Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1873-11-29
MINING JOU RN IL.
j. Ii. ODER. Editor.
rROSTBURG, MD, NOV. 90, 1873.
Communicated
A New County-Addiitional Reasons Why
We Can and Should Have 1t.

JeCt, we VIII ulecouIse lultHeI upon
what may be deemed good reasons for
our expectation of recognition as a
county, at the hands of both the legis-
lature and the people of the State
To say simply that the industry of our
people and the staple product of our
fields have been identified, throughout,
with the prosperity and growth of the
State, would not be to express the
truth as it is. They have been, indeed,
beyond all measure, the foundation
upon which it built and upon which it
now stands, and, if we continue to be
equally prosperous, must rest for the
future. The iron arteries that now
course the State, directing and convey
ing the trade and travel to and from
Baltimore, its commercial centre, have,
with few exceptions, the most init
mate connection with, and dependence
upon, the development OF our mineral
lands. Without them, the Canal, too,
would never have existed, and to-day,
they are as essential to its existence as
food to the life of our bodies.
But few days ago, the people of
Baltimore county and city, of the
counties of Carroll, Frederick and
Washington, rejoiced and congratula-
led each other over the completion of
the Western Maryland Railroad to
Williamsport, because there it can
freight with Cumberland (?) coal,
without which, the people of the State
who own it, know they can realize lit
tie from their investments. This road,
it will be remembered, runs through
the richest agricultural counties in the
State and terminates in its metropolis
and yet draft upon our coal fields is
tho "s,ne qua non" of the enterprise.
Indeed, this was the great result aim
ed at in the beginning, and has been
its strong argument for funds, in its
difficulties, through the long period of
it's construction.
And with respect to the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad, the revenues of
the Main Stem, including the Win
chester and Potomac Winchester and
strasburg, Metropolitan, and Wash
ington County branches-from May
25th to Sept. 30th of the present year
-four months and one week.-Mrs.
81, 252, S45, (see President GARRETT
report of he 18th inst, at which late
for year, would be quite $50. 100000.
OF this amount quite $6,96l 500 (see
Sawards Coal Trade Crculao) is de-
rived from its shipments of coal from
Il es, mines. We supply it then with
the staple from which is made, within
fraction, one-ifth of the revenues it
receives from the Main Stem and
half dozen branches besides. And the
shipments, let it be remembered, of
zach year, greatly exceed those of the
former.
Is ii too much to say then, that this
source Of wealth which is afforded
here, is the backbone of their already
strong, extensive, and still extending
aystem of railroads the secret OF
their ability to now reach Cincinnati
on the Ohio, Chicago on the lakes, and
to stretch far down into Virginia a
great line Of road ? Or, would 1t even
be too much to say, that 1t Is the Sc
crct Of the credit Of this great corpo-
ration in Europe? Europeans have
little confidence in our railroad
schemes however hatteringly repre-
sented to them, as was evinced in the
case of the Northern Pacific Railroad,
of whose bonds they wouldn't have
one But Mr.. GARRETT of the Balli-
more and Ohio was enabled, a month
ago, to negotiate loan IN Europe of
$2OO0,0OU; and that, too, whilst
THOMAS A. SCoTT, the rail- DAD king,
there at the same time ana 1oI the
same purpose, returns home utterly
failing and sick at heart. And why
this? Because the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad commands the coal
trade of this region, which article to-
day is worth $l9 per ton in London
10 that they have to send but IU5, 900
tons in return for the loan and the
debt is paid. Our coal fields virtually
stand mortgaged to pay it, and with
out them as security, he would have
returned with no better success than
hi, great rival. Further, Mr.. GAR
RETT in his last report says:
THE apparently permanently enhanced
prices of coal in Great Britain continue to
cause transfer from its ports to Baltimore
Of extensive shipments tor South America
and the East and West Indies"
We here then learn new fact, viz
That European vessels must first come
to the port of Baltimore for their fuel
before they can sail on extended voy-
ages to different parts Of the world.
Truly, thon, no longer is cotton, but
coal is king. Mr.. GARRETT also says,
speaking Of the European line OF
steamships:
1T is already palpablc that the pressure
of the trade of Baltimore will far exceed
even this enlarged capacity, and that the
number of steamships for this import and
export trade, must, lat an early period, be
materially increased"
And now a hastily sketched picture
Of the result of the successful opera
tions of these great works as it con-
Germs, in this winter of the country
discomfort, the great body of people
that are engaged upon them. From
the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal work