National Republican., 1878-07-10

Last night Forrest Hall was tolcrably we'll
filed with the citizens and merchants Of
Georgetown, TO take action in reference to sub
scribiBg TO the stock Of the Washington City,
Cincinn I'll and st. Louis Marrow Gauge Railroad
Among those present were a number of the
prominent business men and capitalists of the
town. Mr.. Arthur Cropley called the meeting
to order and, upon his nomination, Mr.. vii.
liam II. Tenney was unanimously elected
chairman. Mr. John VI. Waters was elected
secretary.
The chairman. Mr. Tcnncy, stated the oh.
ject Of the meeting. He was sorry there were
not more present. He then gave complete
history Of proposed railroads In Georgetown,
including the Metropolitan road, which they
had to abandon eeausc they could not raise
S2t0,OOO after PAVING $4,000. Mr. Mckenzie
offered to take the road and run it within two
mile Of Alexandria. They saw that a road
within two miles Of alexandria was no road for
Georgetown. Tladc was bound to take its
| natural cOUrsc. The COIl and the grain trade
were bound to come to Georgetown but that
trade haC gone to Alexandria aud Washington
because there were no facilities for bringing II
to Georgetown. Other roads had taken the
trade from Georgetown, aud the only re-
source they had was the Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal.
Mr. Tcnncy then introduced Mr.. Borst.
PRESIDENT OF THE ROAD,
who said the natural course to Georgetown
was via Falls Church. The narrow-guagn
railroad proposed to come by nearer route
across the AqueduCt Bridge. lie described the
difference in time and distance to Georgetown
by the various railroad lines. They desired
to reach st. Louis and finally Chicago. 1t
| might be asked how they would ever get there.
lie would say by keeping at it. They cx-
| pccted to build the road, but they had been
I o. IL 81. L.
took to build the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad,
TO which the city of Baltimore subscribed
S5,OOO,OOO Baltimore did not give It as q do.
/ nation. but she had received 1t back over and
ovcI again. The city only paid per cent on
/ her bonds and has received 10 psr ccut. on her
| interest He then referred to the Cheslpea axe
! and Ohio Ra ltOad, and said 1t took twenty.
five years to construct ii. One of these
roads bounded the proposed road on
the north aud the other on the south. lie
then dc.cribcd the counties through which
the narrow. gauge road was 10 run. They had
l.5JO,OOJ bushels of wheat to deliver to some
market which was willing TO receive ii, and
they proposed to send it to Georgetown. lie
then spoke Of the rich agricultural districts
through which the road was proposed to be
run, and through those counties they would
go to West Virginia, where were the finest coal
fields in the country. producing the camel and
. splint coal. There was no camel or spint
Ohio, but it was on the line Of the Chesapeake
and Ohio Railroad. The splint coal was val.
! uable for locomotives Hon. John :. Barbour
had tried 1t Oh his road, and testified that It
was worth 30 per cent. more than bituminOus
coal. lie then referred to the immense fruit
crops and timber along the route OF the pro-
posed road lie explained also the workings of
MARION. GAUGE ROADS.
lie claimed that narrow. gauge railroads
were less expensive than broad. gauge roads.
ln the West stock men preferred TO send their
cattle by narrow gauge roads. They CON-
mcnced the road in question In 1872, and had
graded fifty miles. Now they asked nolLinal
sum OF $4,000 from Georgetown. They did
not ask that any money should be paid until
the road was built. But if they subscribed
the sum required, the road would be finished
and running into Georgetown from Fairfax
COurt-Hon'c, or at any rate from Falls Church,
In sixty days, unless they were delayed with
the timber
The question was whether the road would
pay. lie had no doubt that It would II 1t
took IN 5000 per mile per annum It would
operate the road, pay the intcrcst on the bonds
aud leave large surplus for dividends upon
the stock.
| Mr.. 1cnncy then read certificate from II
W. Brewer, civil engineer, who had gone
over the road at the request of the
citizens and business men of Georgetown
certifying that tho rOal had been graded q.
Z far US Fails Church, and was ready for the tie.
G and rails. Mr.. Tvuney claimed that it would
q cost fhty cents per head TO cross the Long
Bridge, while 1t would only cost one cent pei
passenger under the present arrangement tc
cross the Aqucduct. This road would brin,
VAST COAL TRADE
here, In addition to the Cumberland coal now
; shipped here. The coal shippers here at pros
. ent expended about :lO0,OJO per Rnnuin IN
labor, while the vessels that came here to carry
{ coal away expended so each. He claimed
G that Georgetown was the nearest town 10 the
I Ohio River situated on navigable waters and
cited that the Baltimore aud Ohio had to coluC
to Washington to reach the West, aud claimed
that Georgetown was still nearer the Wes
i than Washington. lie then stated that they
had Sl3,0OO subscribed and invited further
. subscriptions. Ten additional shares amount
ing TO II 600 were subscribed making a tota
:. OF sl4 OOD subscribed.
c The meeting was then aliOurned