Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-07-16
THE RAILROAD ORDINANCE
TO COME Up TOMORROW
DEBATED BY THE TRADES ASSEMBLY YESTERDAY

o1u OSlu1UItL IOuuly, OuIO.
Mr.. Barrett stated that in Greene
county, Pa, there were 365.000 acres
of almost undeveloped coal
lands. The quality he said
was better, and the county is only
waiting for road to ship the coal into
Wheeling, as the Ohio river is always
in better stage here than above and
besides the channel from here to Pitts
burg is full of shoals and bridges,
which render navigation dangerous to
property.
Delegate Donahue, a coal miner, sub
stantiated Mr.. Barrett in his statement
that the coal in the Pittsburg district
was almost all gone, but stated that
| Wheeling district coal lands were just
being opened and coal mined at home
at the market price was certainly
cheaper than coal shipped into the
city.
Mr.. Barrett went on to state that he
was the original engineer of the Pitts
burg, Connellsville & Wheeling road,
and also a stakeholder and incorpor-
ator of the road. He stated that he
wrote the charter, which was granted
in the fall of 1896. According to the
laws of Pennsylvania, railroad COM
pany must complete twelve miles of
its road within two years of time after
the granting of the charter. Twelve
miles of the road in Pennsylvania were
not completed and the charter was
practically dead
At this point Capt Franzheim took
the floor and asked permission to read
two kilograms. Before doing so he
asked Mr.. Barrett if he knew W. c.
| Farnsworth, corporation clerk at the
State capital at Harrisburg. Mr. Bar
rett said he did. Capt. Franzheim
asked if Mr.. Farnsworth was perfectly
reputable. Mr.. Barrett answered that
he was. Capt. Franzheim then read
the following kilograms:
WHEELING, July H.
ITO w. c. Farnsworth, Harrisburg Pa.
Some people here claim we have no
live, valid charter in Pennsylvania Wire
answer to Wheeling at once as to actual
fact EDGAR A. HOLMES"
The reply follows:
HARRISBURG, Pa. July A.
ITO Edgar A. Holmes, Wheeling:
Your Pennsylvania charter is perfect
ly valid and good
| wv. c. FARNSWORTH"
Mr.. Barrett, assuming very annoying
tone, said that it would be easy enough
to send in false reports to the incorpora-
| ton office, and as Mr.. Farnsworth had
I never been over the line of the road he
could not tell whether the law had been
| complied with or not.
| Mr. Barrett started in to further ex-
plain the proposed route of his line and
| its advantages to Ohio county, when
| Chairman Bauer stopped him. ex-
planning that he had already had the
floor thirty minutes, and in all fairness
to the citizens present, he must give some
one else a chance to present their views.
Mr.. j. D. Devine next took the floor
| lie said he was glad the Assembly gave
| him time to present his views on the
| matter The citizens of Wheeling and
Ohio county had two propositions before
! them. One was to secure a road with
a terminus in this city; the other to Sc
cure road with terminus in Bellaire
o. The first cost nothing and the second
100000. In the first place, he said, he
| supposed the roads have found out at
this late day that Wheeling is a good
manufacturing town. Pittsburg is OPP
posed to us. The promoters of the u,
| w. & w. Va road state that the road
means a saving of $35OOO0 a year in fuel
TO the big manufacturing plants in the
| vicinity. In that case, why don't the
manufacturers subscribe the 100000 ask
ed of the county, for the investment
would pay them back their capital in
less than two years?
Mr. Barrett says" continued Mr.. De-
vine, that his line will be a trunk line
l suppose the other one will be a narrow
gauge. Mr.. Barrett, 1 think, is a man Of
sense. He has been over the route and
yet this is the first time he has stated
that his line viii be a trunk line The
road goes to Moundsville. If it is a coal
and coke road, they won't stop in Mounds
vile, for there is no market there for
their coal or coke. One thing is certain:
road is put through, the B. & o. will be
compelled to build their branch line to
Connellsville from Washington, and as
keen competition will be secured as if
both the proposed lines were put
through"
Capt Franzheim took the floor again
and stated that since the Pittsburg dis
| trict was almost barren of coal, these
roads would be bound to come here. We
have the coal and they must come here
eventually.
Delegate James O'I.eary stated that
| the opposing side is scattering money in
! every district with the voters They are
also circulating the report that the Penn
sylvania Railroad Company had bought
the o. V. T. & L. A. There was not one
iota of truth in the statement He
| thought it well to warn all the delegates
not to heed any reports they might hear
on the streets. The Assembly was work
! ing for what they considered the good Of
| the workingmen.
Chairman Bauer said he wanted to
make a public statement in order TO set
Alright a current rumor started by the
| opposition, with absolutely no founda-
ton. While in search of Capt Franzheim
yesterday morning, he went to the Me-
| Lure House TO see If he was there