Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1865-12-26
BALTIMORE ENTERPRISE.


we are but slow, compared to some other of the
great cities and in particulars are; but when
we fall in with such enlightened and able comments
our enterprise and progress the following from
the last Boston Post constrained to think that
not just far behind, after all, and that
future is indeed bright with promise. Let us, at
least in connection Herewith congratulate ourselves
heartily on having at the head of our railroad and
commercial enterprises of the present day. able
fully to appreciate and make use of our splendid nat
ura advantages guaranty for our future prosperity
such as cannot be too highly valued. And when VIC
know that as fast possible facilities for trade
to be greatly added to in the line of more steam
abroad, may we'll feel that the commercial SUI
periorty of Baltimore is thoroughly assured that
have prospects before u.s. the proudest of the Allan
tic cities may emulate, if not envy.
THE BALTIMORE AND OHIO RAILROAD.
1t c aimed that the project for the construction of
this road the first chartered and thoroughly orga
niZed effort of the kind the United States Balti-
more had begun to suffer from the effects of internal
improvements in the States of Pennsylvan and New
York and her public spirited citizens determined to
build railroad which should give them ready access
to the growing West On the lth Of July, 1923
ground was first broken on the Baltimore aud Ohio
Railroad by the venerable Charles Carroll of Carol
ton. then ninety years af age whose name had been
first on the application to the Legislature for a char
ter He is reported to have said in reference to the
part ne TOOK on the occasion, Il consider this among
the most Important acts Of my life, second only to my
senln inc Declaration of Independence. it, indeed,
K be second to that, -
The line was completed to Wheeling in January.
1858, and large western business was Immediately
developed by it. The civil war, during lis continu-
ance, most seriously checked its prosperity not only
in the suspension for the time of much of ,,c put
also by repeated injury inflicted on its tracks bridges
and tunnels, and by the destruction OF It's equipments.
On the return of peace, however its directors under
took its repair and renewal with most praiseworhy
energy; and they now report the road in good order;
rapid progress in laying double track; an equipment
OF three hundred locomotives and four thousand ears;
capacity for business beyond the ability Of lines
working in connection with it, and seyenty.fye
trains passing daily over the main trunk upon the Bal
tmore division, Before the termination of the war.
the ability and enterprise ofits management were ap
y wheh as to save the Inc from de-
sructon; the completion of second track to W ash
influence oft he road which are still in progress.
Among these measures should be mentioned the
construction of n line from Point of Rocks to Wash
ingtOn, which will to travel from the Southwest
and West distance of forty-sx miles over the pres
ent route by the Relay House, also the opening of
ing of seventy-two miles will be gained between
Western Pennsylvania and the Cheasepeakei and
ests, will be accomplished. This great company not
satisfied with pushing its engines weswardly is wise
ly securing for its advantage regular steam commu
nication with Europe, 1t has itself established
line to Liverpool already in operation and to
sst OF five large screT steamers and itisnow urging
upon the citizens of Baltimore the project of similar
lines to Bremen and Hamburg:
The effect of this vigorous administration of affairs
may may be given in few words. It has built up the
the commerce of Baltimore which promises for that
uTe fg Gs' Ms erre Se Sad eh % M IN the h
recent speech on the occasion of hie -eIecton said
that there are now plyi..., IN connection with the
F otare on ui eighty steamers, with tonnage
ot over Iorty thousand tons; these steamers go to
-.oary every Southern port. and cause pressure of
exports which will ensure the of the foreign
lines.
We have called the attention of our readers to this
railroad because consider the facts be worthy of
consideration by the people of Massachusetts the
n tIrSt rinn thnrn
thing in view exceedingly suggestive in the name
OF the road it is the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
name. be 1t remembered, given to it when the State
OF Ohio was on the frontier of civilization if not quite
beyond 1t. Our railroads are the Boston and Fall
River, the Boston and Worcester the Boston and
Fitchburg, and the like; ali these are very good
names in themselves and they show Boston to be
united with ourshing cities but they utterly ignore
the great West, they do not even hint the possible
existence of Hudson river. Then again, which of
our lines is pushing its. connections westwardly and
seaboard of Massachusetts?
Thepolicy of our roads would seem to be more ex
pansive than their names. sany one of them making
Improvements to-day in reference to which such Ian
guage as the following. used by Mr. Garrett. can be
quoted Whilst the great national interests of the
vast populations of the States of the Northwest are
identified with this enterprise as well as their great
agricultural Interests, which would thus secure a
&c has any one of them subscribed to the stock of
the new steamship line to Liverpool in of
construction? Mo- in no single instance. If the
Massachusetts railroads had done their duty in this
matter, the American Steamship Company would
have four steamers the stocks the present time
instead of two. Compare also the equipment of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. consisting of four
thousand cars, with that Of the Western Railroad Of
Massachusetts, which reports eleven hundred and
fortyseven at the commencement of the current
year.
Do not these comparisons show clearly the reason
why Baltimorei rapidly increasing its commerce with
the West and with Europe and also, why Boston is
not? The question Of transportation facilities will
account fully for the difference and this question is
the pivot upon which the future of Boston turns
Boston possesses in itself everything requisite for
most valuable business relations with the West and
with the Old World; it only waits it has long been
waiting, for proper management of the railroads
which its capital helped so largely to construct
1t is too bad that Boston should be less well served
by the Western line of its own State, than by the
PENNSYLVANIA. Central and the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroads; yet we have just been assured by one of
our most prominent merchants, that goods can now
be shipped to the West satisfactorily by these
distant lines than by our own. We confess that we
would rather reach the Central Western States by
our own railroads and through our own territory
than by so long detour to the South: but at the
same time, We heartily congratulate the city of Bal
timore upon the success which is evidently begin
ming to crown its enterrring and perSevering efforts
through so many years and under many discour-
agemeuts.