The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-07-26
COMMUNITY OF WHEELING

COMMUNITY OF WHEELING
The recent publication OF a syndi-
Gated census article exploiting the cal
cufsted population OF towns and cit
les In this state. on the percentage OF
growth basis. has drawn forth pro
tests from those localities whose tab
.uiation standing IL not In accord with
Its more dependable home figures.
which shows that figures can be made
10 lie. Fairmont. according to both
the Times aud West Virginian. seems
10 the the greatest sufferer from this
personally conducted government
guessing contest These two papers
Indignantly lift the coal metropolis
out OF a classification with Clarksburg.
Morgantown and Moundsviile TO the
proud position OF nfth city. thereby
placing her within hailing distance
OF Parkersburg by the more direct
notation Of actual counting instead Of
the applied percentage system en-
ployed by the government. and the
taking In Of several additions stree
AhF inst tfuHut Ndh Nahtus
The West virginian. at the same
time. points out that Clarksburg.
Charleston and others suffer through
the non-consolidation Of suburbs in
the accounting OF the communIty's
rank In population. And this explains
Why Wheeling does not show her real
: primacy as the metropolis OF the
State. of which she IL seemingly
robbed by the census figures which
give Huntington . slight lead over u.s.
Huntington may be satisfied with such
a meretricious position. but Wheeling
knows better. II is the community
that counts and not the population
within corporate lines. BY virtue OF
its community Importance Wheeling
Is and always will be the metropolis
OF West Virginia. and any intelligent
person who has looked into the facts
will not dispute this contention. The
corporate limits OF Wheeling have
long been congested and the natural
growth has spread TO Incorporated
b towns surrounding her. and separated
from her only by imaginary lines.
This refers TO the continuous stretch
OF population on the south compris-
ing the towns OF Benwood. McMechen,
Glendale and Moundsyille: on the
north from Warwobd to wellsburg.
and on the cast that marvellous
stretch Of growth from Fulton to Elm
Grove. This population all belongs
To the community computation. az
does the vast development that has
eone on on the Ohio side OF the river.
These combined populations give the
= community OF Wheeling a numerical
strength Of over $4,000 souls. which
makes the actual census count mere
~ relative.
What Is meant by the community
e, designation H. illustrated in the first
y city Of the world. London. The cor
poration Of London Is restricted TO a
- little more than one million. yet the
metropolitan district includes a multi.
= tude Of nearly seven million persons.
Municipal boundary lines contract
Mheelings importance only in the
sense Of figures. but the community OF
Wheeling lifts It's head in unap-
r. preached and unapproachable prima.
- cy among her sister cities Of the
State. She IL also far and away the
p real metropolis of the State In vari
Gus other distinctions. In her great
p wealth. her financial and industrial
pre-emlnence and her bank cIearings
This community % healthy. perma.
nent expansion IL going on TO an ever.
Increasing growth. % is knit together
= by identical social. business and other
u Interests. the whole connected with
electric railway and steam rail lines
- u is the most prosperous. the wealth
isst tho most progressive ane tho
- most increasingly populous commpni
~ IN tho ohio valley between prts
burgh and Cincinnati
The lntciligencer has no quarrel
- With Huntington over tho great strides
u she has made In tho past decade n
4 conceais no jealousy In main'aininr
for Wheeling her community pro er1i
= ncncc. ~ rcioices over Huntington,
advancement and that 81 every othrr