Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-07-08
THE METROPOLITAN RAILROAD.


The first Annual REPORT Of the President Of die
Metropolitan Railroad Company was presented to
the Stockholders ON Monday last, as follows:
TO the Stockholders Of the Metropolitan Rairoaa Compauy
GENTLEMEN The President and Directors present the
following as the fret annual report Of the operations Of
the company since its organization and its prospects
success, &c.:
The first meeting of the directors was held on the 30
Of july 1853 for the election of presidents and sub
sequcnt meeting, the 18th of August the chief enpi
elected who ut selected one corps of as
sstant and commenced the work of surveys the 22d
OF August Another party formed in November last
The former has been engaged the lower division of the
work and the latter between Frederick and Hagersown
From the rough nature of the country through which the
road required be made very careful examinations
found necessary, with view Of finding the "most
eligible and central route through Montgomery county,
at the time make the selection Of line for oca
ton such would give general satisfaction to the several
interestsdnvolved in the work.
very large amount Of duty has been performed by the
engineer department. and greatly to the satisfaction of
the Board540 miles having been carefully surveyed and
estimated while the whole distance to Hagerstown is but
little over five miles Besides the several routes
surveyed, many "Reminiscences made and crest
levels taken Paris Ridge in Montgomery county and
the two ranges Of mountains between Frederick and
Hagerstown in all OF which very favorable passes
found and the line adopted for location proves to
spond almost with the exact terms Of the charter.
The Board desire to call your particular attention to
full and forcbly drawn up showing concusvey that the
Metropolitan road will prove to be Of equal import
ancc for its length with any other in the country and
must inevitably be very profitable; indeed it cannot be
otherwise leading does from the Of
by connecting roads to the great Western and Lake
tons Of our country.
The Baltimore and Ohio Road will find the Metropolitan
to be very great contrbuary to their road and will
doubtless favor its speedy construction benefit
is ascertaned that the distance from Cleveland on
Lake Erie to Washington, BY the Cleveland and Pitts
burgh the Connellsve the Baltimore and Ohio, and the
Metropolitan Roads, will be but 440 miles, while Wash
ngton the Relay, near Baltimore using the Connells-
vile road it will be 485 miles, and by way of Phadel-
phia, travelled 628 and by way of New York $780,
This advantage to be gained by the Metropolitan road
will induce much travel that now avoids Baltimore and
Washington from the West to take those cities the
route to and from the cities Of Philadelphia New York.
and Boston, and without loss of time for it is contem
plated that passengers reach Washington in twelve
hours from Cleveland in place Of twentyfour In
connection with this subject it may not be aiss for the
Board to state that already the Connesvie road drec
ton have expressed anxiety for the early construction
of the Metropolitan road likely to be Of much BEN
eft to theirs
Again. it is found that the distance from Piedmont to-
Baltimore by the Baltimore and Ohio road lis 206
miles, deduct miles to be gained by contemplated
cut through Knobby mountain have 100 Baltimore
100 to the Relay, 22l to Washington Whereas by
the of the Metropolitan road it viii be but about 175
miles from Piedmont Washington which is the same as
from Piedmont to Alexandria, by the Alexandria Lou
doun and Hampshire road, under construction the
place passengers
in about 1872 miles in place Of 22l before stated
Relay; that, without the Metropolitan road the Bal-
more and Ohio road will not only lose the Washington
passengers from Piedmont but sustain very great loss
Of coal trade from Paddyown, that article be sent
Alexandria for export by in Ito miles, in place Of
200 to Baltimore, But by the of the Metro
poan road the Baltimore and Ohio road retain all
the travel their road within sixty miles of Bal
tmore, in place Of losing much oft Piedmont The
same will apply to coal
The amount of subscriptions on which the Metropoli
IAN Railroad Company was organized is 100000; on
which the payments to the commissioners amounted to-
090 The whole amount Of expenditures for the pay
officers and engineers and the necessary expenses
ending the Office and surveys is 24 S03 33 July 1st
1904 the particulars of which shown by the reasu-
'er's report
The Board have made no efforts to increase the indyi
lual subscriptions thinking it well to await the result
II the applications to Congress and the city Of WASH
ngton
memorial was sent to Congress some time since ask
ng for aid towards the construction of road, the
ground Of its being in part District Of Columbia work.
unning from the Eastern Branch of the Potomac
he Navy Yard thence to the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
Dad Depot the Capitol, and through the city Of
Washington to Georgetown and thence to the District
ne the contemplated receiving reservoir Of the Po
omac aqueduct.
Many precedents warrant the expectation of donation
N this ground namely, the giving of $450000 towards
he construction Of the aqneduct of the Alexandria
he whole cost Of building tree bridges the grading paw
ng, and travelling of the many through WASH
ngton and lastly, the Of the great work
If introducing pure water into Washington and George
own, to cost over So 000, 900.
But on other grounds Congress may grant aid and,
the space'of reasonable number Of years, gain by
Icing, in memorial the offer is made to transport
he mails, troops military stores, SC. forever without
barge is therefore to be hoped this application will
e successful. 4S&
The Board also expect favorable result from the
noria to the Corporation Of Washington by subscrp-
ion Of least $500 000 is fully expected that city
r receives three fourths of the benefits to be derived
rom the construction of the road, principally from the
reat increase Of travel to the seat OF government
AS an evidence of what may be expected it is but
to that it correctly stated that the amount
eceiyed for the conveyance of passengers on the Wash
ugton branch of the Baltimore and Ohio road is fully
quail to that recevedftr the the main road from
Baltimore to Wheeling clearly showing that it is only
necessary to introduce railroads into Washington to bring
rayel from whatever direction such roads lead. "a 4.
No subscription has yet been made by the cities Of
frederick and Hagerstown both greatly be benefited
the making Of road yet the Board have not been
Without sapgune hopes of considerable aid from both
hese cities. A
1t Is greatly be desired that the road should reach
Iagersown early possible as in addition to the
dyantages to be derived from the connection with the
Baltimore and Ohio road, many others will be found to be
4 almost equal magnitude by the connexon with the
franklin aud Cumberland Valley roads, and many others
trough Pennsylvania to the Lakes.
When the full location Of the road Is completed that
he several farming interests will which is mostly to
be and doubtless will be received rather than work
# great importance should be stopped for want Of
means to carry it through
In conclusion the Board have only to say to that
without liberal subscription from the city Of Washing
it would be all advisable the work