Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-08-14
BALTIMORE AND rorenAc RAILROAD.



The late camp-meeting at JacksOn's Grove,
Anne Arundel county, Md, was on the line Of
the Baltimore and Potomac railroad, IL miles
north Of its junction with the Annapolis and
Elkridge railroad, and about miles east OF
Annapolis Junction. The representative Of THE
STAR az that camp accepted the invitation Of
ton train, b. & p. r. r., TO take ride over that
road on Monday morning last, and the construc-
ton train took on board at that time, At the
{. Dulin and Richard willett. OF washington.
and several others, including the STAR man.
who all took seats on the ties with which the cars
the country. The signal was given, and the
train rapidly moved backwards towards Balti-
more, passing over q substantial stone culvert
camp ground,l and then through three light
cuts and over as many filings, making but one
or two devistions from straight line, and these
by curves OF very great radii 10 that portion Of
THE TRAcK-IAYERs
were then at work. This point was over 81
miles north of the camp ground and about !
miles north of the Annapolis railroad, and within
about 2 miles OF the Patapsco, across which
stream substantial bridge is being constructed.
Here We found Mr.. George Il. Baldwin, Of the
firm Of Baldwin Brothers, of Washington, who
have the contract for laying the entire road
Iabout 30 miles, including that portion from
had at work gang of thirty men, which would
seem TO be small number, but experience has
shown that greater number Of men cannot be
laying the ties and track These men have been
Wen drilled in tie and track LAYING. the partv
pelng diYided into gangs OF three and six, and
eS Sins one Is ned particular duty The ties
Of cypress, chestnut and oak, and are much
larger than usual, averaging IS feet each,
board measure-6R cubic feet. These ties
each 80 feet-the length Of the rails.
The greater the curve the larger number Of oak
ties are put in The ties being laid and the level
rods applied the rails are pushed forward on a
hand car and laid in place, and the spike drivers
follow. binding them TO the ties. The rails are
the pattern and, az stated before; are in 50
They are the heaviest in this section of the
joints, unlike those of other roads are not made
directly on the ties, but always come between
them. They are made by plates OF iron being
bOlted on either side of the rail, three bolts being
used at each end 1t is claimed that there viii
be no working loose Of the joints where this
method Of jointing is adopted and that It pre-
vents the jolting so common with roads where
the joints are made on the ties.
THE BRIDGES.
Leaving the camp ground again on Thursday
morning last, Captain Withers' train-or rather
Jerry Sweeney's engine-was boarded by THE
STAR reporter at the junction, just as IL was
about to leave for the Big Patuxent, where the
Ktystone Bridge Company is erecting a sub
stantial Howe truss bridge. On the engine Mr..
Thomas Franklin, civil engineer, received TIM
=
asked for in reference to the work Leaving the
made by the two roads, the train was under
full headway Tor the Patuxent, passing through
a small cut and one of near 20 feet, when Rogue
Harbor branch-two miles south Of the A. & f.
X. R-was crossed on a new Howe bridge of IS
feet span, the floor Of which was about 20 feet
above the bed of the stream Half a mile south
OF Rogue HarbOr, after going through a cut Of
20 feet and over an embankment OF nearly the
same height, we passed over the
LITTLE PATUXENT BRIDGE,
which Is OF the same description that over
Rogue Harbor branch. Ii is a substantial struC-
tuTe, built of heavy timbers, well tied with iron
bolts, and is in one span of $50 feet. Here we
found number OF men with horses and carts,
under the superintendent of gravel boss
taking from the stream load after load Of clean,
white gravel, with which at least a portion Of
the road win be ballaste1, and dropping two
cars to be laden with gravel, the train sped on
towards the Big Patu2ent. After leaving one
OF two small cuts and filings behind,
THE DEEP CUT,
through what is known as the Summit, is en-
countered. This is the highest point between
the two rivers, Little and Big Patuxent, and the
average depth Of the cut in a stretch OF 500
yards is q feet. Leaving this cut, an embank-
ment of an average height of 80 feet extends TO
THE BRIDGE OVER THE BIG PATUxEST,
and the base of this embankment being in
swampy land heavy timber was used TO secure a
solid foundation. Here we found Mr.. Liben-
good, superintendent for the keystone Bridge
Company, at work with his men on the south
span of the bridge, and foot passengers were
This bridge, although a wooden structure, will be
one Of the strorg st in this sect OF the country
IL is in two spans of $50 feet each, and the abut-
ments and pier are built Of granite. The Big
Patuxent at this point is only about half rs wide
as the bridge is long, but the banks are low and
heavy rains cause sudden freshets. Itwas there
fore deemed advisable not to impede the flow by
an embankment too near the borders of the
stream This bridge IL was expected to complete
on Saturday last, and the wOrkmen were TO 20 70
other points on the road TO erect other bridges
THE FRUIT TRADE ALREADY coMMENCRp.
The civil engineer and his assistants left the
train at this point and started on foot for Hunt
ington, distance OF little over two miles,
where the junction Of the main road with the
Washington branch will be made. After view
| ing the work for short time, the orders were
given call aboard" for the return, and there
being no turn-table near the engineer was com
PEELED TO back his train. On the return several
halts were made for the purpose Of taking in
cantelopes, wateImelons, peaches and ap1les
as also a number Of dead-head passengers and
in due time we reached the camp ground.
DELIVERY OF MATERIAL.
Capt. Withers has with him a crew of twelve
or fifteen robust young men, experienced rail
readers, as also engine No. 50, of the Pennsylys-
MIA Central Railroad, in charge Of Mr.. Jerry
Sweeny. The material (ties and iron) is brought
up from Annapolis, where the iron from Allen
town and the ties from the Eastern Shore mostly
are landed y and Capt. Withers attends TO its
delivery at the places where wanted. At the
junction with the Annapolis and Elkridoe rail-
road two switches have been placed, which NAV
be use TO enable an engine TO change position.
PROGRESS OF THE TRACK LAYING.
MI. Baldwins men are now laying the track
at the rate Of nearly two miles per week but as~
soon as they complete it TO the bridge over The
Patapsco they will return to the Big Patuxent
and make all possible despatch towards WASH
mgton, and when they reach Huntington they
VIII probably double their force. AT apy rate
preparations are being made for bringing down
another engine TO the work. and il is likely thsf
IN Few weeks regular ballast train viii
commence work. "
Although that portion Of the country north Of
the A and z. II. X, is known as
PINEY WOODS, $50
snd has hitherto been regarded as a very poor
section Of the State, the fine peaches, water
melons, cantelopes and other fruits placed on |
the train, as also the appearance Of the corn,
shows that II Is not so poyerty-stricken a coun-
Try as has been generally believed. The country
SET ms to be inhabited altogether by relatives
and when party Is called by any other name
than cousin % and g" he Is looked on As the |
stTangest kind Of stranger.
Although the road u yet incomplete, not |
being ballasted,
THE CARS RUN VERY SMOOTHLY,
and there IL much less joiting than on some older
roads. The construction train, drawn by
Sweeny 8 engine, has been run ON it st the rate |
OF Is miles per hour. - = 4
Mr.. Baldwin expects to have the Inc % wash
ington - n |
COMPLETED By DECEMBER,
and from the manner in which Mr. Franklin
fal Ma Sxrsu haar ~.