Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-08-09
THE RAILROAD WEST OF CUMBERLAND.

fkoA Thk BALTIMORE AMEHIcAH. 44a 441t
Every step that y made BY The Bslrmore sad Ohio Rail-
road in lie progress towards the West cannot but be matter
Of interest TO this community II our great work-ihe
great work Of Baltimore and Of Maryland We look forward
its completion q to contamination that shall put crown
ing seal upon the prosperity Of city, and place beyond
all contingencies the future fortunes Of Baltimore Through
many trials through many vcsstudss Of delay and vexaton
the work has gone on, slowly yet steadily earning for itself
il went the good wishes Of ALL and vndsang for itself at
every step its just and proper claim public confederation
II has now PenstIaed into the goges Of the Aleghanes the
whisng Of the locomotive has been heard those silent
heretofore uDdsubed BY such novel sounds Soon
it will reach the shores Of the Ohio and then to meet it, as
habinger Of commercial fnteny and intercourse other
roads from the great bosom Of the West win come to join with
and we shall have an unbroken line Of communication to
Baltimore with that internal region beyond the
mountain which will find here s natural outlet to the Allan
tic seaboard The following description Of the route Of the
road beyond Cumberland is taken from the Patriot:
Departing in northery direction from the Cumberland
line soon curves the westward crossing several streets and
lots with their accompanying buldnss and afterwards Wills
creek, upon vaduc Of fourteen elHpcsl arches Of brick
resting piers and sbuens Of stone The total length Of
the bridge about seO feet part Of which upon curved
ne The elevation Of the road above the street is eighteen
and above the creek twenty feet The vaduct though
plain In its nish has ne effect when seen from proper
point Of view. Il s built with view NOT only to strength
and durability, but alec 70 s stuaon in the midst Of nume-
houses subjecsng to destruction BY FIRE If constructed
Of combusbe materials Al The east end Of the bridge the
track is Joined by tho Mount Savage Railroad and at the
west end crossed BY the Eckhs Railroad on s way to
the Canal Basin The bridge being crossed heavy cut Of
upwards Of forty feet ia depth carries the road through Aca
denny Hill after which pssses under BY bridges
and two or three more upon it, level and reaches
the bank Of the Potomac river at the Rose Hill Cliff
where it makes its exit from the town and commences the
ascent Of the river valley. ftt .ts aaf@
rst water station at the celebrated Buck Lodge Spring. from
which thought one time Of supplying the town with
water when M population considerably less than at pre-
SENT The road for couple Of miles over fat
and difficulty, after passing which shoots in a straight line
the fine bottom lands Of the Bank Farm to Bndys
Mills opposite the small village Of Cresaptown six miles
from Cumberland and where Wills Mountain ends and
Dams opens to vew Soon as, long, high, and precp
ous slate bluff encountered of which the road cut
with bold excavation and embankmen part Of the latter lying
into the river quarry of Stone Of singular deep pur-
pie hue here and has been used in building ached
bridge Of twenty feet span to pass roadway and small
the same tme Beyond these bluffs the line emeges upon
the sSugar Bottom" opposite 70 which are some lofty and
picturesque prepces upon the side Of the Knoby Mountain.
The read sweeps around the base OF the bill bounding this
bottom, and Immediately meets formidable line Of limestone
Cliffs the strata standing vertically upon their edges and pre-
ccareous formation Of considerable are said to
exist The cliff being left behind, stretch Of bottom land
Of four miles in length rapidly coused BY long
straight lines and gentle curvatures.
Near the upper end il tho second water station, supplied
by 6ne stream flowing from the flank of Dams Mountain on
the west AT this point thirteen miles from Cumber-
land and another mile reach the northern end of Fort
H insulated mountain Of about four miles long, call
ed either from its regular noundke aspect from Its con-
nexioa with legends Of Indian warfare rugged and lofty
hapau bvd
side cutting, and the line leaving this sweeps first to the left
and then to the right around bottom bounded by
Fort Hill on side and the other by the river which
for half mile At the foot Of Of the remarkable
mural pecpces be found in the country This bessifu
cliff rises gradually from tho river nagin on The Virginia
Shore until il Is lot in the steep Of the high ridge Of
which it forms the northern termination
Another Limestone bluff is presently encountered by the
railroad, which, 70 avoid cutting too deeply in il, is laid in
embankment across Of the river leaving exposed to
view the cavernous rocks under which the river ran with
fierce before s channel thus forced away. AZ
leaving this difficult pass the route for the two miles
skirts the famous Black Oak Bottom, bounded by Fort Hill
the west and the river running the foot Of another high
hill on the This celebrated track of FIVE hundred
acres of fertile and svel auva soil was until the roilroad
gave outlet shut in by mountains that it
sbe only by road leading over the top Of Fort Hill at
slight depression In the latter.
These flats end in another steep slope called sCedar
C short dstsnce beyond which the sharp ledge Of rocks
called the Chimney Hole projecting boldly into the river
is slightly cut into by the railroad, which Immediately
the stream island where again the
main land The main channel thus cut of and the river
diverted into subordinate one, wdened for the purpose
The old channel now closed but which still receives several
mountain streams, Is drained through tunnel cut through
the Chimney Hole rock thus answering the purpose oa
BRIDGE and at less cost This remarkable rock forms the
southern termination Of Fort Hill and s eighteen miles from
Cumberland Opposite in Virginia, il peak called "Larges
rock of great height For the next two miles the route
passes fat ground although touching the point Of sharp
rocky spur at the end Of the first mile. The line in the
ceeding mile slate ridge with cut of nearly seventy
feet in depth, and after emerging from it. reaches the vaduct
BY which It crosses the Potomac river twentyone miles from
Cumberland Up to this point the Maryland shore has been
pursued and here the route passes that of Virginia
bridge Of two spans Of l56 feet each, consisting Of timber
and iron suspension chains the whole resting
lbutmens and pier. The bridge is Of great strength and
Stiffness and has light and graceful appearance when vew
ID from the side. The upper tmbe repose stone pillars
the abuments and over the pier and form, with the
aice at the ends simple effective finish in the Egyptian
ye. The bridge is after the design Of Mr. Latrobe, the
Chief Engneer, and Is most substantial and beautiful
structure. i,t 3
Without following the narrative further In its local de-
crptions we come to point upon which we free to
confess were not without msgving we alude to the high
rades to be overcome in the western portion Of the route
0ne hundred and sixteen feet to the mile This well
calculated to ssgger the unnitiated will be seem how
,ve that Mr. WrsASs makes small work Of il. The fa-
y Of obtaining coal the spot where these high grades
,revai so that any required quantity Of fuel may be
handed If there should be any need Of extra power gives
mpe guaranty Of the ease with which the heaviest trains
nay be conducted over this road We quote the following
an accurate and scientific account Of the passage the