Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-07-01
THE PITTsBCRGH. WASHINGTON
AND BALTIMORE RAILROAD.
TEE OPENING

Inc celebration of the opening OF the Balti-
more and Pittsburgh railroad, which has been
gong on for a couple of days in the shape OF An
excursion tripof Baltimoreans (mainly) over the
road to this city and all sorts of ''ovating" here
TO the visitors, culminated tonight in a monster
banquet at the City Han. Speeches were made
tonight by President Garrett, Reverdy john
son and the brothers Latrobe lawyer and en-
gineer) or the part of Baltimore and by Prcsi-
dent Hughart of the Connellsville and Pits
burgh road, and Others ON behalf OF the western
slope of the AHeghanics, in which speeches there
was good deal of mutual cOngratulation over
the opening OF the road and ''the restoration OF
the ancient bonds of friendship and business re-
latiOns between Baltimore and Pittsburgh
Mr.. Garrett improved the occasion b give his
old adversary or the Pennsylvania road some
sharp digs and naturally INDUCED in a pretty
loud crow Of triumph over the victory achieved.
He hsd some icause to do 80, for the fight has
been severe and prOtracted. And the tremen-
dous efforts made by the Pennsylvania company
TO defeat the Baltimore Pittsburgh line in the
Pennsylvania Legislature and in the courts
showed that they disliked exceedingly, even II
they did not greatly dread it, to have Mr.. Garrett
effect Judgement at Pittsburgh on their own
ground.
The New Road.
The new road is, therefore, substantial tri-
umph for Garrett and Baltimore, but though IL
win materially benefit Baltimore and Pitts
burgh from the start, it win be many years, IL
ever, before il viii be a real rival TO that most
admirably equipped and managed road, the
Pennsylvania Central. 1t is at present, of course
very much in the rough, and has only single
trackofiron rail. The Brook Tunnel, of LOO
feet, has not been completed, and an assisting
engine IL required to pull the trains over it at
grade Of 300 feet to the mile, When this tunnel
is finished, however, the grades on the road
win be very favorable, the highest going west
being ts0 feet to the mile; and going east-the
direction OF heavy travels but 30 feet 30 the
mile. This against lie feet to the mile (going
vest where the Baltimore and Ohio road crosses
the Alleghanies, and % feet upon the Pennsyl-
vania road where il crosses the same mountains
in the same direction. There are two other tun-
nels, the heavy one at Sand Patch, 800 feet in
length, and the PinkertOn tunnel, Of 900 feet.
Sixty miles Of the road at the western, OF Pitts
bureh end was finished and put in operation be-
fore the war, making business solely for that
city, one-sided arrangement not exactly salts
factory 10 Baltimore that had furnished the
money 10 build II. The war INTERRUPTED the
construction of the road, and the time having
expired within which it was to be completed
under the charter from Pennsylvania the
watchful rival company in that State sought to
vacate the charter, but failing TO do that-the
courts holding that the delay was unavoidable
in consequence of the war-the PENNSYLVANIA
men procured the repeal Of the charter by the
Legislature. The Pennsylvania courts decided
the repeating act unconstitutional. Then the
Pennsylvania company got the Governor to s.
sue writ Of quo pdrrdntO which, however, did
not stick, and Garrett finally secured his right
of way, and has just got the road in oper-
alton. But, as above stated, a good deal
has to be done to put 1t in full run
ming order. The rock cuttings, now admit
ting only of single track, will be widened
extensive sidings will be laid which will ultimate
~ grow to a double track, and at the same time
the iron rail will be replaced with steel rail. An
extensive rolling mill capable Of turning ont IS
tons Of rail per day, has been put in operation at
Cumberland to supply material for a frst-class
track. Cumberland, by the way, is sure to be
greatly benefited by the road, and the indica-
tons OF new life there are apparent. The Balti-
more & Ohio Company is building large rail-
road hotel at Cumberland at cost Of s159 600
showing a disposition to follow the example Of
the Pennsylvania company IN having It's own
hotels AS a general thing, these railroad COM
pany hotels, such as that at Altoona on the Penn
sylvsnia Central, and those at Laramie and
Cheyenne on the Union Pacific road, are great
improvements in character and management 30
the run OF railroad hotels. 1t Is pretty certain
that Garrett cannot supply a worse one than the
present concern at Cumberland
How CoDpetisiSn ReAaees Freights.
II is an encouraging fact for Washington in
view ofthe prospect Of having competing lines
Of road to our city, that the opening Of this new
road TO Pittsburgh has already resulted in re-
duction in the cost Of transportation between
49, ID. 80
cent! On petroleum, the charges of freight
have decreased from s1-35 to 90 cents per barrel,
more than 10 per cent?
Front View Of n Railroad King.
When JohnW. Garrett rose tonight 10 re.pond
TO the toast to him, the banqueters left their
seats at the various tables in the immense hall
and gathered about the speaker in a crowded
circle, after the manner In which mem
bers crowd around a prominent speaker in
Congress. Mingled with the interest to hear
what Mr. Garrett had TO say about the new road
was evidently strong curiosity to see the much
talked-about Railroad King. They saw short.
plump individual, of PickwicLdan amplitude at
the waistband, with an overplus of neck topping,
a modest black tie, Dubious forehead, bald
head iringed with white hair and tufts OF white
side whiskers, and round face, To which a pecu-
liarly child-like innocence is given by colOrless
NIcele9aH CoInplcAlOn anu Inllu due eyes
Not face likely to belong to a hard, resolute
railroad potentate If there Is any truth in physi-
Ogncmyt MIR. Garrett is 81 years old, looks 20 at
the roof OF his head, and 30 in the face. Like
Greeley, whom he resembles in face he does not
smoke, chew, or drink. He has the reputation
of being affable, and sngularly even tempered
under all the fret and strain of his varied and
widespread business operations. Whether he
swears a little like Greeley in bland way is not
known to me. Perhaps he does under peculiar
proyocations, a. for instance some aggravating
trick Of Tom SCOTS in turning up Jack at
q close point in the game.
The Metropolitan Railroad.
And now the question comes up as to how far
Washington Is to be benefited by the new road
to Pittsburgh. When the Metropolitan Road is
completed the rail connection between w Ashing-
ton and Pittsburgh will be reduced to sol miles.
or q miles less than between Pittsburgh and
Baltimore. The time between Pittsburgh and
Washington Will also be reduced 70 twelve hours.
The Metropolitan road from Washington To Point