Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-07-17

hollow to within 46 feet and at Tray run So feet of the
grade and the track for the present carried them
by substantial frame of timber securely footed upon the
walls and boted and braced in every way conducive to
strength and safety They have been tested nov by hve
months constant with the heaviest engines and trains
They however to be replaced BY the time the roadis
opened to Wheeling, by acastron iaduct Of which the
plan WINS exhibited to us and which presents most sub
stantal appearance.
g After passing these two tremendous clefts in the
mountain side the road winds along precpitous slope,
with heavy cutting, filling, and waling to Buokhorn
branch wide and deep cove on the western flank OF the
mountain. This is crossed by solid embankment re-
tanning wall 80 feet high its most elevated point Some
half mile further after heavy cuts and s the road
length leaves the decvity Of the river which, where
it for the last time lays 500 feet below us, and
turns westward through low gap which admits it, by
moderate cutting, followed soon, however by deep and
long through Cassdys summit ridge to the table land
OF the country bordering Cheat river on the west Here
at 80 miles from Cumberland enter the great western
coal field having passed Of the Cumberland field at
80 miles from that place The intermediate space, al
though without COAL win be readily supplied from the
adjacent fields"
Descending from these heights, as we cannot always
keep in the cloudsfor, literally passed by saw
the clouds gliding azy up the sides of these mountains
if stayed in their upward drift by attraction Of the
green tree tops-we pass by high embankment the
bushy fork of Pringes rum and to the mouth
of the longest finished tunnel this any other road in
the Western world. This is the Kngwood tunnel distant
eighty-three miles from Cumberland 1t is perfectly
straight and 100 feet long l40 feet than three
quarters OF mile The opening at end seen through
the tunnel from the other looks very small indeed sug
costing the idea of being insufficient to admit train of
cars and yet it is scarcely less than twenty feet high
We shall let the Engineers tell their story and give their
figures in reference to it,
This tunnel was worked from the two ends and from
three shafts Is and 20 feet square, and $50 feet deep
The greatest height of the ridge the tunnel 20
feet. The time employed on the work was about two
years and eight months and the number Of cubic yards
removed from the tunnel about OOO together with
about 10000 yards Of earth and rock outside of the
tunnel making some 200 900 yards in all. The tunnel
has been named from Kngwood the county seat of Pres
ton county, Virginia. which stands few miles off the
ridge The tunnel not having been finished in time
permit the transportation Of the iron rails through it,
track was laid the top of the Hill at grade Of 528
feet per mile which the materials taken by To-
connective engine which propelled single at time
weighing with its load ID TONS speed Of 10 miles per
hour and upwards When the track rendered slippery
however, by moisture the engine and its load occasionally
slid backwards and than in this way, with
locked wheels nearly half mile down to the bottom Of
the grade, without damage however This we believe,
is the most extraordinary feat of locomotive steam power
record"
In particular the train did pass through the
unnel for the night previous owing possibly to change
the slay shaly earth through which portion of the
tunnel passes he rest being imestone fell from the roof
on the floor and track and indeed still falling.
We thus compelled to take the train, pecemea up
the hillside track above described to the wonder and
constituent Of every one who had witnessed such
feat before That locomotive and should dash up
steep decvty of 528 feet rise to the MILE foot in
cn much be believed without seeing but there
the most unbelieving could and did The truth is,
that the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad there seems to
be nothing conceivaby possible that is not attempted with
success thanks to the united science sagacy and bold
ness of LATRoBE & WNANs.*
The track over the hill is about mile and quarter
long and the consumption of time required pass
ing the train it that late arrivals at Fairmont
on Tuesday, and at Cumberland the next night were
ascribabe.
From the Kingwood tunnel we descend along mountain
and hill Sides deep embankments and through
another tunnel Murray which overays vein of bitumi
| nous coal six feet thick.
We pursue the valleys of Raccoon and Three Forks
Creeks to the mouth Of the latter in Tygar Valley river
where the road will fork sending of branch to Parkers
burg the other Wheeling This point is called the
ParkersbArg junction. and is 102 miles from Cumberland
The land here is much of it good, and gradually i'm
proving go west Two miles further on is the vii
age Of Feterman for which great hopes entertained
SIX miles beyond fetterman are the NaHey river rals
and twelve beyond these is the junction Of the West
Fork and the Valley river the united stream taking
the Of the Monongahea, and passing amongst
of the sweetest and pretes scenery and best cultivated
lands any where to be found The railroad the
Monongahea on vaduct Of $50 feet in length, at about
a mile east of Fairmont.
We arrived at Fairmont, ia miles from Cumberland at
about 10 o'clock in the evening amidst Of ct
shouting and joyous. We conducted to
covered area where boards burdened sumptuous col
ation were soon spread for rereshmen and amply
attended to- Succeeding this, and in reply to compli
mentary toast THOMAS SWAMI Esq, the energetic, intel
gent and accomplished President of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company, enlightened and entertained his
hearers with capital speech for which the reader is
red to the Baltimore papers of Friday last which were
favored with written copy Of it for publication.
Suffice say, for purpose that IL places the com
pany and the city Of Baltimore in most noble and
yb position before the world for whatever is honorable
in intelligent enterprise most perseverngy and calamity
sustained We listened to Mr. SwASSs eloquent remarks
with unmngled satisfaction.
Other gentlemen of Baltimore officers Of the road and
citizens addressed the meeting with much junction. and to the
great enhancement Of the pleasure Of the occasion These
Messrs Browse Brooks, Engineer LArRoBE, ofwhom
see and know much without acknowledging his