Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-03-07
Pittsburgh Efforts to 1njure our Trade.

editor, the Mayor of Pittsburgh, has seen fit to
lend himself 10 the efforts, 10 detract from the mer-
its of the line of travel, now afforded to the pub
Ohio Rail Road and the Union Line, to Baltimore.
We had supposed that the editor of that very re-
spectacle journal, (the best think of the Pitts
burgh papels,) would have found it inconsistent
with the very respectable position which he holds
as a member of the Wing party, and also Mayor
of large a city as Pittsburgh, to lend himself to
the contemplate efforts made to prejudice the
travelling public against the Baltimore line, via.
Wheeling. In this we have been mistaken, but
we still have charity enough to believe that the
Editor of the Journal has been deceived in the
representations which have been made him about
the "zig zags to which he alludes in his letter OF
Feb. 26th, on board the Keystone State.
Before proceeding to notice his letters, we will
make plain statement of the facts under
stand them, pertaining 10 the Baltimore and Ohio
Rail Road from Wheeling. There is only one part
of the road unfnished; namely the Pettibone
Tunnel, which will be completed, we learn, in
few days, and the hill, that tunnel, is passed
by means of the "zig zags'' to which the Journal
so frequently alludes. The passage over this hill
is effected by means of track III the form Of y,
up which the cars are propelled by powerful en-
gineS, occaSiOning delay of about 20 minutes at
that point. This is the only delay point on the
road The cars arrive in Wheeling from Baltimore
in time Tor the Line boats down the river and leave
Wheeling daily, regularly for Baltimore at Is min
utes before o'clock, A. NJ. The cars from Bati
more arrive generally between five and
o'clock, P. NJ. This is the plain statement OF
facts as to the B. & o. R. R, upon which travellers
can rely. In case of delay, which happens some
times here, as elsewhere, the time may vary, but
we state the time as it generally is. So much Tor
the road and its accommodation for travel, which
is always ample for all travel, and in a very short
time will be suited to the utmost demands of trade.
AS soon as the Pettibone tunnel is completed, this
road will be prepared TO carry the many tons of
freight now waiting in our city for an eastern
transit. We come now TO the letter of the Mayor
of Pittsburgh. In the first place, there is but one
"temporary portion'' in the B. & o. R. R., and
that is the tunnel before referred to, and So far
from that tunnel ''by its frghtful and perilous
pect positively driving travel from this road,' we
have never met with traveller over this line,
who did not consider the passage over the tunnel
of the most grand and interesting scenes of
travel. The ascent, being 400 feet to the
mile, is effected in a manner well calculated to
arrest the attention and command the admiration of
all, who are willing 10 admire the triumphs of
art the impedments of nature, and the meth
cd of passing this mountain may justly be claimed
as an achievement worthy of notice, among the
many achievements Of the distinguished engineer
of the great Baltimore improvement AS 10 the
facts stated by the editor, Of "passenger's being
driven TO avoid this route'' doubt not he is
correct Our paper has before alluded TO the mis-
representations used by the hireling agents of the
Pittsburgh boats to induce travellers to abandon
this route and go by way of Pittsburgh, and it is
not surprising that travellers, ever anxious to avoid
difficulties should be deceived by such falsehoods,
especially road and our line have runners
to even enlighten the public on these questions,
perfectly willing that travellers SHOULD
make the experiment, via. Pittsburgh, if they see
proper. AS to Mr.. Menager and Mr.. Northrup, we
have nothing TO say, except that we have known
some venerable old gentlemen, who would moi
travel on railroads at ALL and Others, who would be
terrified to death It the bare sound Of the whistle.
To such we would commend trip over the inclin-
ed planes and fiat rails of the Pennsylvania Cen
trail Rail Road, and would also commend to ship
pers, 10 pass their goods through Pittsburgh in
der that the commission merchants may have an
opportunity IF tolng Their goods their passage,
especially since perceive, (tht ugh the Journa)
ship through, has become so important that if de-
cided affirmativey, "many of the Pittsburgh COM
mission merchants will leave Pittsburgh" and we
may also state that such fetters have been pac-
ed on the hands of the Baltimore & o. R. R. Com
pany, and that shippers may make their own terms
here. We doubt not but that Mr.. Northrup was
not fully reported and that when he said "the road
had desperate ugly look,'' he meant to have
added The words ''to Pittsburgh" His practical
comment was doubtless induced by the misrepre-
sensations TO which have alluded, and he Suf-
fered himself 10 be deeeiued by Pittsburgh agents.
hired TO mislead travellers DESTROYS of taking this
line. The editor need not have stated the proprie-
ty of The Pittsburgh boat owners drawing to them
selves the trade off this line, as they seem already
fully aware of the importance of such effort, and
perfectly reckless of the means by which they ac-
complish the end proposed, and that they spare no
effort to magnify the Dangerous look.'' "Alpine
grades'' and ..zig zags'' which they state, exist
on the Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road. We are
willing for travellers TO make the comparison, and
if the ONE hill, over winch our pass, without
pulleys, by the power OF art and science, is more
insurmountable than the ''inclined planes" and
U rail less pleasant than the ''flat barr then
they should go by way of Pittsburgh. Let them
try the two rou's, and Judge for themselves After
making some apparently candid admissions TO
the style and capacity Of our boats, the editor fairly
descends into the lower deck range and participates
in the feelings which animate the deck hands,
He devotes about third of his letter to the re-
lation of the performance of "lhis same Thomas
Swami" whose lands it seems, were entertained
at the Swanns passing the Keystone and who put
forth dreadful yell Of triumph &C., which must
have grated on the nerves of the sensitive Mayor
of the city of Pittsburgh. Never having particl-
pated in the defeats of boat race, we cannot