Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-02-11
$e,6s4,ooO

yet issuod 100000
9o,6e4 900
But it, in addition to this, we allow
$5OO,oOO for contingencies, the total Ii
abilities for interest when the road is com.
pleted and fully equipped, would not
exceed $4,000 per annum, Now, if
this road should produce, when finished,
and brought into contact with the Ohio
river, gross revenue Of 100000,
which would be only $3.50, 900 over the
receipts of the past fiscal year, from the
road between Baltimore and Cumberland,
the city may calculate on realizing a
handsome return from the large invest
ments which she now holds, to say moth
ing, of the powerful influence it will have
upon our general trade and future pros
peri.y.
beg leave to call the attention Of
your honorable body to the Northwest
ern Railroad. This road, as you are
aware. was incorporated by the Legis-
latpre Of Virginia. February 18th, 1851;
the act was to take effect when three
thousand shares of the stock, of fifty dol
lars each were subscribed In accord
ance with this provision, books were
opened in Virginia some time in July
last, when the necessary amount of stock
was taken at Parkersburg and elsewhere,
and on the second of August following,
the company was duly organized by the
accordance with the provision of the
laws of Virginia, and at the Same meet
ing, Benjamin H. Latrobe. Esq, of this
city, was appointed to take charge of
the work. 10 the Kindness of that Off
cor, l am indebted for the information
that surveys have been inss progressa since
the first Of September last, and by the
last Of this month, january, 1852, the
route will have been so far determined.
as to enable Mr., LaLrobe to speak with
some certainty as to the details and cost
OF the Northwestern Road, The SUR
veys, as far as they have progressed,
develope line even more favorable
than the friends Of the road had been in
duced 10 expect,
The ascertained distance of the route
from Three Forks, the point Of diverg.
ence on the line of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad to Parkersburg, by a
route already surveyed, will not exceed
one hundred and fifteen miles, but in the
event OF the adoption of another line
now being examined, it may not exceed
one hundred and ten miles. and the
maximum grade upon either of these lines
it is said will not exceed fftythree feet
The cost OF the whole work will not exceed
$3.oOo,OOO, and that the time required
to complete the whole line will be little
moro than two years. With these facts
before your honorable body, and the ad-
mitted Importance Of this raod to the city
of Baltimore, and to further the prospect
ty OF our great system of internal improve
ment, is now n matter Of meritorious
consideration. The question then very
naturally arises, as to the mode in which
this important measure is to be accom-
plished. In the midst Of heavy tax
under which we are now lsboring, and
the endorsements with which we are
surrounded, it is we'll calculated to give
rise to grave reflection, whether the City
of Baltimore in her corporate capacity
should undertake to do more at this time
than she is already pledged to accomplish
in the prosecution Of the great works in
which she is engaged. l solemnly feel
'AS A@SASuNOuS lupOItduCo VI OuE pOSl-
ton, and as seriously believe, if ever
there was a crisis which called for the ex-
erciSe of all our nerve. and which should
reconcile our citizens to the patient endu-
rance of temporary sacrifices in anticipa-
ton of brilliant future. that period is the
present. Would it not then be unbe-
coming in us to shrink at this day from
any responsibility which this crisis pre-.
'sents? Most assurediy it would.
Then the question to be determined
by your honorable body is, in what man
ner this Parkersburg road can be con-
structed with the least burthen upon the
people. That the road must be made,
all seem to concede, but the mode in
which it is to be accomplished is the
question which gives rise to the greatest
anxietyto my mind Just at this time. I'll
has always seemed to me, and is doubt.
lese apparent to every one who has given
the matter the least reflection, that upon
the success of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad greatly depends tho ability Of
the city to deyelope her further plans of
Improvement.
What 1'may say in reference to the
Parkersburg charter looks to union of
the city's interests; therefore l would
not recommend step which could in
anV manner efnbarass or hammer the cikv