Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1838-04-18
BALTlMoRE AND Quo RAIL ROAD.


ca with this noble and magnificent en-
terprise Induces us to occupy consid.
cradle portion of our columns in laying
before them extracts from the docu-
ments submitted by that Company in
behalf of their application to the LIE.
| gislature Of Virginia.
/ We commence with an extract from
the memorial -
| The Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road
! Company, having recently finished
their surveys from Harper's Ferry to
the Ohio River, have now arrived at
that stage of their operations at which
1t becomes necessary for them 10 make
u decision upon the route which is f..
nally to BE- pursued.
4 The surveys exhibit two principal
| lines of location between Harpers Fer.
~ and Cumberland, to which the at.
tention of the Company has been direc-
ted, and in regard to which an imme.
date determination is 10 be made.
The first OF these lines is laid down
as diyerglng fiom the present finished
portion of the road at two points one
at four, the other at eight miles east of
Ilarper's Ferry, and extending thence
through Boousborough and Hagers-
town, TO Cumberland and lies entire
| ly within the territorial limits OF the
State of Maryland.
The second line is described in the
surveys, as extending from Harper's
Ferry through Jefferson and Berkeley
counties, passing near to the town oil
1Hariinsburg, and thence 10 the margin
OF the Potomac, at the intersection of
the North Mountain, and along that
margin to Il point six miles east oil
| Cumberland, where it crosses the riv-
or into Maryland presenting a cont.
nuous line OF road in the State OF Vir-
gnia Of ninety three miles. The sur
veys west OF Cumberland embrace Sc
yeral routes terminating on the Ohio,
at Piitsbarg and at Wheeling.
The determination of the Company
as to the route between Ilarper's Fer.
! nv and Cumberland derives It's lmpor-
tance, ut the present moment, from the
position which the Company occupies
| in reference TO the Legislation Of the
State Of MARYLAND on the subject. An
act of that Legislature, passed at the
extra session Of 1886, authorises sub
scfip.;on Of three millions oil dollars 10
the capital stock of the Company for
the prosecution of the road from the
ONO to IIarper's Ferry, coupled with
| "a condition that it shall be constructed
through Hagerstown and Boonsbo-
rough in Washington county; failure
to comply with which condition, 1t is
provided, shall reduce the subscription,
in effect, two millions. This subscrp-
ton has already been made by the
State, and It's validity fully approved
by the present Legislature, who have
had it in review. The contingency
has not yet arrived by which The a
mount of the subscription is liable to be
reduced to the two millions involved IN
the alternative above referred TO.
In a view ofihc two routes surveyed
through Virginia and Maryland, be.
tween Harper's Ferry and Cumberland,
there are several prominent advania-
yes belonging 10 the former, which
would offer powerful inducements IN
favor Of It's adoption, i! the Company
were left free TO act upon the consiue'
ration Of mere local facilities. These
grounds OF preference, however, are
not so decisive as to warrant positive
determination to select that route, at
the sacrifice of the million by which
the Maryland subscription IS required
to be reduced; nor to justify the Com
pany in denying to large portion OF
the people of Maryland, who are deep
| Nv interested in the other location, the
| benefit they have been led to believe
they may derive from the road. 10
authorize such a selection, the Compa-
nv feel that they owe it no less to the
MARYLAND public than to themselves,
that it should be fortified by the strong
est inducements of preference in attain.
ing the great objects of the road by the
shortest, most practicable, and most
economical route. The location refer
red to is entitled to be regarded as the
shortest and most practicadfe-but un-
der the circumstances Of the Company
cannot be rendered the most economl-
cal, unless the State of Virginia shall
contribute her aid, by supplying that
norton of the cost to be incurred with
ia her territory, which she has been
accustomed to furnish towards similar
updertaklngs,--as an equivalent for
what may be lost in the event of the
work being constructed out OF the ter
ritory of Maryland--and which proper
lion she has already agreed to contrib
ME 10 the western section OF this road.
| L. :: ...,dor iheSo. circumstances TINT