf
dent that no such movement would
even be contemplated by the company,
dS IL WOuIu IcouiI III the expenditure
of thousands of dollars without any
special benefit financially. Another
fact, and one. too. which is part of
the records of ouh courts. made our
people not only feel, but know that
this talk was moneymaking scheme
of few real estate owners of Clarks-
burg. From the time this state was
admitted into the Union in 1868 until
1877, a period of fourteen years, the
B. q O. paid no taxes TO our county
at that time it was assessed, and all
back taxes, which amounted to $50 900.
in order to avoid the payment of these
taxes a compromise was eected by the
county officials and the railroad COM
pany whereby the company would pay
$4,000 of this tax and in considera-
ton of the county releasing the 100000
agreed that the shops should remain
permanently at Grafton and at no flu
ture period would the number of men
employed be fewer than at that time.
This contract is on record and is
signed by the proper representatives of
both the county and the B. & O. Co
Yet the company has since that time
reduced its force at this place until its
pay rolls to-day are not half the
amount they were at the time this
pledge was made in consideration of
the release of the 10000 Now they
talk of further violation of this
pledge. These statements made through
the press of the state would be refuted,
as it is proving a source of annoyance
and injury to the business interests of
the town and county No one believes
no will of4
late its contracts made in good faith
to the citizens of Grafton twenty-five
years ago. The reduction of its nav
rolls, in violation Of its contract. was
excused on the part of the citizens
here on account of the great depres-
sion in business since that time. but
the removal of the shops will not be
tolerated by the good people Of our
town, and the proper remedies will be
put into execution to prevent it.
The company owns over ten acres of
ground adjacent to the town and con-
veniently located for the charging of
the shops and the extension of the
yard so that track room can be made
with but little extra outlay to the COM
pany. The employees of the company,
for the past ten years. have been So
licied and encouraged TO join the Build
ing and Loan Association of the COM
pany. and hundreds of homes have been
built from year to year, until the loans
to the trainmen, mechanics and shop
hands have reached the sum of $780,
600. This sum is being paid promptly
each month in accordance with con-
tract signed by the company and its
workmen. Should the company re-
move the shops the men who entered
into this contract is unable is meet his
obligations, the company forecloses its
deed Of trust. the borrower loses his
home and all that he has previously
paid on same, and the company under
such forced sales cannot realize half
its loans. Hence its loss from this
source of at least 100000 to the com
pany and the cause of several hundred
laborers losing their homes.
These facts should be sufficient to