Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-07-16
AT AN OPEN SESSION, AT WHICH A
NUMBER OF CITIZENS WE'RE
PRESENT.
ONLY ONE REPRESENTATIVE

UNLY ONE REPRESENTATlV We
OF the Uniont0wn, Waynesburg and
West Virginia Railroad Company,
Which Asks the County of Ohio to
Subscribe Five Hundred Thousand
Dollars in Stock, Present-His Ex-
plantations of a Number of Ques-
tfons Put to Him Were Not All
Satisfactory-FinaII Refuses to
Answer Question Concerning a
Costly Tunnel, an Item Made Use
of to Swell the Estimate of the
Cost of the Line in This County.
Capt. Franzheim Says It's a Steal.
Another open session was held by the
Ohio Valley Trades and Labor Assembly
yesterday afternoon for the purpose of
allowing citizens and members of the
Uniontown, Waynesburg & West Vir-
ginia railroad to express their argu-
ments and views in regard to the pro-
posed bond issue of $500 900 to be sub
scribed in stock to the company A
large number of citizens aside from the
delegates of the trades assembly were
present.
President Bauer, of the Assembly
presided. In his calling for remarks
on the subject he stated that a num-
Der of delegates had requested him to
call an open session in order to sub.
stantiate the stand taken by the AS
sembly against the ordinance. Dur
ing the past week the Assembly dele
gates have tried to do what they could
to defeat the ordinance. He wanted it
understood that they were not against
the railroad, but were opposed to the
granting of such a large subscription
OF the public money to any corporation.
He then called for remarks.
Delegate Frohme stated that he had
reliable information that the railroad
company had $4,000 which they would
distribute throughout the city within
the next twenty -four hours to pull the
ordinance through. The speaker adj
vised that every available vote must
be gotten out to defeat it, and if the
Trades Assembly did not form some
system, with which to get the vote out
the railroad company might possibly
win out.
Capt A. A. Franzheim secured the
floor and stated that he wanted to
show why the railroad ordinance
should be defeated. Addressing him
self to Mr.. Barrett, of Pittsburg, sur
veyor CT the road, and the
only gentleman present connect
ed with the road, or who OBJ
emily edclared himself in favor of the
ordinance, said: What would it cost,
according to your surveys, to build a
road from Wheeling to Majorsville at
the Pennsylvania State line?'
Eight million dollars answered
Mr.. Barrett.
do you know Contractor Furge-
son, of 50 Wall street, New York;"
yes"
Is it reputable frm?'
Il don't know"
Mr.. Franzheim then read the follow
ing:
I'VE, the undersigned firm of contrac-
tors, will give bond to build a railroad
from Wheeling up Wheeling creek to
MaJorsville, ready for rolling stock. for
$500, 90
THE FERGUSON CONTRACTING CO.
'69 Wall street, New York.
u. B. WALKER, Engineer"
Mr.. Franzheim stated that the firm
had also offered him $4,000 if he
would secure the contract for them.
tie went on to state the terms of the
ordinance that the first installment.
$l5O,OOO, was to be paid when $3.50, 900
was expended in Ohio and Marshall
counties, and that the second INSTALL
ment of $150,000 is to be paid when
$45O,000 more is expended, making a
total of $1,2O0,000 Where is the re-
mainder of this steal going?" said Mr.
Franzheim, in conclusion, "for that's
all it is"
MIR. Barrett Explains.
Mr.. Barrett then took the floor. His
explanations were not as clear as they
might have been. The fault lay
in the fact that he was frequent
ly interrupted, but in almost every in
stance he never brought any point to
definite end. He stated that the road
might be constructed for $780, 900. but
that amount wouldn't build good
railroad. 1t would not answer the pur-
pose. He stated that his line would be
trunk line, and not a cheap road.
This is the first mention of a trunk line
since the question has been agitated.
Mr.. Franzheim took the floor and
stated that of the eighteen contractors
who bid on the construction of the
Pittsburg, Connellsville & Wheeling
roads proposed lines from this city to
the Pennsylvania State line, eight of
the bids were less than $780, 600, and
that line is the most direct of the two.
Mr.. Barrett went on to state that he
had made an estimate without any re-
striction. He cited the Waynesburg &
Washington narrow guage as an ex-
ample of a cheap road.