Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-12-16
THr GPEsISG THE WASHINGTON
AND NEW I0Rk RAILROAD

III he admirable speech OF Mr. VIM. Prescott
Smith. Master OF Trans sportation. Baltimore and
Ohio Rai3TCad, ar the railroad dinner at VII
larcs', he made the following clear and inter-
esting exhibit OF what has been done by the
various companies on the line to iaciiitata
travel between New York and " ashinz zton
II oU- friends %nO came down with Us from
New York ard Philadelphia today had a.
lowed themselves 10 be less attracted by the
soclsl feelings which their relief from nom.
duties afforded: if ihay had resolved to occapy
the nhselyes less with the interior augnmenfs
of the train, and haG made such praclica Oh
servations as our professional eyes are given
tc, they would have observed at many points
OF the 2iu miles they have traversed, from the
metropolis OF New York to the metropolis of
Washington, palpable evidences of the deter.
MIR alton OF eur companies to do a grea-
number OF needful and essential thlugs efar.
lively. prehensiveiy and permanently, by
which the publIc conI eniences and the inter-
ests OF the Government are 10 be extended and
subSer
They would have seen between New York
and Philadelphia a second track from JERSEY
City to Trenton, distance of sixty miles ali
complete and In good running order-a model
ot railway engineering. They wonld have seen
the grading, masonry, and other preparl ltory
work in their different stages bet Eeen Trenton
and Philadelphia for the earliest possible CON-
pletion OF this track toward the South They
would have observed, at kensington, new
acks which connect the Camden and Amboy
line from New York with the tracks of tn.
the partial use OF the tracks of the Pennsylvania
Central and the Delaw ware and Chester roads,
we were brought Today around the northern
suburbs OF Philadelphia by locomotive power
and " ithout O change Of cars to Gray's Ferry
bridge, On the southern extT entity OF the cfty
They would have seen the numerous gangs OF
workmen actively engaged at various points
upon the ten miles of The new route between
kensington and Gray's Ferry, which is being
cons tructed as an independent route for the
exclusive use OF the New York and Washing-
ton trains and which, when completed in the
course Of few months, will enable the route
to dispense with the present temporary but
came so successfully to-day. They would have
seen, gentlemen, that between Philadelphia
and Wilmington the new second track OF the
Philadelphia and Baltimore road was in &c.
tual use, and successfully, too, as raay have
been observed by the passage Of several trains
going at speed, hardly greater than our own,
OF forty miles per hour. Following the lir 3
towards our present location, our friends
would have seen the grading ana other pre-
liminary work for the early extension Of this
second track from Whining ton to the Susuue.
hanna river and thence to Baltimore.
AT The Susquehanna they did notice the act.
i've operations u.-cn the building of the great
r6ilroad brioge which is about to span that
noble river, and thus dispense with one of the
greatest remaining objections TO the route. At
Baltimore, gentlemen, our guests would have
observed the new and extensive passenger
depots and tracks, both a. the President Street
and Camden Station, while between Baltimore
end Washington the extension Of the double
track to Annapolis Junction is SO rapidly ap.
preaching completion that il is expected 10 be
in full use in the course OF the present month
Closing up this list OK improvements, which
baNe thus impertectly sketched, is massive
and extensive stone and IRON bridge a. Laaral,
and the completed gradation for the Gouble
track all the way 10 the terminus of the road in
this city.
But gentlemen, with the impro vemants 1
have enumerated, the companies comprising
the route DO not intend to stop They are now
building conformity over thirty of the largest
and best passenger cars which the we'll known
skill OF our workmen can produce, a portion of
which, indeed, are already in use, and formed
part OF our train to. day. Add 70 these ne " To-
enlarging The capacity and comfort of tn route
with m uch improved transit through BaIt,.
more, and yon Will have in the course OF the
coming year q line which, in its completeness
and its ability to meet any possible demands
that even the growing chara cter of the co untrv
and the peculiarly enlarged demands thar arise
from the anomalous events nov trans pirins
around us, may create, and line that will |
challenge universal respect and admiration.
but, gentlemen, this is the practical essential |
thing to be done-this is the practical es ssertiM
thing that Is being doue-this lis the practical 4
essential thing that will be secured, l say, !
cured, gentlemens yen will ha We route thaa in |
the perfeetion OF ITS appointments and IA siAtes
viii te second to none on this continepg fully |
adequate, confidently declare, to any naeis |
as / have intimated, relieved the public, on /
two trains daily In eacn direction OF the
chr ionic nuisance and annoyance 70 which the
iRtelligt nee of the country has been so long
sub,ected-of squeezing through the station
gates and other tunnels at PhiIadeIpnia. I'm |
their midnight yexatioHs in being transferred
through that pleasant city from one road to
another. Our happy dali,erance in full from
this abominatIon will, hope, be completed by
the first OF the coming year. Aud, gentlemen,