Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1869-04-28
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad The
Bridges.


Parkersburg. An effort is being made t
induce Congress and the Ohio Legislature
10 pass laws requiring R1ilroad Compa
nies to erect all bridges FIVE hundred fee,
span; but we believe that Congress ha.
fixed four hundred feet span as the mini
mum, and number of bridges at differ
enl points on the River are being erected
under this legislation We do not believe
that bridge of FIVE hundred feet span
can be constructed substantial enough ir
permit the passage over il of such trains
as run on the Baltimore & Cincinnati
Railroad. J.W, GARRETT, President o. h
baltimore & Ohio Railroad, at meeting
Of the directors of the road held few
days agO, made an interesting speech on
the subject, from which we extract tht
following:
THE OHIO BRIpoEe.
A large amonnt of prepa ratio hos con
tinued to be made Of the work for tn,
Ohio River bridges, and the expenditure,
of these structures now exreed $500 900
As the Board is aware, M attack was
made during the last session of Congress
upon the plan for the channel spans oi
these bridges.
twill be remembered that the bridges
at Bellair and at Parkersburg are being
constructed under an act OF Congress
passed in 1882 under which the Steuben
vile bridge, which is used by the Pcnnsyl
vania Road and connections, WAS also
built. Tha. bri lge remains, and has mo-
been practically attacked by those WIN
assume that the navigation Of the river
will be interfered " tn by the bridges oi
the Baltimore and Quo Company. Under
the &C, of 1862 The water way between the
channel piers is required TO be not less
q han three hundred feet. The Steuben
vile bridge was so imperfeotIy construct
d. the piers having such insecure founda.
tions, that ia order to main ain them
twenty feet Of rip rapping on each side Of
each pier was required, so that the water
way has been reduced to 26O instead oil
800 feet, ap required by law.
That b idge Was also constructed in y
bend Of the river where the water W q
crook d and where there were serious
difficulties in navigation, irreJpe etive OF
the structure itself. The bridges plann ell
by the Baltimore and Ohio Company hav.
been located not only in straight water
but where, for half a mile above and be
lev each site, there is direct current
thus preventing the difficulties which
arise from crooked water, which exists
wherever the river curves The BAlti
more and Ohio Company also, instead Of
attempting TO place It's piers upon tn
bottom of the rivsr, with little or nj
foundation, has, at greG. cost and thus
far urder great difficulties, arising prin
cipaiy from the frequent rises of the river
during the last season, which destroyed
or damaged seriously and repeatedly it's
Golfer dams constructed its piers with
an average depth Of foundation Of eleven
feet, thus making them 80 substantial
that when constructed ihs superstruotures
can be placed upon the piers, aud tn
bridges be BafO.wi,hout resorting to rip
rappiDg.
Under these circumstances the company
represented 10 the committee Of the House
If Representatives and the Senate that II
was unjust and unreasonable because the
Fennsylvania RAILROAD Company violated
the law that the Baltimore and Ohio CNm
pany should not be permitted 10 carry out
its plans in slrict compliance with the
law The company also instead Of Sc
Letting locations where the water was
shallow, selected pools, so as to give this
additional protection TO naVigat ion. IN
der these circumstances, after repeated
presentations of the facts, the company
succeeded In reScuing its rights from the
perils which were threatened.
In this. in most other cases involving
adverse legislation the efforts were in-
spired chiefly by rival railway interests
The company in in a position, fortunately,
TO proceed with those great works-WOrks
which are Of vast Importance to the coun
try ss well as TO the Baltimore and Ohio
Railwiy and its connections II Will
fore be the policy the West by efforts
10 cut off the Baltimore aud Ohio road
from some of its natural connections, YET
during the past month Of March, with the
rel tions that the company has been able
TO maintain, and others which II has i'm
proved, while the revenue Of tho main
stem and branches, in March, 1858, was
S7l859l CT and the revenue for the llst
month of March, 1869, proved to be 1896
494 86-thus showing an increase tor thai
month of $2l7 9O3 Is This exhibit proves
that the policy of the Baltimore and Ohio
company has not been erroneous in decl
ing TO fasten upen itself, at prodigious
cost, during period Of extraordinary
and excitement additiona,
western connections,
The Pennsylvania road hss deemed II
proper to make an agreement with sin
tle association OF financially weak roads
west Of Columbus by Whioh ii agrees TO
pay annually the sum Of seven per nj
IN $40, 900 900 Of debt, viz: 81 100000 u
ear and the supposition has been in
lulRed that the Baltimore and Ohio Com
pany might be cut OF by such arrange
nent but the rover Of the Baltimorc
,pd Ohio road havingso streng thened ana
'nlarged the business Of the city OF Bal
imOre enables II 10 o0mmanu such
business for the Wes. that upon the prin
,iplo Of reciprocity, on which IL acts, it "a
position TO command business from
he West by ssufficieut number Of salts
ac'ory and desirable routes.
PIrrtDuRa AN D coENELLsvILLB ROAD.
. The work upon tho Pittsburg and Cor
ellis vile road |, progre ssing sa satisfactorily
md II 10 proposed 10 place, At an early
lay, al the remaining sections unde
contract. No effort will be spared to open
his invaluable and powerful line at IN
EARLIEST practicable period That compa
" continues TO dispose Of ts seven pc
'ent, frat mortgage bonds at ninety pc
,eut, II is hoped that capitalists wi
continue to invest largely in this desira
lie eeouri.y.
10 meet ths requirements Of funds for
he important works ia progress, the Bal
imore aud Ohio Company is no " furnish
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