Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-03-22
Correspondence of the baltimore SUM-

Correspondence OF the Baltimore SUM-
Passage of the Mountains by the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad The Interest and
Safety. 5
| e. WHEELING, Va, Ma1cha15
The P. p. c. squeeze ofsyour hand, at Barnum's,
had scarcely ceased to Jingle in my veins befoi
| found myself at distance of four hundred miles
from 'sonr old haunts = and enjoying the comforts
toisay nothing of the splendors, Of the Mcclure
House at Wheeling We encountered neither let,
hindrance, nor accident route, and but for the
delay occasioned blythe necessity of waiting at
the switches. for the passage of trains from tile
west, the journey, requiring twenty -four hours,
would have been accomplished in twenty. But
this will be obviated by double track, and, even
without 1t, II you postpone your promised visit for
two or three months until the tunnel is complet-
ed, and the road fairly settled, have no doubt
sixteen hours will be sufficient to transfer you from
your beautiful and hospitable city to hisslandA Of
lovely foliage and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.; of kind
hearts, and active minds and afford you the ad-
vantage of daylight throughout the entire journey,
to study and admire the sublimities of nature and
the achievements of art which will engage your
attention during the trajet from Cumberland To the
Ohio
| i rememberSwhen1 was young, and, of course,
more extitable than now more sensible TO impreS-
sion, how lgazed, and uaryelled the passage of
| the Alps byNapoleon's route of the Sifnplon.-
This was the wonder of the age, and when 1 pass
ed the celebrated tunnel, some two or three hun
dred yards in length, "cut through the solid rock
to which my attention had been especially direct
ed by all who had, preceded, me int This amazing
| pathway, and descended into Switzerland |
thought the splendid triumphsl arch, designed to
commemorate this conquest over nature, hardly
worthy of the hero who had accomplished it.. But
this victory over the Alps would appear mere chds
! play to that maured science which has leveled or
pertorate mountains, and crossed favines, sruc
lures which, in their fearful elevation, look more
like spiders webs, or some light and fairy tracery
thrown over the gorges whose banks they unite,
than the safe and substantial means ST transit they
really afforded TO The stupendous weights rolling
over them; and which, If contemplated from below,
must make tine observer dizzy with apprehension,
while the. unconscious traveller, if his attention
be not called to his situation, is not aware that he
IS Journeying, for season, in IN elemen adapted
rather to the feathery than to his own. Them too,
Tor miles and miles, he passes through channels of
solid rock, whose ruptured masses, rising twenty
or thirty feet on each side of him, are scanned
with marks of the implements and tie agent that
rent them asunder, and, in their rugged aspects,
appear 10 frown on the invaders OF their solitude.
Believe me- there IS mere of art, more of Sience,
more of ingenuity, more of labor and more oil ar-
compllshment, in one mile of this road than in the
entire passage of the Alps an the scenery through
winch 1t winds lis serpent like way is, in most in
stances, more interesting, and in many quite as
sublime as that which attracts the tourist to the
classic hills OF Italy
But the novel and surprising feature in this ereas
wIrk is the Temporary con,riyance for crossing
lofty emlnence until q channel is completed for
passing through il. Here the engineer appears 10
have made sport of obstacles, and TO have con-
verted difficulty into play-thing, and we can
not help smiling, in zig gag progress, even
amid the terrors some affect to feel, at The appi.
cation Of SO simple process to such an importan Mt
result dangerous, il is noti that is not more so
than on any other section where the grade is ele-
waited. Less so, l should imagine, Than ON liz.
planes of The Central road of P. nnsylyania where
the inclination is greater, the line of road longer,
and yonr fate dependant on the strength of cable,
| .tl&l ga tenpenny tow .ss
| = L.
when compared to the weight it sustainS; whereas,
you are here attached to n locomotive, drawing
but two cars as a load, and which, sh.uli they
| by any accident, be deta' he'd, would have but
snort distance TO ran, before til, would be arr ST
ed by The earth in which the road terminates, on
| the lace not on the brink of the mountain.
This Jeu de physique, for really it is such will
however, soon cease to be bug bear TO the tim
orous, or The scare crow of the jealous, and the
tunnel at Petlbone's be another miracle OF art, 10
render the Baltimore and OHIO Railroad as worthy
oil the notice Of the curious and the intelligent as
IL WILDE conducive TO the comfort and advantage
OF the traveller and man of business; and YOU AMI
l, my BOY, though somewhat Gin the scar and
yellow lraf,'' may yet live 10 see the time when an
exchange of visits, as we'll as of commodities, be
tween Baltimore and " heeiing, will he as easy OF
accomplishment Us it now is for those Who reside
within twenty miles of these cities, in neighbor-
hoohs where railroads have not yet penetrated, 10
hold communion " it'll them.
The packets intended TO the facilities OF travel
beyond the present terminus Of the railroad are
now re,forming their regular trips. so. when you,
get tired of us, you have but to transfer yourself
from splendid stationary hotel TO one that is float
ing and be transported, with all the appliances of
taste and luxury about you, on the waters of Ia
belle ririere, TO Cincinnati, Louisville, or any
other of those aspiring cities of tho West which,
entire nous, threaten very 10 rival their elder
sisters n the East. Bear in mind what have re-
lated to you of their progress in arts, sciences,
ornamental as we'll rs uselul) literature, and oil
that concerns theminds mt and era titicu
ton, ard beware lest the Young America should
soon shew herself able and disposed to contend
with you for those embellishments OF existence
which have hitherto been regarded as appertaining
10 the Old. 1850 w. b. b.