Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-12-03
THE RAILROAD MEETING.

The report of the Railroad Committee made
to-day 10 the adjourned meeting :. and adopted,
looks like business. L. blocks ont in a mat
ter OF fact way the work 10 De omplishei
sets forth with precision the evils under which
We labor. and points out practical cure for
them. This is what we need. Frothy decla-
msIon and vague generalization will do MOTH
ing for Us. We want facts, and plan of action.
1t Is proposed 20 apply TO Congress for char
ters t. build tour lines of railroad radiatng from
Washington city. The first is 'the National
Railroad North, to intersect with the Northern
Central near York and the Penn
sylyania Central al a point east of Harrisburg.
This, in the opinion ofthe Committee. would
make frst-clsss road 20 New York city, (ri1
Allentown route,) and TO Philadelphia, (ri1
Pennsylvania CENTRALLY II will be but few
miles longer than the present route, (ria BaIti
more and wilmington and, OWING to the fac,
that il does net pass through Baltimore. or
around the suburbs of Philadelphia and will
b. free from long stretches Of dangerous trestle-
work, il can be run in less time and at less
cost. II would also make the best connections
with Plttsburg. Buffalo, the west and north.
west. and in short would be the truuk-Iine TO
the national capital from all the northern and
northwestern States.
Next Is The National Railroad SOUTH TO
connect with the Loudon and Hampshire and
Virginia Central railroads, at a point so as to
reach Cincinnati, Louisville, and ST. Louis by
much shorter route than any one now In USE
The committee hold that if this road was
opened. the price Of farm products would be
reduced in our market at least twenty per
cent; and, as both roads contemplated reach
the finest coal fields in the world, their con-
struction would ST once red uce the cost of that
article to consumers here.
A third line is proposed to Point Lookout to
be known as the National Chesapeake Railroad;
and fourth 10 the nearest eligible point on the
Chesapeake Bay, TO be known as the National
Transportation Company. The two latter
routes would open up large portion of Mary
land now without railroad facilities, enabling
us TO exchange our goods for rhe much needed
market supplies of that rich district and d Ut
ting US On a short line of access TO deep water
Navigation.
The array Of facts presented By The COM
InIttee In regard to the exactions made by the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad upcn the United
States, on the people visiting the capital, aud
for frelghts sent to and from Washington ia
very strong, and abundantly sustaIns the COM
plants made by our citizens heretofore in the
same connection The Important fact Is here
developed that most OF these exactions are
made by the company without the shadow of
legal right II Is shown that the charges OF
freight On hardware from England here are
less for three Thousand miles of ocean trans
pCrtatiOn than for thirty mine miles of railroad
transportation from Baltimore to Washington:
also that the charges from Chicago 10 Balti
more, on parcel OF freight cal! the way by
rail- are less than the charges IN and from
BALTIMORE - Washington: also that freights
are taken from Baltimore to points in Viz
CipI@
more. passing through Washington, a. less
rates than 10 ard from Washington,
The Committee, in summing up, come to the
very jus: conclusions that if the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad would carry freight and pas.
sengers as required BY its charter; II il would
connect with the Northern Central and other
roads upon principles of business and fairness:
If the FONT Of Rocks Road and the Baltimore
and Potomac were finished, srill we would de-
n.and the privilege 10 build other roads to give
outlets north, south, east, and west