Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-03-25


in Connection With the Opposition
to 1t.
BENWOOD, w. Va. March "a, 1900.
To the Editor Of the Register
Sir:-I have been close observer of
the effect OF the proposed change OF
the street railway in the central por-
ton of Benwood, and think / am in a
position TO give expression to the real
sentiment OF this community My resi-
dence is In the part of the town where
1t is claimed the change will do its
greatest damage. I am a TAXPAYER and
am as much interested in the welfare
OF the town OF Benwood as any other
OF its citizens. 1t is unjust to the
wheeling Railway Company, and also
to our citizens, that sentiment against
this change, wrought up by a few in
terested individuals, should go abroad
and be understood as the real senti-
ment of this community. 1t is very
well known In Benwood that five or
SIX persons have originated whatever
Keeling there is against it. and that
there is nothing behind the part these
gentlemen have taken in this matter
but unreasonable selfshness.
Why not view this question from a
hlgner standpoint where the good busi-
ness judgment and sense of this COM
munity can reach conclusion with
out being hampered by direct personal
interest which invariably stands in the
way of just and fair conclusion? Can
any citizen of this community saw that
we have not here two crossings that
are most dangerous? How soon NAV
we not be called upon to witness a
catastrophe that would be appalling to
our citizens? Must we be content with
the thought that because nothing seri-
Gus has happened at these death-traps
up TO this time that such will not hap
pen? Or will we make ourselye he
lleve That the hair-breadth escapes
that some of our people have recently
had at these crossings are the extent
OF the danger that there is there?
Who is there in this community. that
has family, who will say that he is
not very anxious about his wife and
children, not only when he accompan-
les them in riding across these places.
but is especially so when his wife and
children are not accompanied by him !?
How much would each Of us give to
rid ourselves and our families of dan
ger from other causes if it amounted
to as much danger as there is at each
OF these crossings? Will any of us say
that he would not do almost anything
IN his power to get rid of such
thoughts? Would he walk two squares e?
Would he prefer to take care of him
self and family in crossing these dam
gerouS places or put up with the slight
inconvenience of ascending and pass
ing over an overhead crossing design
ed with view to the comfort of people
obliged to use it?
There can be no question that every
reasonable citizen of the central por-
ton of Benwood, who hasn't an axe
to grind, or some selfish motive. would
vote to have these dangerous crossings
removed, no matter if their removal
should cause some inconvenience to
the people. And people cannot be con-
sldered good citizens who set I'D per-
sonal gain against a whole community
IN a matter so serious as this. sThe
greatest good to the greatest number"
has as much application to Benwood
as it has to the whole country. And
the merchant who thinks that the
change will take away from him some
custom that the present system gives
him, and does not couple with this the
great good that must necessarily fol-
low to this community from the
change, is too selfish to have any
weight whatever in this controversy.
If the gentlemen who are engaged in
the saloon business and enjoy some
supposed benefit from the present plan
that will be reduced by the proposed
change, cannot loose sight of this fact.
to think of the great good that will
come to the whole community by the
proposed change, they cannot expect
their views in opposition to the change
to have much weight with this com
munity.
If gentlemen interested in slot ma
chimes cannot think of anything else
in this controversy than that this com
munity must continue to suffer the
anxiety of these dangerous crossings
because a change might cause less
nickels to be dropped in the slot. are
such gentlemen in a position to look
at the question of the change fairly
and squarely? And yet the class of
our citizens to whom / have referred
will not openly say that these selfish
reasons are behind their opposition to
this change, but seek to hid themselves
behind the claim, very thinly yelled.
that they are not considering them
selves, but the great inconvenience to
the people of this community.
Who believes this? / don't. nor do
the great majority of our people. The
section of central Benwood that will
be affected most by this change con-
sists OF block four squares long and
two squares wide. I am reliably in
formed that the committee of Council
in charge of the ordinance will not
only require the railway company to
keep a car in the town that will run
regularly over the tracks as they are
at present, as far south as Eighth
street, and will make the round trip
every seven minutes, but Will also re-
quire that transfers from this car be
given without extra charge to the main
line of the road going north and
south.
In addition, l am informed, that an
overhead crossing will be required at
Sixth street, to be made easy of access
and covered so that persons desiring
to reach the main line, may cross at
this overhead crossing without apy
danger whatever. | am also informed