Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1871-01-14
A Great improvement.

There seems to be no limit to the energy and
enterprise Of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company. Think Of a railroad bridge costing
A million of dollarsl The result will be re-
duction Of time so as TO require but twenty
two hours between Baltimore and Cincinnati.
The other great enterprise Of securing the Pitts
burg and Connellsville road is still further
proof of theindOmitables piri, in charge. Pres
ident Garrett would have passed the Rocky
Mountains and reached the Pacific for half the
money expended by the Immigrant companies
The sutjuiued paragraphs will attract public
attention;
The massive and splendid iron bridge con-
Meeting the Baltimore and Ohio and Marietta
and Cincinnati Railroads, over the Ohio River
At parkershurg. was completed on Saturday
Ia, and the first engine passed safely over it
ON thas day. The bridge IS one OF the largest
anil most substantial in the country. Its
beisbt above low watcr-mark is ninety feet,
while lis length from shore to shore exceeds
four thousand one hundred feet. The two
centre or channel spans are each three hun
bred and fifty feet in length, aud tue entire
number Of spans is forty-two. The cost Of
completing the bridge exceeds one million dol
lars. By the completion Of this structure pas
sensers are conveyed directly through without
change Of cars. The time from Baltimore to
Cincinnati is reduced 10 about twenty-five
hours The Baltimore line thus becomes the
shortest, quickest and most direct line to and
from the Great West.
The bridge is open to regular travel and
traffic Baltimore San.
To-day an important event occurs. 1t is
the opening to travel Of the splendid railroad
bridge, Just finished across the Ohio river at
Parkersburg, West Virginia. BY this bridge
the eastern-bound travel from the Ohio valley,
anl from that direction indefinitely beyond,
will save the detection to Wheeling or the de-
tour to Pittsburgh, and may so directly east
to Baltimore, without the delay, hazard, and
frequent interruption, by food or ice, of fer
riase across the river
The completion Of the Metropolitan railroad
to Washington will bring through this city
nearly all travel bound from the middle belt
Of the West TO the Eastern cities, as the COM
pletion Of the bridge opens a direct pleasant,
'.t'A Ati~"tii AVtN VuteN APWtC iiptu NluNlu-
natl, by way of Marietta and Parkersburg, the
Baltimore and Ohio road between Grafton and
Point of Rocks, the Metropolitan road thence
TO Washington, which will then be in the most
convenient route to Baltimore for the immense
additional travel expected to come by the I'M
interrupted Marietta and Cincinnati road
From another line, soon, too. we are to have,
upon the completion Of the Metropolitan road
a large accession Of visitors and way paSscn-
gers stopping over one day here, unlike any
other way point, 10 see the National Capital.
The Pittsburgh and Connelsvile road is TO
be finished within this month, if the weather
occasions no delay. So directly do we stand
related to this road on the one hand, and all
northeastern destinations, including Baltimore,
on the other, that very proper suggestion has
been made to change the name Of it to Pitts
burgh, Washington and Baltimore railroad.
These improvements are matter Of congrat-
ulation to all classes Of our citizens Wash
iuCton is TO be the vestibule Of the great East
crn mart, where commerce. wealth, and enter
prise are consregated in all their varied forms
Of attraction.- Washington Patriot