Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1867-09-05
The Washington County Railroad.

Inc duneAtO aELICitJ IIO4lA lie IIa5SIStv"H
Nd T5rclhgLt, of the Dist inst, is on a sub
ject of considerable interest to this community.
We understand its statement as to the compile
ton of the road to Keedysville Thirteen miles
from woverton, and in the immediate vicinity
of the Antietam battle-feld) by the lst of Sep
tember, to be entirely reliable 1t is expected
that a large business will be done in moving
the present crop to Baltimore as soon as the
road is completed to that point. The grading
and other work between Keedysville and Ha-
gerstown is nearly completed, so that the track
to Hagerstown will be laid rapidly and at an
early day. The Torchligh says
It affords US much pleasure to state that the
Washington County railroad will be completed
to Keedysville by the 1st of September, on
which day the trains will commence running
regularly TO that point, whence passengers will
he conveyed 10 HagerStown in coaches, and that
by the lst of October it will be finished and the
trains running to our town. This week the
erectionof the depot buildings, one for passen-
gers and the other for freight, will be COM
menced in the old show lot, fronting on West
Antietam and South Jonathan streets, and these,
we are gratified TO learn, will be such, in re-
spect TO architectural beauty and convenience
of arrangement, as viii reflect credit upon the
company and be decided improvement to
the town.
Thus has this company, with commendable
energy and fidelity, pushed forward to compile
ton an enterprise. from which we may conf
dently anticipate advantages Of no ordinary
character It's road is not only substantially
and beautifully built, but runs almost IN an
airline through the very heart Of one OF the
richest agricultural counties in the United
States. and during part Of its way near the
Antietam, which abounds in eligible sites and
water-power for manufactures Of every kind
That it will develop the dormant resources OF
all this region Of country, quicken the energies
of its people, and materially increase the busi-
ness and wealth of the country generally, can
not be doubted, nor thatit will handsomely and
speedily rcmunerate its stockholders in the
shape of dividends, its cost being only about
eight hundred thousand dollars.
We cannot refrain from congratulating all
classes of our people upon the auspicious con-
summation of this desirable connection with
the great metropolis of our State, bringing us
so many hours nearer 70 its busy msrts, and
enabling us to extend old and form new busi-
ness relations with its enterprising merchants
and liberal-minded citizens generally. This
will prove mutually beneficial, but more to us
than them In the single article of wheat, OF
which the county has this year produced at least
one million bushels, an advance of from eight
to ten cents per bushel will be realized, that
being now the difference, as we are Informed,
between the price of wheat here and at several
points on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, in
the adjoining counties of Virginia This Itself,
in the course of two or three years, would repay
the entire subscription Of the county to the
stock of the company, supposing the road 10
| Weld no revenue at all, which is hardly within
/ the range of possibility. But there are many
other commodities upon which the gain will be
equally great in proportion, but to which It IS
/ needless TO allude 10 convince every senSible
/ reader of the advantages 10 Washington County
/ Of this important connection with baltimore,
/ and we should accordingly regard 1t as marking
/ a new era in our history.
In connection with this road it may be stated
that the dedication of the Antietam cemetery
on the 18th of September, promises to be an
occasion Of much and general interest 1t Is
understood n number Of regiments from New
/ York and Philadelphia, as well as from the
West, and a very large number Of persons from
Washington and Baltimore will visit the battle
field on that occasion. The arrangements Of
the Baltimore and Ohio road will be very am
pie, so that large bodies Of troops and citizens
can be moved from the West and East, as well
as Baltimore and Washington, arriving at the
battlefield in the morning, and leaving. after
the ceremonies Of the day, so as to returnin the
afternoon. Arrangements have also been made
forround-trip tickets from all points atreduced
rates.-Bdl. Sun 23d.
I