The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-09-08
Tho Railroad 10 the Point Of Rocks.

Inc ROCKVILLE sentinel puOilbHtb an interest
Ing correspondence between A. b. Davis, esq,
of Montgomery county, Maryland, and Mr..
Benjamin II. Lstrobe, consulting engineer of
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, in relation
to the construction of branches of said road
from Point of Rocks to Washington city via
Rockville, and to Baltimore city via Laurel
Mr.. Davis, in a letter to Mr.. Latrobe, dated
July q, 1865, refers to a former communication
Of his, written several years since, upon the
advantage and importance to the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad, and the public, OF an early
construction Of a branch road from the Point
OF Rocks through Montgomery county, Nd,
to the Laurel Factory, on the Washington
branch road. In that letter he ventured the
opinion that in the location of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad up the narrow and tortuous
valley OF the Patapsco, and over the high point
Of Paris Ridge At Mount Airy-a name signif-
"had made a mistake" and that the route
through Montgomery county would be found
considerably shorter, OF much lower grades,
and OF large, safe, and easy curvature-thus
securing a higher rate OF speed, with perfect
safety to passengers and greater capacity for
burthen trains than 1t was possible to obtain
in the narrow and winding valley of the Pa
tApsco. To this may aOw be added much fewer
culverts and bridges, aud perfect freedom from
the danger and damage of parallel water
courses.
Mir. Davis then says, In reference to the re.
cent freshet: "Strongly as these views were
then impressed upon my mind from being an
eyewitness to the sudden rise In the Patspsco
on Friday last, and seeing the i'm mediate effect
In stoppage OF trains and arresting travel and
transportation, with such disastrous results as
followed, the correctness OF these views re-
tion. Al the point at which l reached the
road on my way to Baltimore, Hoods Mills,)
as wide perhaps as any other point the whole
valley, from hill to hill, was in little more
than thirty 1907 minutes completely filled with
the resistless and roaring torrent, submerglng
the road to the depth Of many feet, defying all
distinctions, and madly and furiously carry
Ing of all before 1t, including BRIDGES culverts,
platforms, houses, mills, and even large iron
car, weighing over 10000 pounds, resting on
the side switch, and apparently far out OF the
the waters subsidized that the extent OF dam.
age to the road could be seen and asoertained.
As far as could be heard, both up and down.
the damage was as great, il not greater, than
where stood, and the papers Of to-day more
than conhrm for thirty-hve miles this sad pic
tuTe OF ruin and destruction. Could an ac-
alterations, improvements, and repairs In this
narrow and serpentine valley for the last
thirty.elght years, to say nothing of the pres
entertain not the shadow Of doubt II would
show a sum not more THAI sufficient to have
built the Laurel route through this county,
for which ample Liquidation has been so gen.
eTously accorded to the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad, but which thus far has only provoked
spasmodic efforts, and caused tantalizing hopes
in our people, and offered heslthful and in
MIGRATING held OF practice aud amuseme Mt for
the junior members OF the eng ineering corps OF
the company.
Looking TO the character of its charter, II
being perpetual, consequently the long life be-
fore the company; to its large and rapidly in.
creasing business in the transportation Of
freight and passengers; to the great improve
ments In construction and machinery, and the
active competition both North and South In
other lines of railroads, 1t does seem TO my
unprofessionsl observation that 1t is not the
part OF wisdom persistently to adhere to what
experience has proven to be so bad, expensive
and dangerous Vocation as that adopted when
railroads were in their infancy, and wnen its
euterpFising and patriotic founders had not
the lights and experience of the present day to
row and seFpentine gorges into which their
want Of experience uRwisely led them. Par
ticularly Is this unwise when nature, legisla-
ton, safety, economy and the wants of the
people all combine and offer and afford
shorter, safer and cheaper rOute.n
Mr.. Latrobe replies, August o: "Your let
ter Of the Goth ultimo has been forwarded to
me here, and while take pleasure In express.
ing my entire concurrence in the views II so
the route you describe, am glad to saw that,
at All interview with Mr.. President Garrett
since the late disastrous flood in the valley OF
the PatapBcO, | was informed by him that the
line referred to was being actually located. i
have only to express the hope that its con-
structiOn may not be long delayed, for the COR
siderable shortening Of distance, easier curves,
the main line of trade and travel to the West
from Baltimore as well "a Washington, the
branches to each city meeting at GAitheFsburg,
about half way between the Point Of Rocks,
and either Washington on the one hand, and
the Laurel Station on the other"