The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-10-21
THE HGIS.
Bel .ln., Nd. Oct. 81. 1870.
Th3 Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and the City Of
Baltimore

terest To our readers, containing, as it does,
the gratifying intelligence that through
the instrumentality of our great Maryland!
work, the Baltimore and Ohio railroad,
our commercial metropolis, the city OF
Baltimore, in the prosperity of which, as
Marylanders, we feel so deep a concern,
will soon be brought into such close prox-
unity with the commercial centres of the
great W est as to enable Baltimore to sue
cessfully compete with New York for the
trade and traffic of those rich and produc-
tive regions comprising the valley of the
Mississippi, as we'll as that of the great en-
pire growing up between the Rocky Noun
tains and the shores of the Pacific:
Two most important enterprises for the
city of Baltimore, which are now rapidly
approaching completion, are the erection
of the bridges over the Ohio river, and the
construction of the Pittsburg and Con
nellsville Branch road. In themselves they
are valuable as atfording additional facili-
ties for travel and traffic, and as opening
up new regions to Baltimore trade. Yet,
as thCy arc lcaliJ pul
links in the immense development which
the powerful corporation which has its
terminus in Baltimore, and whose interests
are bound up with those of many of our
citizens and with that of the State itself,
is at no distant day destined to take.
The bridges over the Ohio are in them
selves connections from shore to shore,
which save the cost and trouble of trans
shipment. Yet, SO important is this, that
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad has
thought it a matter of economy to expend
100000 upon their construction. The
bridge at Parkcrsburg will be completed
within forty days and will at once furnish an
uninterrupted line of rail communication
between Baltimore and Cincinnati, as well
rs Columbus, and other interior towns in
Ohio. This line, as compared with North
crn trunk lines connecting with the sea-
board, is shorter than any other and can be
run ut less expense and in less time. In
other words Baltimore becomes at once
the cheapest port of export and entry for
large portion of southern Ohio and the
nearest large market for western purchasers.
Impressed with this conviction, and deter
mined to offer all facilities to travel as
well as trade, the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad has for several months past been
busily engaged in building and stocking
its road with tirst-cass passenger cars. To
these are to be added next month twelve
Pullman palace cars which will be put on
the line as soon as the Parkersburg bridge
is completed, four out of the seven river
spans already being secured upon the piers
The short link of road connecting the
Marietta and Cincinnati Road with Gin
cinnati will not be finished until next
summer. 1t is, however, but seven miles
long, and, by arrangements already exist
ing with another road, there will be no in
reference with the operations of tn
through route.
The Pittsburg and Connelsville Road
will in itself secure large additional trade
to this city. Already several lateral local
lines have been, and are being, connected
with it, which must act as important feed
ers to 1t. But, even more important tea-
ture in the completion Of this road is the
securing OF an uninterrupted line of COM
munication between Pittsburg and Chica-
go; and the Inauguration of measures
which must, within comparatively short
space of time result in the construction of
Il new and independent connection with
the Queen City of the West, of road hay
ing its terminus for the present in Illinois,
with lateral connections, feeding it from
the rich harvest fields which lie along and
between Lakes Erie and Michigan. I'm
pressed with the rapid growth of an i'm
mense trade which must speedily reward
the sagacity, and the perseverance which
promises finally to accomplish these desi-
rable results, every effort is being made
by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to
prepare for the increased business, which
must tax its carrying power to its utmost
The property known as Vests Wharf has
been purchased, and is being fitted up as
an interior city depot, directly in the midst
OF a large manufacturing and commercial
district. Goods will be received there,
sugars, coffee, canned goods and merchan-
disc OF every description, and loaded di-
rectly in the cars which will be transport
ted by barges lying along side the pier
now being built, to Locust Point, where
they will be placed at once on the main
track. Not only will every facility be thus
given to Baltimore freight, but large &C
commodations are also being provided for
the Western trade. The construction of
an immense elevator at Locust Point, which
will be completed by next summer will
give facilities for.the grain trade for sup
passing anything which Baltimore has yet
offered. Thus we see that finally Balti-
more is about to assume its place as a
great Atlantic seaport and to take that
rank among the cities of America to which
its geographical position and its natural
advantages so eminently entitle it. We
see, too, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
about to reap the fruit of its long and per-
seyering efforts, and to assume grand de-
velopement, far surprising anything that
even its most sanguine originators ever
prophesied for it, 1t becomes the main
stem from which will soon branch three
great trunk routes to the west, the north
west and the SOUTH routes which must
necessarily control business and travel, as
without through freight and passengers,
trunk lines cannot exist. Each of these
lines will be kept in check by competing
ones, whose Eastern termini are at other
seaports, so that the success ofthcse roads
depends upon their efficient administration
and their low rates. OF both of these we
are assured. OF the first, by the evidence
of long experience; and of the second by
an assured confidence in the sagacity of
the head which has been the directing and
controlling spirit, through which these i'm
portant and remarkable results have been
and ..ra boi,,or oooonnrliobo1