The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-04-04
FARMERS NOT FARMERS"

A Railroad Meeting at Viola in
Which Two Promoters Appear to
Rave Been Handled without
Cloves.
To the Editor OF the Intelllgencer.
SRA railroad meeting was held at
Viola last Friday night and a very
large crowd was present, also two Yls-
itors from Moundsyille. Joseph Nc
Combs and E. a. Holmes. Mr.. Holmes
was at the meeting to represent the
Pittsburgh. CoRnellsvIIle & Wheeling
Railroad Company.
The meeting was called to order at
1880 O'Clock, with Mr., 8. F. Thatcher as
chairman and A. N. Doherty secretary.
The chairman made the opening adj
dress, which. was quite lengthy and
very pointed. He said. In substance.
that the citizens were tired Of being
fooled by company OF faklrs; what
they wanted was a company that
meant business and one that has the
capital to build 4 railroad. No names
were mentioned, but from the cheer
ing OF the audience It appeared that
they had an idea who he was aiming
at.
Mr.. Joseph McCombs was then called
on to make an address, but would not
respond. He was then asked " he had
come to the meeting to represent the
Pittsburgh, Connellsvllle & Wheeling
Railroad Company. He said that he
did not know that he had come 10 rep
resent any company.
Mr.. Edgar A. Holmes was then called
on to make statement. He was asked
numerous questions. such as when was
he going to commence building his rail-
road. where and when. He said that
he did not have TO make a statement
and that It was nobody's business when
or where he would build the road. Mr..
Thatcher then asked him more ques-
lions and Mr.. Holmes became furiouS
He said that certain persons were per-
sonai and reflected upon hts character
and that Mr.. A. p. F'unks character
was as good as Mr.. Thateher's, and
that he was there to back 1t up. He
was assured by the citizens that they
were not referring to anybody's char
acter; that they were not looking for
characters; 1t was a new railroad they
were looking for.
After this MIR, Holmes cooled down
little and condeseended to answer few
questions and make statement. He
told the farmers how TO make fortune
raising onions and small fruit. Mr..
Holmes then said there would be a rail-
road constructed down this valley. but
he could not say which company would
build the road. the Pittsburgh, Con-
nellsville & Wheeling or the Uniontown,
waynesburg & West Virginia Railway
Company. Later on he stated that he
or the company he represented. would
have the road completed In two years.
Mr. Holmes was then asked In regard
to Mr.. Alexander P. Funk's financial
standing. In replyAhe said that Mr..
Funk had twice been a millionaire and
had spent 1t. He was then asked where
Mr.. Funk's residence was, From the
answer Mr.. Holmes gave It left the i'm
preston on the people here that Mr..
Funk was something like the Wander
Ing Jew. He said letter addressed to
Alexander P. Funk. 2iO1 Empire build
ing, Broadway. New York, would reach
him. He also said that Mr. Alexander
P. Funk drilled the first flowing oil well
in the United States.
Montgomery's History says that Col
onel Drake drilled the first successful
oil well in the year 1853. near OIL City,
on Titus creek, Pa,
Addresses were made by the following
persons: Joseph Sutton, Squire Taylor.
John Dague. VIM. L. Dague, Ross Rl-
ser, &. II. Faubel and JAMES A. Dague.
Mr.. Thatcher said in his closing re-
marks that he thought the proper thing
for the two railroads TO do would be
to combine and build both railroads to-
gether. He thought 1t could be done
with much less expense.
The meeting closed at late hour and
everybody said that II was great sue
cess. One thing the writer wishes to
say Is that he thinks that the people OF
Viola have more civIllty about them
than to smoke cigars in public meet
ing
The object OF the meeting was to get
the report from the investigating COM
mittee which was appointed at the rail-
road meeting held here on March goth.
The committee consisted Of Joseph SUIT
ton, Joseph Wilson and John Hazlett,
and was appointed to investigate the
financial standing OF the lutte Com
pany, promoters Of the Uniontown.
waynesburg & West Virginia Railway
Company. That committee reported
that the financial standing Of the lutte
Company was good. A. NJ d;
Viola, Marshall county W. Va,
March 81.
TIE nARNEnIE COMPANY.