Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-05-06
Metropolitan Branch Railroad.
formal Opening of the Line-1nspec,ion
Eourto Point Of Rocks and Cumbe,sand.
tReported for the Baltimore Sun 4


Metropolitan Branch! of the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad, extending from the national
capital forty-two miles to the Point of Rocks.
on the Main Stem of the road, an excursion
party set out from Washington Yesterday aft
ternoon over the new line of road, with view
of inspecting its track, bridges and other
work, and thence pass up to Cumberland. and
to some extent into the coal region
By this branch road Washington city Is nut
in direct communication with the entire West
by short line, without changes or break of
connection, the whole system of roads
owned or controlled or in utilization with the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and thus has all
the advantages without cost to itself of over
$4,000, 600 of capital, which Baltimore and
Maryland, throughth citizens, the State and
municipal governments, have invested in the
great works which have mainly contributed
to the present prosperous condition of Balti>
more. From the fact that the excursion was
intended for Washinstonians bnt few persons
from Baltimore were invited to participate in
the same. and those who did go from this CITY
were principally officers of the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad and members of the press.
Tie Start from Baltimore.
A train, consisting of President CARROTS
car, Road Master Wilson's car, Master of
Transportation Sharp's car, new aud splen>
did passenger car, and commissary car,
Quilted Camden Station at l P. NJ. precisely,
and arrived at Washington at p NJ The
train was in charge of Captain J. Peck Duke
hart, who is always detailed for extraordinary
occasions. The officers of the road who were
on the train were-Wm. Keyser, second vice
president; Thomas r. Sharp, master of trans
portation ; John l.. Wilson, master of road
Frederick Mantz, supervisor of trains; Ed
ward Potts, private secretary to President
Garrett; p. p. cambridge assistant engineer,
U. +. McCulloh, chief clerk in the transpor>
tation office.
The train ran through TO Washington with.
out any stoppages. wishing along at such a
rate of speed that houses and telegraph poles
glided by like knotted string. It was the
general remark of the excursionists while en-
route to Washington that they never passed
over smoother or better balasted road than
they were thea upon there was an absence
of the annoying jolts and unpleasant grating
or sounds usually attending travel on most
railroads. In fact the road from Baltimore TO
Washington may we'll be termed the .smodel
road of the country, as everything that skill.
foresight and lberality could suggest has been
employed by the company on the Washington
Branch
The Start from Washington.
At P. NJ. Captain Dukehart shouted call
aboard, and in twinklng the Washingto-
mans who had met the train at the depot at
Washington entered the train, and in a mo-
ment afterwards the cars passed upon the
rails of the Metropolitan Branch. Among
the Washington notables were Cen W. Il.
Sherman. of the armies of the United States:
Col. Andenreid, chief of staff; Gen Heiutzle
man, Gen. Porter, of the United States en-
gineer corps; Gen. Humphrey, engineer
Commodore w. Reynolds, Commodore Rogers.
Commodore Amnon, Gen. Morgan l. Smith,
Gen. Magrudcr, Gen. George G. Gideon. Col.
w. G. Moore, Hon. Richard Harrington.
United States district attorney, Hon. Ma,
thaniel Fnyitt, Hon. j. w. Boteler lion. Z.
il. 1lulme, Senator Sargent, OF California: J.
D. IEiltz, Swiss consul general; J. s Bar
hour, president of the Orange Alexandra and
Manassas railroad a. r. Sheppard, s. p
Brown. Adoiph Cluss, of the Washington
board of public works, and representatives of
the Washn.t'n. Philadelphia, New York and
Boston press. in all sixty five persons, which
with those from Baltimore. swelled the party
to upwards Of one hundred
On tie Metropolitan Branch
In order that the excursionists might have
ample opportunities to view the new line of
road. its bridges and stations the train was
run at moderate rate OF speed, and at times
many of the excursionsts alightcd and cons
versed with farmers who were collected,at the
stations, The first point of interest visible
along the line was deep cut five miles from
Washington the soil of which will prove valu,
able to manufactures of terra Gotta ware
The clay abounds in great abundance in this
locality. and a pottery is abont being started
at Washington for the manufacture of terra
Gotta ware. The "Slver Snring." distant
seven miles from the capital. the home Of the
Blair family. attracted considerable attention
from the pleasure seekers, but 10 halt was
made at this place, Rock creek. distant ten
miles from Washington. is crossed by bridge
$50 feet in length, and the rails are seventy
feet from the stream. In good time this stream
will be spanned by a Bollman iron bridge. and
the ravine on each side filled in After leav-
ing Rock creek the country is more rolling
than is encountered near Washington. but in
no instance is the land billy that it cannot
be easily worked with the pillow. The soil is
rich and yields abundantlv in wheat and corn
Prominent Station.
Boyd's Station, situated twenty seven miles
from Washington, is one Of the most promi-
nent on the line of the road 1t is delights
fully located. and takes its name from Mr..
James A. Boyd, q wealthy railroad contractor.
whose early Gays we're employed in construc>
ting railroads in South America Mr.. BOYD
has had much to do with the construction of
the Metropolitab Branch road. having sntis-
factorily filled several contracts for MANY of
its heaviest sections
Il Magnificent Iron Bridge:
Spanning Monoccacy river, is a noble iron
bridge of the Bollman pattern, and made at
the Mt Glare shops This beautiful piece of
mechanism Is 700 feet in length and is sus-
pended 96 feet from the water 1t is of four
spans, three being 200 feet each in length.
and the other 100 feet in length It is pro.
vided with double tracks, and cost sl2O. 900
There is another bridge, or rather trestle
work, which attracted considerable attention,