The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1853-02-09
h From the Cleveland True Democrat
Railroad Celebration at Wheeling

Railroad Celebration at Wheeling.
], Our Southern friends can beat Us in
mere display. When they do good thing.
they take care to make il knowninaright
way, We have something 10 learn Of
them in this respect, Sup North"
The completion of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad was celebrated, J, as il should
have been, in,"grand style," al Wheeling,
Its western terminus, last week, Cover
Inors Of the different States. members of
Congress, Legislators Of Virginia, and
Maryland, The officials Of Washington
lCity, and Baltimore. and Richmond. &C..
with distinguished Statesmen, were, present
Ito grace" and give ''eclat" 10 the occa-
sion. at was a great time" i..The dis.
lplay was magnificent, ,So. speak the
Journals, and dou,less i was, as they state.
Il The WELCOME to the distinguished
Istrangers was given in the Court House oi
Wheeling, and in the evening banquet,
in Washington Hal, where over ''thous-
and persons" were seated. Toasts were
given and speeches made; the former
.'pithy,"" ""ihe latter r'.eloquent;H and then
came grave details--the history of the
great work, its difficulties, and its COM
lpleiion.y agtagss si&l nsnisi lliw h5,s
| 1T, was in July, 1928, that the charter
was granted. How men laughed, how the
wise called, the scheme visionary" all
this was, told, and well told. How ''large
monied men" said, sit will never answer;
you are mad,' was narrated with telling
effect. So, too, was the determin alton OF
the courage, Of those .'far sighted, bold,
and full of faith, well described, and es-
pecially the action Of, the day, in July,
1928. when Charles Carroll, of Carrollton,
then over 80 years, laid the corner stone
Of this great work. saying: Es0 .lIiw
IL consider this the greatest work i
have done since signing the Declaration
Of Independence" ssa r,5 aoqu inom
Nor was ii an idle cheer when the very
trowel which the venerable and yenerated
patriot had used in 1928, on that occasion,
was exhibited in 1853, on this, the banquet
at Wheeling. q, @aaas y gse 81. 90 .noii
The President Of the Road, Mr.. Swan,
made an interesting speech. One part Of
| it we copy-that which relates to the effect
Of the compilation Of this great route on
Baltimore. Said he:-ai .sa, a3.l biGq
There are three; roads looking 10 the
trade o., the great valley, where navigable
waters may be said to head here at the
city Of Wheeling. New York. and Philar
delphia, and Baltimore are all striving for,
the mastery OF this trade. ! sincerely be-
lieve there will be work enough. and more
than enough, for all. We claim no excul
siive advantage; but we do claim to hold
out inducements not surpassed by those
Of any other road. Baltimore is the most
southern harbor upon the sea board. The
advantage in this respect must always
place herin advance other more northern
rivals at these periods, Of the year, when
the. signs Of a colder latitude maybe sup,
posed to exercise some influence upon
the movements oftrade. Baltimore canlno
longer remain newplace of transit: she
must become an original market. For
the, cotton, the -four, the provisions and
the, tobacco of, the great region beyond
you, she. will offer in return a,choce OF
the market Of the world. This is the sort
Of equality which she expects to erect in.
the South, and ,West--a sympathy which
shall grow out of sound and healthy
condition Of trade and direct appeal to
the prospects of her customers i14 sao!
Mr., Latrobe, the Chief Engineer, dwelt
on important details. The work just com.
pleted, he said, will represent when in
full operation, a capital oftwenty millons,l
and will be able to transport, between sea-,
port and river, in thirty-six hours. .,tromy
Baltimore to Wheeling, or from Wheeling
to Baltimore, one, thousand tons of goods
or, produce daily! What a contrast As
late as 1888, this notice appeared in ethel
Virginia Gazette:-.i 80 Ms. .aoa;4a aa
"'The Baltimore and Ohio Wagon Com.
E any, with a capitalof$200, 900. (one-forth
Of which is paid in J transport goods and
produce between Wheeling and Baltimore.
One, wagon departs and arrives daily from
each, Of these places with a load weighing
fromt two and a half two and third ions
and occupying eight days upon The oad;c
and arrangements are in, progress DO in.
crease the number Of, daily arrivals aad,
departures from, one to three, wagons, and.
eventually TO iye,' el,sq1 Sas .g.asGi o7a
y YET in 1853, the weights of the tonnage
engine of the company being nearly equal
to- the five loads; that limited the hopes oi
the wagon company, teams, wagons, and
all, while behind this engine, bears along,
attwelye. miles an hour, five hundred tons
Of gross weight, hall Of which osborne To-
'ory brought from the West. VI Said Mr.l
Latrobe;-7g, sd esets tfa slasg
The type, Of the course Of Empire .,s
the, locomotive and its trsin,'' whose tread
is the tread Of q giant from bill topic hill
top. We,speak Of the..,array Of the ioon-l
queror.' Where is there a conquerorlike
steaml Its ,panopoly, TOO, isdafoiron.
Man has made it not less than mortal. like
the image pf, Franksnstsin, but mereB,han
mortal as II nor rfornns the WORK n E on< hun