Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1825-02-17
Whole No. 1859.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Conol B;u

~ mcn paS>ed the Legislature of this
state within a few days since, is very un-
kindly and ungenerously misrepresen-
ted in the Baltimore papers. They af-
feet to believe that the state has nut IL in
the power of the District OF Columbia
by the charter granted, 10 refuse the pri-
yiiege of making a lateral canal from
the Potomac TO Baltimore. Tue rAer
Is Nor SO. The charter has been drawn
up with most especial care towards this
very privilege, and so far as words can
well be framed to secure a privilege, the
privilege Of Maryland to make a lateral
canal, connected either in the District of
jColumbia or out il, or by a continua-
ton OF the canal through the District in
any direction, that privilege is secured
to this state in the charter granted:
Can the people of Baltimore possibly
be %pursuaded, that after three years
canva.sing, and canyassing this point es-
pecially, that the legislature Of Mary
| land by a vote OF so to 4 in the senate
and by a vote of SIS to lG in the house
Of delegates, would now have been SO
totally inconsiderate ofthe interest of the
state as the construction OF those Balti-
more publications would imply,
There is nothing more certain thar
that the majority of the legislature ne
yer would have parted with a privilege
Of such vital importance-so far from
parting with this right in the charter
granted, it is most expressly and STRICTLY
guarded and reserved to the state. both
in the charter and in the conditions at
tached to its confirmation. BaltinorS
has only TO set about the task OF connec-
ting herself with this high way 10 the
trade Of the west-she will find no inn
pediment in the provisions Of this char
ter. MD. Rep.
From The Federal Gazette.
Iron Rail Rodds.-This is 4 subiece
Of deep interest, and one that, sooner or
later, will engage much Of the public
attention in this country.-We have been
early in our notice Of 1t; indeed we have
beehive believe, the FIRST paper in the u
Mon, to bring the subjectfairly underline
public sye,and we were anxious TO do so
at this period, when Internal Improves
ment, and the makeing Of Canals so pro-
psrly occupy the thoughts Of our feliow-
citizens In almost every Sfate.--The LET
fer we published on Wednesday last.
from an intelligent private source, and
subsequently extracts from the English
papers, afforded much information. re-
lative to Iron Rail Roads, and the follow
inglettef, which we copy from the DEM
ocraticPress ,is worthy a serious pernsal-
Rail Roads vs.. Canals. Being at the
town meeting last Monday week, / heard
the remarks Of Mr.. ~IScERsoLf. IN favor
Of Rail Roads, and the replies Of those
gentlemen who considered them as inn
practicable in this country, for at least
20 or so years to come, on account Of
their great ex~pensiveness. Without en-
tering into any calculations upon the
subject, l. at the time considered the O.
pinioLs OF the latter mentioned gentle
men as correct. But after going home
examined an article from an English
paper upon the subject, and found. with
some surprise, that rail roads were re-
ally in many cases far less ~expensiye
than canals. A rail road can go in q
straight line, or nearly so. A canal
must be %circuitous to avoid inequalities
Of land and to obtain water.
The expense Of rail roads. as estima-
ted in the English paper, is 5000 pounds,
or S35,5a0 per mile. The distance of
a rail road 10 connect the waters of the
Chesapeake and Delaware, would be IS
miles, and the whole expense S6s9. $50. /.
For making the Chesapeake and Della
ware Canal S~i,250,o00 have already
been subscribed, and more will proba-
bis be wanted. The expense Of the
canal will therefore be double that of a.
rail road. Surprising. the rail road were
to cost even $4,000 per mile. still the
expense would be less than that Of the
canal.
Rail roads may be constructed in this
country so as to answer our
at less expense than those which are
made in the travelled parts of England.
make our Canals less perfect and
expensive than the English do theirs;
we may do the same with our rail roads.
Owing to the comparative s~parseness OF
our population, that perfection Of work
which is economy in England would be
extravaganza here.
Ii am not misinformed the canal to
connect the Susquehannah and Allegha-
ny, will not be less expensive in propor-
tion to the distance in q right line, than
hat which is to connectthe Chesapeake
and Delaware.-Rail roads wouldthere-
ka ~k.~-1. H. x---l- - 1T -.