Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-03-27
BALTIMORE As A COMMERCIAL
CENTRE.

In the very able address made by Hon. John
W. Garrett, at the celebration in Baltimore
yesterday, over the ARRIVAL Of the pioneer
vessel of the Baltimore and Bremen line OF
steamers, number of significant facts Were pre-
sented indicative OF the position Baltimsre is
destined to take as a commercial city. For
protracted period. he said, the superior wealth
and power Of great Northern interests pre-.
vented proper realization of the geographical
advantages of Baltimore: but perseverance,,
energy and enterprise, gradually, year after
year, overcoming difficulties winch appeared
at times almost insurmountable, have restored
the natural relations of that port to the great
producing and consuming regions with which
Its interests should be most closely interwoven.
Forty years ago the scheme had been plan ned
by Baltimoreans OF sagscity and enterprise
for the connection of the waters of the Atlantic
with the navigable rivers OF the West. Nv
which the greatest economy in transportation
could be effected. That enterprise. which was,
indeed. the pioneer of all the great railway
works Of the world. encountered prodigious
diff1eulties- The estimate OF the capital required
was four millions; yet. before the completion of
the road and its branches they find the cost
has swollen 20 more than forty millions of dol
lars! The ambition OF those eminent men WAS
to construct q line TO the Ohio river, three hun
dred and seventy mime miles in length The
fruiton has been that the Baltimore and OHIO
Company and ITS officers now mar age and con-
troll railways, pouring their treas ures of bust
ness into Baltimore, which pass through one
thousand miles of territory, and which have
cost more than seventy millions of dollars,
The city OF Baltimore, which at the period of
the laying of that cornerstone had an aggre-
gate basis of real and personal wealth of but
twenty-five millions of dollars, has prospered
has swollen to two hundred and twelve mil
liens; and those who recognized in that day
that the cheapest method of transportation with
which Providence fayors the world is upon
the ocean and Its tributaries, foresay that
a city placed at the head of the great Chesa
peake Bay, which would afford advantages to
the Central West and Southwest for communi
cation with Europe, Of nearly 800 miles of land
carriage, compared with the great city OF New
York. muslin time, be recognized as an econom-
zeal and proper entrepOt for the commerce of
that vast West and Southwest and ultimately
OF large portion of the commerce that will
How iron the borders of the Pacific Large
portions of tv enty-two StItes and Territories.
embracing an area of more than one million
square miles, may now find Baltimore their
most convenient seaport The solitary line of
steamships bearing our national ensign TO
Europe is the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company's line from Baltimore to Liyerpool
and now a regular line has been established
b. tween a leading port of Central Europe and
Baltmore-an event showing that Baltimore
Is about to take that front rank among the COM
mereisl cities Of the world, TO which her Ioca-
tion and her advantages entitle her.
Washington city, from its position. must al
ways be benefited by the prosperity CT Balti-
more; and we can therefore afford to bid her
god-speed in her endeavors to put herself in
the front rank of our commercial cities We
trust that she Will speedily be able to apply
some of her growing wealth 10 the development
OF the immense water power OF the Potomac
above this city. There is no good reason why
the Great Falls should not be the Lowell of Bal
timore, and at the same time contribute immeas.
nTaoiy to the wealth and prosperity of the Dis