The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1912-04-18
PALATIAL new HOTEL
WILLARD AT GRAFTON
is FORMALLY OPENED
NAMED IN HONOR'OF
PRESIDENT OF b. & o.
Mr.. Willard Attends Opening Din
ner, Delivering Thoughtful
Address. -
Sass Success of Road and State
Are Closely Liuked-Should
Work in Harmony.

srecial Diepatch to the Intertrereer
GRAFTON, w. Va, april 1.-THE
palatial new Hotel Willard. erected by
Col. John T. McGraw and named In
honor OF President Daniel Willard. OF
the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. was
formally opened tonight The AFFAIR
was brilliant one, attended by many
persons OF prominence not only from
the city and vicinity, but from a dis
tance. During the hours OF the recep-
ton. II was impossible to accommo-
date the many who attended. while the
demand for rooms exceeded the sup
ply. The hotel is handsome through
out. modern in equipment and brought
forth expressions OF admiration frop
all who inspected II.
During the evening Col. McGraw en-,
tersined with banquet IL lasted
until after midnight and among the
prominent peonle In attendance was
President Daniel Willard OF the D. (
o. vice president and General asn
ager A. w. Thompson. second vice.
prssident Randolph and =. y. Blaser.
OF the b. & o. Judge Aston G. Day
ton. OF Philippi, Judge Ira Z. Robin
son. who came up from Charleston.
Hon. Louis Bennett, Hon. Charles
ACACAr oCAA- .. v. NOOQb uuluUeI
OF others. Covers were laid for 135
guests --..
Col. John T. McGraw acted in the
capacity OF host and toastniaster and
addresses were made by President
willard, Mr. Thompson. Mr.. Randolph.
Mr.. Blaser. Judge Dayton and Senator
S. ". Woods. Other local people also
made a number OF remarks. Vim.
| lrAnfa han
the evening.
d. = o. officials returned 10 Daiti-
more vn n sI ecia1 train.
| The principal address was made by
/ President Willard who said:
II is perhaps proper that on such an
occasion as this I should say some
thing concerning the development of
the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. and
the relation which. in my opinion,
should exist between the railroads and
the public. and perhaps more specific
ally between the Baltimore & Ohio
and the people OF West Virginia.
3. & o. Organized.
The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad was
conceived by some OF the leading citI-
zens OF Baltimore, and the project
~ AO0N chaRN ~ - NOnA6fCllf76 C1ll-u
by Mr.. Evan Thomas. a merchant Of
that city. at his residence on the even
ing OF February ~, 1897. Immediately
following the conference a charter
was applied for and Il was granted on
the 24th Of the same month, and the
actual beginning OF the road was ceie.
brated by the laying AZ a stone in Bal
timore by the Hon. Charles Carroll, OF
D |ffnWWnlfNnn he II Til
1873. The Erie Canal. which was On
ished IN 1925. threatened seriously TO
divert from Baltimore much OF the
trade which that city for years car
ried on with the country west of the
Alleghenies. and u was for the pur
pose primarily OF protecting that
trade that the main line Of tho Baltl-
more q Ohio Railroad was built. con
necting Baltimore on the east With
Wheeling on the Ohio river IN the
west Construction was pushed a.
rapidly a. the financial circumstances
Of the company would permit. and the
rails hnaliy reached Grafton early IN
the summer of 1889. and the main line
vas completed through 20 the objec-
tive point on the Ohio river Christmas
eve of the sane year. and the fret
train vas run into Wheeiing on Janu-
ary I. 1883. During the twenty-nvs
Years which elapsed between fhs
time when constructon uas con
menced and the date when the road
vas. hnally completed % the City u
Wheeiina. r sum somewhat in ercesE
~ thirty miliion dollars uas snpendsf
/ FOR properly. conEfrucuon and squip
to-.tin.ss 81 r.stA r.rs1