Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-05-03
The OPENING OF THE MErROPOL
ITAN RAILROAD.
How Shall Ii he Utilized for wash.
ington?
The New Relations of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad TO this City.

ell an opportunity for the party of citizens who
went over the road to judge Of its quality. and
at the same time 20 discuss with the representa-
| tives of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad pre-
sent, the relative wants and grievances of that
company and the city Of Washington; matters
which have served to keep up unpleasant rela-
| tons between the two for so many years. Now
that the Metropolitan road is Enthusiastically
| completed for business-a cOnsummation SO
long delayed that washingtonians have grown
incredulOus as to its being reached within the
experience of the present generation-it be-
comes necessary, if the new short line to the
West is to be utilized for the benefit of Wash
| ingtOn, that some arrangement of the differ
ences between the city and the Baltimore and
Ohio company should be made. IL is requisite
| that some understanding should be reached as
| to the place where the comPany's stations and
depOts should be placed to best accommodate
| the public and the road; and also by what
route the track can enter the city with
| least injury to the streets and tfe grade.
After hearing the matter fully discussed, we
are yet of the decided opinion that the interests
| both of the road and of the city would be best
| served BY tunnelling Capitol Hill, and making
the connections through Washington south,
| along the streets in South Washington already
devoted to railroad pur poses.
The proper thing would have been a grand
| ington, in the southern portion of the city; but
| as that project fell through the next best course
would seem to be to have all the railroad bust
ness here brought as nearly together as posi-
| BILE in that part of the city, as the
| streets indicated have already been virtually
spoiled for any other than railroad uses. But il
the company prefer to make their southern
connections by route wholly their own across
| the Potomac above Washington, keeping their
station and depot in the northern part OF the
city, 1t would seem to be desirable that they
1 change Al
so as to pass down single street or avenue,
instead OF crossing number of streets and
| squares diagonally as they do by their present
route to their station on New Jersey avenue.
| By passing north of the Deaf and Dumb asylum
and entering the city by Delaware avenue, aud
following that street in TO their station, a less
| Objectionable route than the present one might
| perhaps be found. But it is apparent that the
| time has come when some conclusion should be
| reached.
| THE PROPOSED RAILROAD BUILDINGS.
Vice President keyser gives the assurance
| that the new railroad buildings for Washington
shall he first class in every respect, fully adapt
| Ell to supply all the terminal facilities needed
l at this end of the new short line to tire West
| Probably it would Rot be fair to judge of what
| the company intend to do i'm this way, from what
| they have done in the past. From whatever
cause, 1t Is certain that the ideas of the manage
| ment OF the Baltimore and Ohio road are ex-
| panding amazingly of late in the line of liberal
| improvements This is illustrated by the really
4
| erecting along their western line, and of which
| that recently completed
AT CUMBERLAND
| is a specimen. This hotel is not surpassed bv
! any railroad hotel in the country in dimensions
| and appointments. The center building, III
feet front, is two stories in height, surmou nted
| by lofty cupola. The wings As feet by 81
| feet each, are four stories in height; and the
| back building, containing the kitchen apart
L is " i'm.
| height. The entire building is of brick. COW
| cred by a slate root. An ornamental. iron pi-
azza, l04 feet wide. extends along the front,
| and there is a roOmy two-story porticO between
| the wings on the rear. The dining-room is 81
feet by III. and will seat from four TO five hun
dred persons. The basement is fitted up for
billiard room, restaurant, offices, laundry. &c,
and the grounds To the south of the hotel to the
extent of about three acres, are TO be enclosed
| and ornamented with a fountain, evergreens,
| trees, and ShrubbeTy.
\ AT Piedmont the company have put up new
passenger depot, 50 feet By -, and three stories
| high.
| AT DEER PARK,
| few miles this side OF Oakland. the company
| are erecting handsome hotel for a summer re-
sort, corresponding with that at Cresson, on the
| Pennsy lvania Central railroad. The main
| building is So feet by 49, four stories high, with
| two wings, 55 by 10; and with a back building
So by 80 feet, three stories high. This summer
| resort at Deer Park is not intended for a rail
| road eating house, but COmmOdious building
| for the latter purpose will be erected at Oak
| land, near by.
Mr.. GARRETT AS A PRoGREssIoNIsr.
These and other expensive improvements
| show that Mr.. Garrett sees the necessity or de-
| STABILITY of bringing up his great westera line
| and its appointments to its proper rank among
| the important roads of the country. He de-
| clares his intention to make the new railroad
| buildings at Washington alike creditable to his
| company and to this city. Why should he not?
He and his road have certainly more interests
| at stake than Tom Scott and the Pennsylvania
| Central, who have already expended, or propose
| to expend from two to three millions OF dollars
in this city in the erection of permanent bridges
| tunnels, statiun- houses, depots, round houses
| &c. Financially the Baltimore and Ohio road
| is now in position to undertake liberal i'm
provements on a scale second to no road in the
country. Its surplus fund, which represents
| capital derived from earnings inves ted in the
various branch and connecting roads, and the
| improvements constructed on the main
stock stock or bonds, now amounts I to ssS, by
| 269.36. The profit and loss account
| for the year ending September 80, 1872, showed
an increase of - ,905, 53I 49, The stock, paying
dividend OF 10 per cent, is held at 1.S0. Tor 81
above par and is not easily obtained. An order
for 400 shares on foreign account has been six
months on hand in Baltimore, and has not vet
f, been wholly filed. The bonds are selling at par
| in London; a standing obtained by not many
| railroads. The company by pursuing a cautious
SioN poilCy HdNc uuduc themselves
| good financial name; and with solid surplus TO
| go on, can, and ought, now to proceed to earn a
| good name for enterprise and attention to the
wants of the public. Apparently this is the
| course they have decided upon, as above indi-
Gated. For the accommodation of their growing
business they are certainly moving with energy.
| They are now building third track all the way
| from Grafton to Baltimore. They are building,
| also, theee hundred miles of new railroad this
| summer in the extension of their line to Chica-
| go, &c. To accommodate the enormous pres
| sure Of coal traffic in consequence Of the coal
| famine in England, fve hundred new coal cars
are being turned out a. fast as the capacity of
the construction shops will permit. Last week
1905 car loads Of coal went over the road from
Cumberland to Baltimore, equivalent, at ten
tons to the car, to 81 900 tons of COAL This sum-
mer 100 locomotives and 900 cars will be added
to the equipment of the road, built at the con-
pany's works at Baltimore and Piedmont. The
army Of employees of the company now numbers
from 16, 900 to II 900.
THE METROPOLITAN ROAD.
Now, if Mr.. Garrett will, as he promises. give
Washington the benefit of her shorter line
West by the Metropolitan road, why may we
not derive some benefit from the coal trade by
all i'm IN