Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1846-10-20
TWENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTORS
TO The STOCKHOLDERS OF THE
BALTIMORE x OHIO RAILROAD COM
ePANY.
BALrlAoRE. oc,obrr M
IcoSoLtDEb
Hon. Louis McLane, PrcSldsAf
BdiiiulOre and Oaio Raiiroaf ComDaa

BALriNoRE, 0ctObsr eth, 1916.
Hon. Louis MoLanc, PreSldsAt
BdiiiHtore aHd Ohio Raiiroaa Compaay:
Dear Sir.--ln compliance With your n,quest.
4 haSe lbe honor la submit a geneIsl state.
meat Oi the operations uI the Baltimore aud
OHIO rail rad dutiug the past year.
By reference to the reports OF the Supcrin-
tendents vi transportation and machinery, il
will be seen that there have been transported
10 and from the several points on the main
stem, l03,9l6 tons OF merchandise. and 2SO,-
26iA passengers. showing the very remarka-
bic Increase in the former Of 20 500 tons, aud
the latter Of a, SOC passeugcrs over the year
previous. This increase ia tonuags, IL will
be observed, has occurred. upon the most part
ln ,he transportation of miscellaneous trade
aud Is the more gratifying because ii gives evi-
dence OF the importance attached 10 dis route
as an avenue oil Communication with the
west, even IA It's present unfinished condition;
aud connecting, as II does. with a most inn
perfect mode OF transportation between Cum.
bcrland and the Ohio river.
The increase above alluded 60 occurred
chiefly between the months of SepteInbeT aud
May last. The great drought OF the summer
ot 1915, having rendered the PENNSYLVANIA
canals very inefficient during the last autumn.
and the violent effects of tie breaking up of
the last winter causing them to be almost Gu
tireIy Useless until late period OF the spring.
Tins large amount ol trade thrown thus
suddenly uPon the mad, although extremely
gratifying IN many respects. produced consid-
cradle embsrras stneut ou account oi The mad
equacyvt the motive power anl cars for it's
accommodation. To such IN extent, indeed,
at one period, did this embarrassment exist,
MAT Tor short lime II Was lound utterly in
dispeisable to rciuse tv receive 40, rcbandizc
ior transportation the depot being crowded
TO Its Toll capacity. and the iorw arding housrs
at Cumberland being unable io procure wag
ons an sufficient numbers lor ils prompt des-
patch.
II will he readily perceived tina, in the ei
Tort To accommodate such trade, both the
locomotives ant cars were pushed to their
utmost capacity, and. indeed. beyond what
would, under other circumstances, have been
considered consistent with proper economy
IA regard to- repairs. Ii not mlrequenily
happened that the engines. after performing
their duty during HE day. had necessarily to
be repaired after night, in order that they
might be ready for use tho next morning.
system altogether too expensive, and too iln-
perfect TO b. allowed, excerpt under such cir
cumsidnces a. then existed. But, under this
state ut ah1irs, " became the duty ut the
boerd 10 eudeavor To procure, at as early
day as possible, AN increase OF power aud cars:
and. they accordingly directed the committee
on transportation and machinery. by resoin.
lions OF the 81 D,rember, 1913. March / 1.
1916, April s. 1916, aud June 10, 1916. 10
procure six locomotives ol tue largest class 4
and three OF the second al sss ali also to cause
To be constructed IN the company's shops,
one locomotive OF the largest class. and one
Of the II class; 80 iron coal cars, 20 house
cars. IL gondola cars, and 20 stock cans.
The board, under a report aud resolution OF
The committee oi transportation aud machin-
cry, on the Slh July last, lIa We further author
Ized, ia view of the probable increase OF the |
trade during the year lSi7. contracts to b.
made Tor five iirst class engines, and 30 mer- |
rliandize cars. This last authority has moi |
up to the present moment, been acted upon,
except III regard 10 the merchandise cars,
Which are now ia course OF coustruction-l
Whether The incfease in tie coal trade will
b. such will yeudet the Eve locomotives
above referred TO, necessary, remains Ia be as-
certained, and may depeud upon the course
the company may take IN Tegsrd TO that sub
ject. Only three OF the engines, above re-
i.rred To, have been delivered. One Of the
engines ordered TO be built la the company =
shops, Is ia state OF Iorwan lness, and those
contracted for, will be delivered ia the course
OF this year. Nearly all the cars ordered have
been completed, aud are in use upon the road.
THIS large increase OF machinery aud cars rem
dered further accommodations for their protec-
ton at Mount Glaze snd Cumberland indis.
pensable; aud, under the recommendation of
the engineer ot machinery and repairs. the
board authorized the extension and erection
oi the buildings aud Other improvements at
these points, under resolutions of the llth
March, and 18th May last. These ciTcum.
stances IT Is believed, will sufficiently explain
the increase during the year. of expenditure
In the repairs OF locomotives, thc cost of me W
machinery, oud OF expenditures upon depois
aud water stations.
The quantity ol cOal brought TO market o vel
I the road during the year, amounts TO lS, 399
tons, being 1913 Ions more than that ol last
year. II must be observed, however, that OF
this quantity, 1869 tons have been trans.
/ ported siace May last, that being about the
/ period when several VI the coal companies in
I Allegheny county commenced their opera
j tons. The contract with tie New York and
Maryland Iron and Coal Company, to which
reiercuce has been he'd in former reports, hay-
j ing been abrogated, aud that company having
devoted itsCapilsl aud energies TO the manu-.
iacture vi iron, the quantity of csal received
from them during the year has been very in.
considerable.
/ The augmentation of the imdc, and the
occurrence OF accidents almost daily, which
/ involved SERIOUS derungncni OF the machinery,
dnd IN sumo instances the loss of Iile 10 per.
/ sons engaged upon the trains, necessarily lad
the ciiectUi calling the attention of the boarl
To the condition OF the road, agsd accordingly
ON the StlI of OclObcr, 1918, a resolution
was adopted directing the chief engineer Ia
take intO consideration and 20 report 10 ths
bard, system loT tle gradual extension ant
improvement OF the road iIvm Harpcrs Fer
y towards Baltimore.
Il Upon this resolution the chicfengineer mod,
an elaborate fcpoft in winchit was satisfac
tonly shown that tie condition OF the road
was such a. To require its reconstruction. -
The complnlive merits OF the plate rail and
the edge rail, in point OF repairs and fcnewal
oi machinery, aud expenses upon tl,c motiy,
power, arc very fully discussed and the at
yangtages ore shown 10 BE- most decidedly IL