Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-09-07
The METROPOLITAN Railroad

seeing Is believing" and the party of wash
ing newspaper men and other citizens who yes
teTday went per invitation OF Mr.. Koontz up to
Rockville had ocular evidence that the long,
talkec-of Metropolitan railroad is a thing ac-
complished; certainly, up TO that village. We
have heretofore described the line Of this road,
and the observations of yesterday confirmed
what has been stated as to the character and
expense Of the work. In its path from the Point
Of Rocks to W ashingtOn it crosses water courses
and ridges, instead of following valleys as most
railroads do, and the consequence is that rather
heavy cuts and fills are required in succession
for most Of the route. or this work the bridges
at Rock creek and the Monocacy, and the cut at
PARIS ridge is the heaviest. When that about
the Monocacy Is completed, which is now prom
ised by the first of December, in season for the
opening of Congress, the through line from
Pittsburg to Washington ria Connellsville will
be put in operation, and We shall at last, after
eight years OF waiting, get whatever benefits
may result from shortening our connections
west forty-eight miles, and from bringing q
pretty large tract of fertile country in
direct communication with Washington.
The country traversed yesterday impressed
evey one as being much finer, both in soil and
picturesque features, than that upon any other
road leaving Washington, within the same
radius from the city. The ground is rolling and
elevated, affording . continuous succession of
fine sites for villas and cottages, and should the
railroad company afford proper facilities for
way travel it Is pretty certain that that district
will in a few years be fully occupied by country
residences. The road, so far as we went, appears
to be constructed solidly, and for q new road the
running is very smooth. The poorest portion is
that within the city limits, but this Is because
the rail of the old construction road has not yet
been replaced by new, as will soon be the case.
Mr.. Garrett has very wisely determined to bal
hast the road throughout with broken stone
instead OF gravel, and an excellent material has
been supplied to his hand by quarry struck
upon the line of the road not far from Rock
creek. The same quarry also supplies abund-
ance Of good stone tor sbutments, culverts, Sc,
so that it is quite certain the Metropolitan road
will, though tediously slow in building, be
safely solid when done.
The excuTsionists were favored with the COM
pany OF two gentlemen particularly well quail
fed to speak of the country passed through-the
venerable Francis p. Blair, and Joseph III.
Bradley, senior, and not the least interesting
feature of the trip was their "reminiscences,
local and national. We suspect that Silver
Spring is the real fountain OF perpetual youth
sought Tor by the explorer, Ponce de Leon. Here
was MIR. Blair act So, looking not q whit Oldsy
than ne ulu twenty-five years ago. and Mr.
Bradley, his neighbor farmer, has the same
nobility OF port, fire of eye, and force and grace
OF expression As when at the head OF the Wash
ington bar years ago, before his handsome sons,
worthy chips Of the old block, had risen to
mans estate to take his place.
AT Rockville there was some dpropos speech
making by Messrs. Bradley, Blair, Stewart,
KOontz, Florence, Arthur Shepherd, Pretty
man, and others, in which the mutual wish Of
city and country to know each better by means
of the Metropolitan road was happily expressed;
and then the train was headed for Washington,
returning in IS minutes running time, which
which was very well for fifteen miles over q new
road.