Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1859-09-06

"N "OkA-1NTERESTINGE REMINI-
scEScEs--ExTENT OF THE RoAD AND RS
bRANcnEs-YALUE OF TIE SrocK-TR1p own
THE RoAD-ScENERY, &c.
[speci'l Correspondence of. the N. o. Picsyune7
BALTIMoRE, August 8. 1859
Dur1ng the latter part of.last month I5maIa
2 trip over the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
from this city to Wheeling and back. Tbe,
season was peculiarly pleasant and yraIl snita3
for such tour Nature was in her most Inss,
rant I, foliage, and enjoyed the advantage Of
oe3oidlng, IN all its sublime majesty, beauty
ana grandeur, the variegated scenery for which
THIS Is route is SO justly celebrated.
betore entering upon a description of scenery.
partlcularlzing incidents ofmy journey, as this
was the first great enterprise Of its Kind in omr
country, it may be well to give you brief his
tory oil It's rise, progress, &c. | trace the in.
clplent movements which led to the outworkinp
OF THIS mighty enterprise as far back as the wear
1875; AT that period, the system of canals
MnIca had materially progressed in Pennsylva-
MA a ana New York, and was still progressing
with much vigor, seriously diverted a large por.
ton of Western trade-that of the Ohio and
mississippi valleys-preViousy cnioved by Bal.
Ilmore, to the cities of Philadelphia and New
York. 1t thecame, in fact, apparent that, with
OUT some extraordinary effort, the lapse OF few
more years would find US wholly shorn of this
invaluable source of commercial wealth.
The subject therefore became one of moment
Gus Importance to the whole community Rnt
the tlrst TO agitate and give it serious thought
we're Philip E. Thomas, ESQ.,, an opulent Quaker
merchant, and Geo. Brown, ofthe disting-
nlShed merchant, Alexander Brown, and part.
ner in the house of Alexander Brown & Sons.
at present Brown, Brothers & Co. Both these
gentlemen are still living A meeting of our
merchants and leading men subsequently as
sembled to consider the matter Anable report
was read and adopted, recommending tthc
building OF a railway to connect the waters of
the Ohio and those of the Chesapeake"
committee of twenty Eve prominent men was
also appointed to lay the subject before the
Legislature. This was successful and an act OF
incorporation was obtained. Ofthis committee
there now survive but -four, viz: Thomas Eli.
cott, PhillP Il. Thomas, nearly ninety years old,
| Gen. Is. o. Howard and John B. Norris ESQ
Hon. John Y. L. Mcmahon, who still ranks high
on the list of our legal profession, also rendered
great service in this great work.
The construction OF the road was commenced
on the 4th OF JulY-an auspicious day-in the
year OF our Lord 1928 This was signalized by
one OF the most imposing proceSSions military
aud civic, ever seen in Baltimore 1t was truly
magnificent spectacle. All business was sus.
pended, and every eye turned to gaze upon the
scene. remember it distinctly though buta
small boy at the time. The first stone was laid
| by the venerable Charles Carroll, of Carrcllton
then over ninety years of age This was done
on the southwestern line OF the city. 1t was
and still is, memorable spot After the ven
Grated Carroll had gone through with his cere.
mony of formally commencing the work IL,
the presence OF avaSt aStmultitude-laying the first
stone-addressiug himself TO his friends. he
made use oftheSe memorable words 81 consid
er this among the most important acts of nv
llie, second only TO my signing the Declaration
OF Independence, il, even, it be second to that"
MIR. Carroll continued firm, unwavering friend
of this road to the close of his life, and had the
N0.ld aFNFt
4 lar as Cumberland, Md, and of riding thereon
De also saw the same enterp=ising spirit caught
up by others, and different roads of a similar
character put into pl actcal working.
On the 9TH day of July, three days after lay
ing the corner stone, the definite location Of the
road was commenced. The enterprise slowly,
encountering difficulties naturally resulting from
the want OF a president, and, most of all, expe.
rience, until May %, 1880, when the first sec.
ton of the road, from Baltimore to Ellicott's
Mills, distance OF some twelve miles, was put
into operation. The cars ran daily and lhous.
ands were induced to ride ON them from curioS-
| ity. This, therefore, was the first railroad in
our country, and almost in the world, that was
put into practical use for the conveyance of pas
sengers, demonstrating satisfactorily the utility
and feasibility ofsuch mode of Conveyance
Persons came from distant parts of the country
merely TO enjoy the privilege ofa ride Among
these strangers were Baron Krudcncr, Envoy
from the Emperor Of Russia, and his suite, who
made an excursion on. the sailing car, managing
the sail himself Returning to his sovereign,
he narrated the particulars of his trip, adven-
lures, &c. spoke of the entire practicablitv of
railway conveyance, as demonstrated by his
bre! acquaintance with this route, and so favor
ably impressed the Emperor as to cause him 20
entertain the project of ofconstructing railways in
Russia. Soon after, His Majesty sent TO this
country to secure the services of Thomas
Winans, Esq, son of Ross WinanS, merchant of
ri md 4 tha TT