Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1853-02-16

the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad,
which was celebrated last week with
signal success, would have been nee
cssarily postponed for some time, in
of the unfinished stat
of the Pcttibone tunnel, but Ire.
and bold expss5 -
which the tunnel was fss%
with, and thsS
hundred visitors, and
motives of the heaviest
to traverse the summit OF
tain not yet fully perforated:s
was done by means of temporal
ranging track out in the face of the
mountain, and furnished with rails,
by means of which, sections Of road
called Us divcrging from each other
by switches in a reversed direction,
thus mounted above each other,
at an inclination of $50 feet to n mile.
Over these sections the locomotives,
each drawing two long passenger cars
with its compliment of passengers as
cended safely inthe same manner on
the other side, stopping at the end
Of each station to reverse the motion.
The transit of the mountain was &C
complishcd in the outward trip by
torch light, and is thus described by
correspondent Of the Baltimore
american. &
At the foot of this mountain the
mouth Of the tunnel was discerned,
with the lamps of the miners glaring
within Our entire train consisted Of
twenty-six cars; and thirteen of Ross
Winans' most powerful locomotives
were in waiting, putting and pant
| ing like war horses, ready to take us.
After some delay, during which dark
ness closed in upon Us, two cars were
haneSsed to each of the iron hOr-
ses and all being in readiness, the as
cent was commenced, the first loco
motive turning out Of the first \ us
it is called, before the second one Is
! started, and so on until the whole side
of the mountain was dotted with
those fiery monsters, which, in the
darkness, presented a scene thatnev-
er was before witnessed in the world
and may probably never be a2a,-
The ascent Of the mountain is'oer
lacking to and fro, on its side, up &c
its summit, and then down in a SINH.
lar manner on the other side, the
track being laid in deep and broad
cuts on the side Of the mountain. -
These tracks run so closely parable
with each other, but at different Gle.
yations, that at times the trains were
so near together that the passenger:
could call up or down to each othcI
and be distinctly heard as they pas
scd.
On reaching the summit, those il
the seventh of the thirteenth trains
had a rull view Of the six locomotive,
, following after them on the on
side, and the six descending on tht
other, each bclchjng forth fire ant
. smoke, whilst the miners going t.
their work in the shafts, and at eithe
+ end Of the tunnel, bearing hundred
of lamps, and moving to and fro il
the distance at the base Of the noun
: tain, gave the finishing attraction t.
r this grand spectacle. The western
! slope ofthe mountain is more precip
, itous and difficult than the eastern
, and it was truly grand sight to loo
+ up and see rank above rank,' the va
, rious trains lacking like ship on tn
oceans wave, down the terrace
!, mountain side. The grand specta
e Gle produced by dramatic genius wi
never more prove any attraction t
the five hundred guests of the Bait
o more and Ohio Railroad they wi
q hereafter note them to be mere child