Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-11-13
RAILROAD MEETING.
WASHINGTON AND THE WE
The London and Hampshfre Road
Advantages Of it's ExtensfOm-Saving
of Time and Distance.

the two boards and of citizens was held i'm the
Aldermen's chamber, City Hall, last night. to
hear an address from Hon. Lewis Mckenzie,
president of the Alexandra, Loudon and Hamp-
shire railroad in regard to the extension OF the
road to the Ohio river, thereby establishing a
direct communication between this city and the.
great West. Both boards were well REPRESENTED
and a number of business men were also pres
ent. Among those in the assemblage we're
Thos- l.. TullOck, Collector of Internal Revenue
for the Dl trict; Franek Taylor, S. ID. Castle
man, W. 5. Huntingdon, Col. II. TAYLOR. Mr..
Whitaker, of the Indian Bureau; Mr.. Fowler,
of the firm of Rittenhouse, Fowler & Co.: John
g. Adams, y. W. Burchell. j. Y. Davis. Henry
POlkinhorn, Aldermen knight, Davis, Baker,
Champhn, Emery and Clarke; Il. Williams,
President OF the Board Of Common Council, and
Councilmen Beall, DERRICK, Pardon, Burgess,
Nutter, Thompson, Mcknight and Piper.
Mr.. Pardon called the meeting to order; and,
on motion. Joseph Williams, President of the
Common Council, was called to the chair, who
stated the object of the meeting, and introduced
Mr.. Mckenzie, who addressed the meeting at
some length, stating that in the month OF Feb
ton on the same matter that called them together
tonight. The result of that meeting was a call
upon Congress by the Councils to ask permits
sion for the city TO subscribe towards the COM
pletion OF the Alexandria, Loudon and Hamp-
shire Railroad; but for some reason this permis-
sion was not granted. Why this aid was not ex
tended he did not know, but probably on ac-
count Of busy-bodies. He had hoped the city of
Washington would subscribe one million of dol
lars This was not large amount in their cor
pOTate capacity. The road had been constructed
forty EIGHT miles from Alexandria, and the COM
pany had two engineers at work selecting the
best route for its continuation. Washington
would he placed about ninety miles nearer the
great West by the completion OF this road.
1t was originally the intention to reach the Pied
mont cold fields but it is now thought best to ex-
tend II as national highway. Washington
would be benefited, and should aid the work.
Virginia has subscribed S1,1O0 600, and private
subscriptions had swelled the amount to 81, OOo-
600, which had been expended on the road. CON-
plants had been made against the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad as a great monopoly, but he
did not wish to complain against any rOad-there
was room enough for all. The distance saved
by the construction Of this road to the cities OF
the great West was recommendation enough. He
read a letter from Mr.. Marbury, from the Allie
ghany mountains, giving an account OF the pro-
gress Of the survey. Public debts are sometimes
public blessings, and he thought this one of those
cases. Mr.. Nick. then read paper giving the
distances saved when compared with other routes
as follows:
From Chicago to Washington, via Pittsburp
Fort Wayne, and Chicago, Pennsylvania Cen
trail, Northern Central, and Washington Branch
Of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, $40 miles.
From Chicago to Cincinnati, via Cincinnati and
Chicago Air Line, 296 miles. From Cincinnati
to Washington, via Alexandra, LOudOn and
Hampshire railroad, AS miles. Distance saved
by Alexandria, London and Hampshire railroad,
al miles. From Chicago to Washington, via
Pittsburg, Cincinnati, and st. Louis railroad to
Columbus, and Central Ohio Division of the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad, to Bellaire, and
Baltimore and Ohio railroad, to Washington
(present route y sis miles. The same by Metro,
POltan Branch, SO2 miles. From Chicago to
Washington, via Alexandria, Loudon and
Distance saved by the Alexandria Loudon and
Hampshire railroad over present rOute, u miles
Distance saved over the Metropolitan Branch, 81
miles.
