Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-03-05

Stand. National Hotei.
AS TO A NEW TRACTION FRANCHISE.
The Register clips the following
from the Wheeling correspondence OF
: Pittsburg paper:
Although the franchise granted to the
old Citizens Railway Company does not
expire until in September. 1902. the inn
preston is prevalent that a renewal VIII
be asked from the City Council before its
expiration. There is nothing to prevent
this step and it is thought the application
viii be made in the near future by the
Wheeling Traction Company, which is the
consolidation of the Citizens wheeling,
Benwood, Southern and the Ohio side
lines. Concessions in the way of greater
assessments or a fixed annual sum paid
to the city. and probably something rela-
tive to fares, will certainly be asked, a
precedent having been established In the
privileges granted to the Wheeling IL Elm
Grove railway about three years ago, and
the franchise will form the base of con-
tention for no slight period If the de-
mands are considered excessive.
During the Councilmanic middle it was
frequently stated that one of the issues
was tive the Board of Public Works
and the Wheeling Traction Company, and
that control Of the streets had much to do
with the strife. These umors. however,
always emanated from those partial to
the Republican slate. who maintained that
the railway people were seeking to have
a slate partial 20 their interests. as repre-
sented principally by the coming franchise
application. The successful slate nomi-
nees ridicule these assertions, especially
with reference to minor offices which pos
sibly could have no bearing on the matter.
That the Bell telephone influence was al
lied with the railway was also common re-
port, because President ~Schmulbach, of
the Board of Public Works, is president Of
the National Telephone Company. The
recent rush in setting down the new tele-
phone company's poles on the streets is
being remarked as significant, as though
adverse attention was expected from the
new board A large force of men is work
ing with beaver-iike activity in setting the
tall poles in place.
In this connection, also, the Register
wishes to call attention to a brief
communication on this subject headed
''The Plot Thickens," in another col
unn, which asks for the Registers
opinion n this matter.
The Register has reason to believe
that the new Council will not be as
subservient as the old in the matter
of granting valuable and unlimited
privileges for nothing to private cor
porations. We believe that there is in
the community a growing sense of the
value and Importance of the public
franchises which we have heretofore
given away freely to private money
making concerns without any compen-
sation whatever, and that the new
Council will be largely Influenced by
this growing sentiment in passing
,tynn tho opm1ioafinn Of Tho Traofinp
Company for a new franchise. Other
cities demand substantial return for
franchise rights and Wheeling cannot
afford to be behind in so important a
matter, especially since We have estab-
lished a precedent in the case of the
Wheeling and Elm Grove Railway.
These corporations should not only be
subject to taxation, but should pay for
their valuable privileges either in cash,
by paying to the city a percentage on
their receipts, or a sum on their mile
g or in other ways now in vogue
in several progressive communities.
Provision should be made, also, against
the charge of exorbitant fares and the
city should reserve the right at any
time to go into the business herself.
To the latter end it would probably be
best not even to sell its franchises
but to rent them only, leaving the title
of the city intact.
And in this connection, also. care
should be taken that no one company
is given a monopoly Of the streets to
the exclusion of other companies which
may desire to enter this city. There
are now knocking at our doors for adj
mission two railway companies, the
Wellsburg Company and the Wheeling
and Cadiz line. Nothing ought to be
allowed to stand in the way Of the
entrance of these two new lines, which
will open up to merchants a new ter
ritory containing at least ten thous-
and families, who, If opportunity Of
Tered, would do their shopping largely
in Wheeling. The new Council should
provide that these companies, which
would be as valuable to this city as
a new trans-continental trunk line, are
offered every encouragement to enter
Wheeling and that they are not barred
by the grant of any monopoly to those
who have so long enjoyed the exclu-
sive privileges of the city's streets
Council must see to it that fair play
is shown these companies asking to be
allowed to extend their lines to Wheel
ing else those extensions will not be
built. And in doing this no injustice
need be done to any existing corpora
ton.
The defeat OF the River and Har
Dor bill-talked to death in the Sen