Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-07-16
H WILL Be RATIFIED.
NENT CITIZENS FAVORABLE TO
THE RAILROAD ORDINANCE
TO BE VOTED UPON TUESDAY.
Recent Happenings Have Caused a
Change of Sentiment Favorable
to the Ratification of the Ordin-
ance-Vieys of Representative
Workingmen, Merchants and Man
ufacturers.

the community. Gentlemen who have
| made careful canvass of the situa-
ton express the opinion that the ordi-
nance will be ratified by a substantial
majority. They have understood how
to guage the sentiment of voters and
have not underestimated the strength
of the elements opposing the subscrip-
ton and incline to the opinion that
the ordinance will secure the necessary
three-ifths vote.
There can be no denying the fact
that recent events have solidified the
sentiment favorable TO the subscription
by Ohio county. Reference is made
to the exposition of the weakness of
the arguments urged against the ordi-
nance, and to the expose of the schemes
of misrepresentation which have been
resorted to. In this issue of the Reg
lister appears. an affidavit which clear
ly disproves one story which has been
industriously circulated by enemies of
the Unionaown, Waynesburg & West
Virginia railroad, and which has re-
fiected upon the integrity of two mem
bers of the Board of County Commits
siOners.
The admissions made by Messrs.
Holmes and Weaver, promoters of the
Pittsburg, Connellsville and Wheeling
railway, to the committee Of citizens
at the Chamber of Commerce Satur-
day night, have thrown considerable
light upon the plans of the rival
road, and have served to strengthen the
conviction in the minds of the citizens
committee that the u, w. & w. Va.
road is badly needed, and that the
county would be justified in subscrib-
ing for 100000 worth of stock, even
upon the violent assumption that the
money would be lost.
Yesterday being Sunday, the railroad
ordinance was fully and freely discuss
ed upon the streets and in places where
men assemble. A group of workingmen
were talking over the subject in front
of the postofice last evening, and one
of their number, an iron mill worker
effectually disproved every argument
against the subscription. AS a result
of this one curbstone debate, TWO
votes for the ordinance were made.
why are workingmen opposed TO
it?'' he asked. "All the heavy taXpay-
ers of the city are for it, and the bur-
den of increased taxation Will fall on
them. Why it can't AFFECT the
Iaboring man who owns his little
home. to the extent of fifty cents a
wear in taxes. If the road puts our
mills on the same basis as PlttsDurg,
and permits them to run when the
Pittsburg mills run, the employees Will
oot that fifty cents back hundred
times in the course of an average year.
GIVE heard the manufacturers talk
about the advantage Pittsburg has over
Wheeling in freight rates on COKE anu
I've read a great deal about II III the
PAPERS. When there is no competnlon
among the railroads the monopoly VIII
squeeze you. That has been proven Dy
forcing the Pennsylvania to lower
rates on hauling coke, and this ne"
road guarantees a rate at least as low
as the Pittsburg manufacturers get
A mill man who won't vote for the
ordinance stands in his own light.
II equivalent to taking bread out OF
the mouths of members of his family.
This is a sensible view from labor
ing mans standpoint, and the Amalga-
NATION mans views quoted above were
endorsed in amplified form by lead
ING manufacturer who was interviewed
by a Register reporter, He endorsed
all that has been said in the press
about the Importance OF cheap freight
rates on coke, and the saving to local
manufacturers.
Isn't it true that when the price of
finished product is down to rock bot
tom the Pittsburg mills can run and
the Wheeling mills are forced to
close?" he was asked.
"Unquestionably," he replied, 'un
less the Wheeling manufacturers want
to operate their plants at loss.
Freight rates on fuel is big item in
the cost of production. If the Pitts
burg mills run to fill orders, without
either profit or loss, it is evident that
Wheeling plants must run at a loss or
close down, because of this advantage
that Pittsburg has over Wheeling"
prominent merchant and public
spirited citizen, in cummings UP the
situation last night said:
IF the voters refuse to ratify the
ordinance tomorrow | will regard it
as lne most severe blow to the city OF
Wheeling in the last twenty years OF
its history. Our mills and our bust
ness houses want it, and everybody will
be benefited by it, Railroads should
be encouraged. They make cities. The
Uniontown, Waynesburg & West Vir-
ginia railroad will be peculiarly ad-
vantageous 20 Wheeling. 1t is almost
a necessity for some of the city's in
&c