From Cincinnati to Washington via Marietta
and Cincinnati and Parkersburg Branch of Bal
timore and Ohio Railroad, present route, y go
miles; from Cincinnati to Washington, via Me-
tropolitan Branch, $50 miles; from Cincinnati to
Washington, via Alexandria, LoudOun, and
Hampshire Railroad, AS miles. Distance saved
by the Alexandria, LOudoun, and Hampshire
Railroad over the present route, 13J miles, dis
lance saved over Metropolitan Branch, IS miles.
From Memphis to Washington, via Alexan-
dria, Lynchburg, Bristol, Knoxville, Chattanoo-
ga, &c, 934 miles; from Memphis to Washing
ton, via Alexandria, LOudOun, and Hampshire
Railroad to Point Pleasant, and TO Portsmouth,
Ohio, Paris, KY, Danville, Ky, and Cave CITY,
ington, via Cincinnati and Louisville, and Alex
andria, Loudoun, and Hampshire Railroad, $50
miles.
Washington should not be backward i'm view
Of these facts in giving aid to this work. The
city of Baltimore has S3 900 600 in the Balt-
more and Ohio road, and il was usual for cities
and States to aid in building railroads every
where. Nothing great can be done without eff
fort Alexandria had subscribed $3.50 900 to aid
The Orange and Alexandria road and $50 900 TO
he Manassas Gap road. The amount asked is
T.
len spot of Virginia would be opened up to this |
ity by the extension of this road-iOudon. |
lark and jefferson counties-and the saving i'm
he purchase of provisions alone would be i'm |
nense. Do away with this great monopoly. the
; Baltimore and Ohio ROAD, which is so objection
lble to Washington.
At the meeting In February last the Nayor |
sas plsasea 70 say that he would do everything I
y MS power TO aid TINS WORK. He {AIr. McK0 |
eslred immediate action, in view of the fact |
nat virginia expected to be admitted into the |
h mon this I'm winter The company proposed to
nd Cincinnati railroa. "a mat the citizens
'S MI Nave have som~. ..nng to feel pride in:
" ,brn read a resolution. ~.,;co he
.,,ed von,d be offered in the C.,y Councils, as
follows go Resolred, de-, That the committee
appointed to represent the interests OF this city
before Congress be requested to obtain from
Congress authority to subscribe to the capital
stock of the Alexandra, LOudOn and Hampshire
Company an amount not exceeding
~ coo COO to be applied to the extension of their
railroad westward of it5present terminus" He
hoped early action would be taken, and con-
Guided his address by appealing to the city to
Mi. NJ. G.. Emery asked what encouragement
the officers of the road had that the necessary
subscription could be raised.
Mr.. Nick. stated that capitalists had given
them the assurance that the subscription would
be taken, and a contract had been entered into
with responsible parties in Delaware for the
completion Of the road to Winchester, Va.
MT. dTuOH WucIC tuc COuncCtlou
would be made for branch road to this District.
Mr.. Nick. stated that the point would be at
the -Four Mile Bun, about four or i've miles
from this city.
Judge Wright, of this city, then addressed the
meeting. He felt deep interest i'm this road;
in fact he believed the salvation OF this city
depends son the completion of the road. The
Baltimore and Ohio road had been made for the
benefit of Baltimore; let this road be for the
benefit of Washington. The garden spot alluded
to by Mr.. Mckenzie was but a small affair when
compared to the great garden spot, the Great
West, which will be made accessible. There is
no reason why this city should not be a com
mercial city. If the same enterprise was mani
tested by our citizens as in New England COM
nunities, this District would support a pOpula-
ton of a million people. We must cut loose
from Baltimore. Great expectations had been
made on the Baltimore and Potomac road. He
warned the people of this District against it a
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad scheme to frus-
trate the railroad interests of this city.
He alluded to Governor Bowie's statement that
this road was being built more rapidly than any
road in the country, which he denied. The
Point of Rocks road will never be of advantage
TO this city, for the reason that it will never be
completed. We are to get no help from Mary
land, they will oppose all roads except those
subservient TO the city of Baltimore. The
subscription asked for should be taken at once
by this city, under the proper conditions. Our
taxes are very heavy now, but by subscribing to
the aid of this road he believed they would be
less in q reasonable time. He felt little oppO-
sition to Mayor Bowen-he thought If he had
given each Of the men who went to serenade
him the other night o pick and shovel and set