Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-12-10
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
Melting IF tAe Board If Directors OF
J. W. Gdrrett, Esq- as President-His REMARKS
IN he OCCASION - Relations 1cih Wdshiaqtoa
City. DE, dc.
At the meeting Of the Board Of Directors O,
the Baltimore and OHIO Railroad Conn paw in
Baltimore city, yesterday, Mr.. John W. Car.
rett was unanimously Reelected President Of
tne company. Upon taking the chair he de.
hyereo an address, IN which, after referring to
MS oiten expressed desire during the last two
Years 70 reslre from the presidency, (naving
Iapcrto Ten years IN that positiou,) and the ap.
peals from all connected with he road for him
10 remain their executive, he speaks Of the pol
icy OF the company and the grant objects it has
Ia view In oper ing the lines through the WASH
iDgton county road to the Cumberland Valley
OF Pennsylvania: throu IN the Winche ster and
Potomac roed 10 the alley Of Virginia; throu gh
the Par kersburg road to the Ohio river, and 10
Marietta and Cincinnati: and through Beilaire
and the Central Ohio road TO Columbus, thus
connecting also with numerous radiating lines
from great centers of railway Improvements.
After some remarks on these heads, he pro.
ceeoeo TO speak OF matters OF more Immediate
interest TO the people Of this District, saying:
"a costly enterprise, largely for the benefit
OF the NATIONAL capitll-the Metropolitan road
is in progress. You will remember that BY
this line the distance from tie Point of Rocks
10 washington is reduced from 81 to ~ miles.
avenue. the city Of Wa .hington will be placed
IN most advantageous relations with your en-.
Ire system OF improvements, which have cost
more than nifty millions OF dollars; BY TIL:
Connellsyille line, the distance Is redu ced a
miles from Pittsburg and LIS mile from Gin
einnat' to Washington, as compared with the
shortest lines TO that city by the Pennsylvania
road.
You furnish betwi1. Baltimore and Wash
ington hrst.class douoe-tracxed road, which
mas been worked from its origin with q smaller
proportion of accidents than any road in Eu.
rope or America. II performed throughout
the war a transportation, at times, scarcely
equalled in the history of railways, with sla-
gular freedom from delays and accidents In
connection with the main stem Of the Baltimore
and ONO road, the Washington branch proved
the late terrible struggle for the preservation
of the Union.
Commencing on the 18th Of April, 1861, at the
imminent peril OF the lives Of its officers and
employees, ii received the Massachusetr, Sixth
regiment, held the train until those whose
movements had been interrupted had arrived,
and forwarded every soldier of that regiment
who reached Camden Station with safety to
washington. Subsequently, after failures to
protect Its rolling stock and property 1t en-
laTged It's capacity, and during the war, with
CELEBRITY, a safety, and success that astonished
the leaders who controlled the movements of
our armies, II met every requirement of the
Government.
When the history of the late war is writtan ii
will be found that the services of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company, marked by per-
feet fidelity to its engagements and untiring
o.
ries frequently raided upon-by which move
ments remarkable results were achieved, will
prove TO be among the most cons picuous rem
dered in aid Of the Government. Such were
these services, constant, weighty, of vital i'm.
pCrtance, requiring the greatest thorough
ana the largest resources, that they elicitcd fire.
quently the highest approval and commendi-
ton OF the lamented Lincoln.
The Secretary OF War throughout that peril
Gus period, and the most IllusIrious generals of
our armies, all knew and appreciated, and still
n no. in Ql1ah n
historic facts connected with the continuance
and important relations OF the Baltimore aud
Ohio Railroad Company crush the misreprc-
sensations OF the hostile and untruthtul to their
deserved Hothingpess.
As rival interests have constantly INDUCED in
the grossest Measurements and calun lies on
the subject 1t is proper now to state, that for
all the vast amount of the company properly,
the engines and cars, the bridges and the tracks
OF the company destroyed during the war by
the Confederate armies, amounting to many
millions OF dollars, ne pay ment has been made
by the government, nor has any compeps alton
yet been made for large amounts of property
destroyed by our federal forces for strategic
purposes.
Rival interests, with an equally reckless dis
regard Of truth and fact, have continued to as
sert that the Washington Branch road received
dollar and a-half per passenger Tor its mill
tary transportation. The fact IS the company
reduced Its rate to Sl.l0 and al per passenger.
and carried all through freight To the west at
the lowest rates Al which competing lines
would agree to transport t.. In no instance
did IL receive for work upon its line, whilst re-
qulred constantly to make, at its own cost, the
most expensive repairs and TO frequently re-
construct The road, more than its ordinary tariff
rates. Soldiers tickets were also furnished
throughout the war at largely reduced rates,
and much tree travel was accorded constantly
in cases of peculiar difficulty, and haIf-fare
tickets were literally furnished TO parties en-
gagged in patr lotto labor.
L have heretofore had occasion 20 call aten.
ton to the Strange course pursued by parties
who, processing to act tor the Interests of the
city VI Washington, allege that that great city
Is dependent solely upon single line VI rail-
way. Why misrepre.ent thus grossly the
vaIEd. extensive, and economi, al transporta-
ton .acIhties OF the city OF Washington They
ignore the great lines OF Improvements ana
means OF transportation which not only exist,
but are daily awaited o: ny tue population OF
thai city.
The Chesapeake aud OHIO canals work
costing more Than twenty millions OF dollars
extending Ii miles in to the western portion of
Maryland, which brings the bituminOus coal Of
the Cumberland region TO Washington at a
lower cost than it can be transported by any
railway, is utterly ignored; and yet the tax
payers OF Baltimore have paid the interest on
One-half Of this twenty mIllIOne OF dollars
since the construction Ut that canal. The great
advantages moving from this communication,
from which no revenue has ever been derived
by the State Of Maryland its whole earnings
b. ing used tor repairs-should be spread before
the public one of the bases of the prosperity
of Washington. II is well known that supplies
of fuel, brCrdstnfis, and all agricultural pro-
ducts are obtained most economically by this
channel.
The direct line of railroad from Washington
20 Gordonsville, come citing at that point with
the Virginia Central (now styled the Chesa.
peake and Ohio) railroad, and 10 Lynchburg,
connecting at that point with the Virginia and
TeDnC ssGe road, "a great and eifet tive trunk
Hne,) and thence with the entire system of
Southern railways, is also ignored, a line OF the
highest utility to Washington, both for furnish
ing cheap supplies and commanding large
passenger and other business, thu profits of
which are distributed in that community.
Why ignore the noble Potomac river, pre-
senting a navigation unsurpassed on the con.
unent! Ignore IL, too, while f1rst-clas3 sten'n-
ers connect by double daily line, via A quia
Greek, the business of Washington with the
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac road!
Why ignore the fact that a regular line OF
steamers from Baltimore constantly brings
freight TO Washington at the lowest charges
which can he afforded by water! Why assert
that there is difference Of four dollars per ton
in the price OF ceal betwixt Washington aud
Baltimore, and that the difference created 10y
charges by the Baltimore ard Ohio road, when
the Ukoie charge by the Baltimore and Ohio road
is but dollar end sizty cents per toa, and when
the fact is that the supplies OF anthracite coal
are chiefly brought down the Tide Water
Canal-another Maryland improy ement-taken
rates which the water, the cheapest Of all ave-
nues OF transportation, enables the boatmen to
afioIdl
The absurdity Of the statement made Of the
lOssG OF citizens Of Washington Of millions by
all Aoho 81 h. Dvor II