Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-05-23
THE OPENING OF THE MARYLAND MINING
COMPANIES RAILROAD.

4
COMPANIES RAILROAD.
Wednesday Of the few days in the history Of
place which deserve TO be particularly mentioned Ii in
deed proud day for CumBERLAsD, and confident in
the belief that the Of the day the opening Of the railroad
will DO long the Of joy and graduation citizens
At a quarter before o'clock the President HoRATIo
ALLEN, Esq, Of New York, the engineer Col M. o. DA
yrDsos, the contractors who did the work. Of the
stockholders and directors of the company with of
gentlemen who attended by invitations in all about fifty, left
the Cumberland depot for the mines. The which they
took passage drawn by the engine j. Quincy adams,
which, although is old and has much SERVICE still has
like him whose name bears, abundance Of steam
After several times stopping the way to examine the work
which passed, brought up destination,
safe and in good Spirits about twelve o'clock
The road is, in Judgment and in this we speak the
opinion Of gentlemen Of great practical experience well built
and admirably adapted the purpose for which is intended
the transportation of coal II is strong all its parts and bids
fair to be durable The track is laid with the rail- weigh
ing thirty eight pounds the yard, which said to be Of
the very USE The construction Of this work was
small undertaking. For the length Of it Git is nine miles
and halD is Of the heaviest works have
amincd Its route is directly through the Narrows," all
the wsy ia view Of the National road and through country
Astounding the tbewtchng hcomnes whatever
praises bestowed the wild scenery above Hape
Ferry, do not think il comparable to this Your true
worshpper of Nature might look upon it for days. and still
discover beauties which to feast the unweaed vision
If any doubts let him pass through the Narrows,
and catch, did, long, lingering sight of Wills
mountains with its tall Cliffs hoary and weather yet
and majestic The very rocks eloquent Of Omnpo
encc and, in the pride of conscious power they
mock imagery the ruined and antquatcd castles of
other days
ssWhose rocky SUBMITS, split and rent,
Formd turrct, dome, and battlement."
About miles from Cumberland Wills creek is crossed
by BRIDGE which deserves passing notice. It is two hun
dred long, and has three arches feet span
supported by piers and abutmens The superstuctue
is of brick masonry Its exactly what should call capt.
tai BRIDGE and furnishes the very best evidence Of the skill and
fitness Of the engineer COL Davidson under whose direction
the work has been done. As its strength, the eshet Of
Saturday last which brought the up feet higher
than the spngng line of the arches, has fully and saac
torily tested it. II cost $780, low that would
have supposed impossible had the best authority for
| our statement.
There tunnels which have other walls and arch
ing than the rude rock through which they cut $40
feet and the other 800 feet from point to point There
sxdeep through the hardest rock varying from 20
SO feet EACH besides several heavy embankments The
elevation at the l. ia feet above the grade at Gum
berland and five miles of the road made the
grade of hundred and Mrty.p feet to the mile 1t
commenced the 10th of April, 1885, and, Notwithstanding
these formidable difficulties, which appear almost nsumoun
able the peenced and unskul the ho work. except
the putting down Of three miles of the track ready fol
before winter which of suspended all operations
This spring again thrown back by land Sides the
sequence of frequent and heavy ans would have been
| entirely completed month two earlier.
But pleased with trip the road we found
pleasures in visiting the mines through which, torch in
hand, sped way, examining and admirng went
The grand entrance to these by archway of stone
ry, with gr of Is feet. From this two galleries make
straight passage for distance Of 700 feet track being a
in EACH The track in the upper gallery is for bringing
the loaded cars whilst that in the lower used when he
return empty. Besides these galleries there smale
Ones to be enlarged necessity may require making int
them the bed Of each little elevated than the other
they in succession with view perfect drainage Of the
Mines to which the lower of the main galleries already
mentioned acts the drain and keeps them always dry The
COAL Of which the feet in thickness, of
peror quality, and quite free from slate and sulphur One
miner win, understand get out five day, and with
fifty, (the number the company will have m their employ,
t,oo hundred and fifty tons will be the daily product The
| cost of the road not less than Sl75,000.
We left the mines little after three o'clock in the after
noon, and in Cumberland again in less than fifty
minutes iriEan.