Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-02-16
Tie Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.

more and Ohio Railroad Company and the city of
Wheeling, has been pending before one of the
committees of the House of Delegates. Able
counsel have been employed on either side, and
the parties have manifested very great interest in
the result. The dispute turns upon the construc
ton of the act OF March 9th, lS47, by which the
right Of way was granted TO the Railroad Compa-
ny to construct its railroad through the territory of
Virginia TO Wheeling; and we understand the
question at present before the Legislature to be,
whether it shall interpose to require the Company
to locate the route conformably with anapplication
from that city.
The act Of March 6, l847, requires the road
to be constructed $50 as to pass from point
in the ravine of Buffalo creek, at or near the
mouth of Piles fork to depot to be establish
ed by the said Company, on the northern side
of Wheeling creek in the city of Wheeling"
The line selected is "to be the cheapest upon which
to construct, maintain and work said railroad;''
and the estimates of comparison are to be "made
on like principles and plans, and in like manner,
and upon as great respective amounts of trade
and travel 10000 tons and 100000 persons7 as
were adopted" in report of the Chief Engineer
of the Railroad Company, presented in July 1886
The leading principle of that report was "to reach
the Ohio river by the shortest and best roAe."
Mr.. Latrobe, the distinguished Chief Engineer
of the Company, has decded.upon, and the Com
pany has selected, a route leading from the point
mentioned in the act of March, l847, down the
valley of Fish creek to its mouth, and thence up
no to Nx.,oo
of this, were surveyed, each following the valley
of Grave creek. The most favourable of these is
about eleren miles shorter than the Fish creek
route; but its grades are sleeper, whilst its curves
are less, than those of that route. Wheeling con-
tends that under the requirements of the act, the
Company should be constrained to adopt the Grave
creek route. The object of the Company is evil
IDENTIFY to make depot at the mouth of Fish creek
the great point of connection with the Western
lines of railroad in Ohio, and Wheeling deems her.
self entitled to the advantages of that connection
We have before us very interesting and able
report made by Mr.. Charles Ellet, Civil Engineer
to a committee of the city of Wheeling, sustaining
the rightfuIness of its claim. Without designing
10 enter into the controversy, we may remark tina,
it is difficult to read this report and not concur en-.
tirely in its conclusions. For, we think Mr.. Elet
demonstrates, beyond refutation, that the Grave
creek route is, according to the intention of the
law, the route which the Company should be re-
quired to adopt.
We have referred to this matter, however, ra-
Their for the purpose of educing from Mr.. Elects
pamphlet some valuable facts of general interest,
connected with the operations of railroads, than
with the view Of espousng either side in the pend
ing contest. In the course of his argument he
undertakes to show that, by reason of its being
eleven miles shorter than its competitor, the Grave
Creek route is the "cheapest upon which to con.
sruct, maintain and acork" the railroad and goes
into minute exhibit of the general cost of main.
tanning and working railroads. His data he OBJ
tains from the experience of the Baltimore and
Ohio Company itself, upon that part of its road,
81 miles in length, which lies between Harpers
Ferry and Cumberland, and which, in l84S, had
been in operation six years. He selects 1848 as
affording just test of the practical experience Of
that work.
The expenses of maintaining and working are
classified in the reports of the Baltimore and Ohio
Company as follows
/. Motire POUer-Including the cost of repairing
locomotive engines and tenders fuel OIL and the wages
OF engnemen and hremeu.
II. Car Erpenses-Incuding the cost of repairing
grease for cars and the wages for conductors and
breakmen.
III Road Expenses Including the repairs of rail-
way repairs of BRIDGES repairs Of depots repairs of wa
Ter stations, pumping water and watching bridges.
~. General Erpenses-Includng the pay of agents
and clerks pay of depot labour, miscellaneous charges
salaries office rent legal expenses taxes, insurance,
Excluding from the Sd item, the repairs Of rail
aoay, repairs of bridges and watching bridges, Mr.
Ellet says the cost of each item of service is Sci
forth in the 22d annual report of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company as follows