Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-07-18
LY IS. 1878.
Our XaShlngfnn Letter..
THE GROWTH AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE CAP
IrAL- THE NEW RAILROAD LINE TO
WASHINGTON.
WAsuIScTox n n Jnlv II 1874

WASHINGTON, ID. c., July III, 1878.
To the Editor Of the Free Press and Times
Washington, whatever may be thought of
Its rate of moral progress, is in the material
sense most emphatically a growing city.
| remember the Washington of 1861 with
its wretched, unpaved, dirty streets, its
dingy houses widely strung apart, its gen
eral air of having been inhabited for years
by people essentially southern in the
slOyenliness and shiftliness of their outward
civilization. saw it again in 1866; i'm
inensely improved in appearance. for five
years of Yankee rule had opened many OF
its dark places to the light, and yet the
energy expended had been mostly millt-
airy vigor practical for military ends.
1t has been the sure, steady work OF
the last seven years of peace that has en-
HANGED the beauty of Washington by clean
ing and paving its streets, opening new
avenues, charging and smoothing the old
time ways of travel, until the ancient sar-
casms directed at Washington and its local
discOmlorts of condition and situation have
lost much of their former unpleasant truth.
So greatly improved is the city that the idea
of ever removing the capital seems to be
abandoned; very many Senators are build
ing fine houses at various eligible spots
in the line of improvements, and two years
will not have elapsed before Washington will
rank as one of the handsOmest cities Of
the Republic.
The increase and extension of the old
lines of railroad connections, and the estab-
lishment Ofnew, has already done much for
Washington, and promises to do more in
the future, as it is only within ten days
that a new route Of travel between New
York and Washington known as the
Pennsylvania Air Line, has been opened
to the public. As this line l. one in which
the people of New England and New York,
travelling to the South or Southwest. are
deeply interested, and as have a yet seen
no statement in your paper Of It's advan-
tages over the Baltimore and Ohio, and the
Philadelphia and Washington connection
that has 50 long IN the absence Of perfect
competition been the tyrant Of the public in
its disdain of decent comforts; its slow
dragging Of its cars through Baltimore by
horses, and the consequent tedious delay,
will briefly state the facts for the benefit Of
your readers.
1t is only after struggle of years that
this rival line has been successfully
pushed to Washington. The late Thad-
deus Stevens will long be remem-
bered for his indomitable, unhinching
advocacy of the largest human liberty.
lie instinctively hated tyranny and OPP
preston Of any sort; he was not simply an
able and earnest foe Of negro slavery and
disfranchisement, but he fought the battle
Of free schools to final success in Pennsyl-
yania, and it was but consistency with his
temperament that in his hatred Of the OPP
preston Of railroad monopoly, he for years
in Congress zealously advocated the AR
line between Washington city and New
York. Stevens lived long enough to see all
his radical opinions, once s,igmatized as
dreams, realized, saving thi, National air
line Had his life been prolonged until
to-day. his eyes would have shone with the
light of triumph TO see a railroad line be-
tween here and New York that follows very
closely the route he 50 long and 30 zealously
worked for in Congress. 1t is a remark
able proof Of the soundncss ofhis views that
all his dreams" are now realities.
The man whose energy, tact and ability
have finally had their reward in the actual
operation Of this line, Is that remarkable
railroad genius popularity known a. Sc Tom
Scott "a man that seems to me head and
shoulders in fine capacity above Vanderbilt
and his associates. Vanderbilt can make a
non-paying road pay by strict economy and
care in the administration Of is finances,
but Scott seems to have Napoleonic mind
for combinations. His eye seems to sweep
the continent at a glance, and his courage
and tenacity against all opposition are be-
yond all praise. When he and Garrett. of
the Baltimore and Ohio, were heard before
the committee at Washington in the ear
lier stages Of this great battle for slprem-
acy, Scott boldly spiked all his enemys
guns by decisiyely saying 90 Gentlemen,
simply ask for place for a depot. Give
me place TO put a depot. and You may
give every other site. every other privilege,
to the other road; the jesf man sioud lcin.
the best man ,riH win. l have run along
side Of Mr. Garrett before, when be had the
shortest line. and beat him in winning bus
iness; | am sure can do it again, |
because know how to treat the /
public best" The committee asked him /.
' II We grant you a site, when do You pro-
pose to commence building your depot?"
e. Tomorrow morning, sir, 90 was the reply. /
He got his site, built his depot, boldly cut
Il tunnel under Baltimore, and to-day is /
driving his trains from New York to Wash
ington in as short time as the other road,
that has 50 miles les to travel, and Is al
ready winning the business and travel away,
as he predicted he would do.
Speaking Of Mr. Scott reminds me of
little fact that but lately came to my notice.
The other day | accidentally lighted upon
an old report ola Congressional Investiga-
ton Committee daring the war, and among
those examined was "Tom Scott, who was
to testify about certain things
that took place while he was Assistant Sec
rotary of War. Among other questions
asked him. was the reason for the removal
Of certain NermOnter, who, comparatively
early in the war, was appointed to the i'm
pOrtant position of Superintendent or Des-
patcher of Government railroad trains at
Washington. Theanswer of Mr.. Scott, who
certainly a a thinker IS not - a doubling
Thomas, was laconic and to the point
'' For incompetency, sir, was the instant
reply.
have written at length ofthis new route,
because it Is an effective blow at the oppres-
sion OF one of the most extortiOnate and
railroad corporations that
ever imposed upon powerless public. I'M
generous in their treatment OF scattered or
soldiers during the war they have
their reputation to the present
hour, and am glad there Is hook at last in
their Jaws. The new route l. from Jersey
City to Philadelphia by the main line of the
railroad. From Philadelphia
it passes through Lancaster to Columbia,
where n handsome new iron bridge has
been built over the Susquehanna, thence to
York, thence by the Northern Central rail-
.oad TO Baltimore, thence by the Baltimore
md Potomac railroad to Washington,
making close connections in the same de-
Dot with the trains for all the principal
titles of the South and Southwest, with
,nly one change Of ears. The road, like the
est of the lines operated by the Psnnsyl-
-ania railroad. Is double track, laid with
teel rails and stone ballast. and every intel
igent traveller knows that it trayerses the
most beautiful scenery IN Pennsylvania.
H., that of the Chester valley and the Sus-
Iuehanna. The passage through Baltimore
: by tunnel, one mde and a quarter in
cngth, which gives the means OF such rapid
ransit, as opposed u the slow and tedious
-, ,,f,,,.r .f tho II and d eor- L,r h,-ea I