Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1830-01-26

~ r. OiClICu lOCdLlOn OF the
road, IN reference to its approach to the
city of Baltimore. High embankments.
deep cuttings, magnificent bridges and
viaducts Of solid masonry, faced and or
namented with hammered granite, brought
from great distances, are the occasions Of
cost, which are not usually within the es-
Inmates Of such Improvements, and ex-
clude all comparison between that work
and others which any where else have
been projected. Vets the enterprise still
prosecuted with zeal and confidence Of
success. which admits no distrust. on this
account, Of the attainment of the ulti.
mate object. The considerations of en-.
couragement, which the promised advan-
tages from its use,. have presented, are
strikingly applicable to the circums. ances
of our own State, in relation to an i'm
proved communication, between the CAPT.
tai and the trade of the North River.
On the route of this road the rails have
been laid for nearly two miles from the
city, upon which experiments of the most
satisfactory character have been recently
made in the rapid passage of carriages
moved by horse power. The way is
graded, and prepared to receive the rails
for nearly 25 miles further and great pro-
gress has been made Upon other sections
,of the route. The estimated cost of the
whole work exceeds, more than two fold
that Of all the improvements taken togeth-
er, which have been proposed in Massa-
chusetts. The State is at the same time
engaged in another Railroad from Balti-
more to the River Susquehanna, the first
stone Of which was laid in August last,
and upon which much labour has already
been done. Besides all this. the mighty
project of the Chesapeake and Ohio Ca
nal is in state of vigorous prosecution.
Through the fundamentally of an ap-
plication by the President Of the Board to
his Excellency Gov. Martin Of Maryland
the Directors were put in possession OF
much more minute information, on the
subject Of the publick works, in that State.
Among the documents herewith transmit
ted to the Legislature will be found an
original communication from Colonel
Long of the U. S. Typographical Engi-
neers, employed on the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad, containing precise an
swers to definite inquiries, which were
proposed in relation to the progress ofthat
principal work, and also on the general
subject of this kind Of construction, the
best application OF moving power in its
and the preference to be
given to it, over other modes of convey
ance. This valuable document was ex-
pressly prepared for the instruction of this
Government, and entities the distin guish-
ed officer who promptly and gratuitously
furnished it to grateful acknowledgements.
In the authentick character ofthe informa-
ton which it contains, where we have the
known result of the application of scien-
thick principles to the laws of matter, and
OF practical experience in the operations
of labour, the Directors are spared the
occasion of repeating their own observa-
tions upon the same subjects of inquiry,
which were presented to their attention.
1t will well supply the place of opinions
and suggestions, which less particular in
formation obtained elsewhere, would 9TH
erwise have required them to make, and
must be received as an acceptable substi-
tute for any detail by themselves, in re-
gard to whatever it embraces.
From comparison of the description
which is given of all the works both in
Pennsylvania and Maryland, with the sur
veys which have been had here, it cannot
fail to be seen, that we have few of the
difficulties to overcome, which are found
in those States. The county here, is less
broken into deep and precipitous Unequal
tiles of surface, the elevaticl, ii no where
so great for like distance of way upon
any proposed route for road, the earth
is of kind more easy of removal and
graduation, and materials are both more
abundant and better suited to the con-
struction of the tracks. The courses of
location also, are, in general, more
direct. 1t would seem. too, from the in
formation furnished us, that the work,
even there, may be constructed at rate,
having regard to the character of the
ground, as low as the estimates which
have been made with US. Iron for the
rails has actually been obtained at less
cost. and some contracts for excavating
and removing earth and preparing the
way for the rails, have recently been en-
tered into, at price below the allowance
in the estimates of our own Engineers.
These latter circumstances are particular
ly deserving of note, as fortifying the reli-
ance which may be placed upon the suffi-
cheney of former calculations for similar
works in this Commonwealth.
In the prosecution of the inquiries to
which our attention has been directed
we have been called to receive in aston
the accounts which are given, of
recent experiments in England, upon the
capacity and adoption of steam carriages
as sel-moving power over Railroads.