National Republican., 1881-07-19
THE TRACK CROSSED.
CLOSE OF THE GEORGES CREEK WAR.
The Baltimore aud Ohio Road suecumbs TO the In
euitable-A Big Time at the Crossing Yes
terday-Coal from the Mines
20 the Canal.
Special to TuERErunLroAN.

Special to THE REPUBLICAN.
CUMBERLAND, Mp, July 18.-This city
was thrown into considerable excitement yester-
day evening by the quietly circulated statement
that the Georges Creek Railroad and Coal Com
pany had decided to adopt heroic measures for the
immediate settlement Of their long continued con-
test with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad for the
right To-. cross the tracks Of the latter COM
pany here in order to reach the waters
OF the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal with
the product of their mines in the Cumberland
coal region. II was known later that the Georges
Creek Company had made complete arrangements
to tear up the tracks Of the Baltimore and Ohio at
six o'clock this morning and put in the necessary
frogs, switches &C., required for the crossing. II
had also been ascertained that nearly thousand
miners had declared their purpose OF coming to
Cumberland, with the avowed intention of dis
persing the guard which has been maintained by
the Baltimore and Ohio Company for months past
and protecting the track-layers of
THE GEORGES CREEK COMPANY
while they completed the crossing. To complete
the panic, band Of some forty determined men
from the mines appeared In the city during the
evening and took up their quarters at the City
Hotel. The officials of the Baltimore and Ohio
here were demoralized by this show Of force, and
realizing that their opponents would have the law
upon their side in the event of any collision tee
grams were Immediately sent to President Garrett
and Others advising them Of the situation. Mean
while the gravest apprehensions as to the result
Of this movement were felt on all sides, 1t being
feared that any movement by the forces Of either
company would be followed by riotnnd bloodshed.
During the evening, however, q dispatch was re.
ceived by Henry LOveridge esq, president OF the
Georges Creek Company from
THIRD vICE-PREsrDEST GARRETT
as follows:
RELAY STATION, July II, 1881.
To HENRY LovERIpoE:
have given orders 10 have the crossing put In to-
morrow We will use the crossing plates you have
rendered provided they will suit In any event, we
will try and make them perform temporary service.
We will send you the bill for crossing in-
lshed. The master of road will attend to the matter.
ROBERT GARRETT,
Third lce-President.
This morning Colonel Johnson, the roadmaster
of the Baltimore and Ohio, with President Love.
ridge. General Superintendent James A. Millhol-
land. and Engineer James A. GatIney, proceeded
to the site Of the crossing, where gang of sturdy
laborers were awaiting the signal to begin tearing
up the rails As this progressed and the new tracks
were placed nposition very large crowd gath
cred to witness this rather tame conclusion to O
contest with the Baltimore and Ohio monopoly
which had dragged itssow length along through the
courts Of Maryland for the past three years The
new frog plates and connecting rails had been
made TO conform to the accurate measurements
taken by Engineer Galiney. and fitted into position
so accurately that the work was rapidly completed
II was evident, however, that the employees OF the
Baltimore and Ohio were somewhat
APPREHESsIvE OF TROUBLE,
| rs while they worked they ever and anon cast
anxious glances behind them and toward the
Narrows," the direction from which the train
bearing the Georges Creek forces wns expected.
The feeling among the citizens OF Cumberland was
evidently entirely on the side of ,the Georges
| Creek Company and they took no pains to conceal
ott tIn mt. Of tl,p cts,
When the work was fairly begun the following dis.
\ patch was sent TO Commissioner Thomas r. Nor
gan BY a. NJ. Brandt esq, of the Georges Greek
| Coal Companies:
Commissioner MORGAN, Washington, ID. c.:
| The crossing Is now going In the Baltimore and
Ohio in time to avert bloodsIed otherwise two thou
slnu men would have put II In at ten n. IN. to-day.
This Is victory Of right might at least, and I
hope II inaugurates an era OF prosperity for the Dis
1 trlct. A. NJ. BRANDT
President Loveridge also sent the following dis
patch to gentlemen in New York who are largely
interested In his road:
MEssns. PETRIE & CLARK, New York.
! The baltimore and Ohio now putting In
tr 4'sing much impeded by the crowd, and
the officials request that this shall not be increased II
possible The new road will give the miners and
their familles free excursion to Cumberland some
day this week. with music and parade through the
city If desired. We appreciate most deeply the mag
nincent response of the region to our call
HENRY LoVERIDGE.
At half past eleven q. IN. the first train of the
Baltimore and Ohio passed over the new crossing
and at twelve IN. the last spike had been driven
and the second Baltimore and Ohio passed over
the crossing.
The general impression among railroad men is
that much of the delay incident to the opening
up of this crossing was due in great degree to the
pUPLICITY OF SENATOR GoRMAS,
who, MS the president of the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal, has for n year past trcacherously ma
nmuvred to secure the disappointment OF
the hopes of the Georges Creek Company,
In fact, it was stated specifically that
were the canal under the control Of those
who sought the best interest of the State
1t would he possible TO inaugurate such reforms as
would greatly increase its facilities and make 1t
one of the greatest coal waterways In the country.
Even under the present disadvantages 1t is conf
IDENTITY expected that within three months the
present tonnage will have to be increased one
hundred per cent to meet the demand for the
transportation of coal to tidcwater at George
town. Immediately upon the completion of
ofthe crossing full force ofmcn under the immc-
datc orders of superintendent Millholland went
encrgc,cally to work to bring up the ends OF the
main line Of Georges Creek to the crossing, and to
make the necessary connections with the canal
track so as to permit train of laden coal cars to
be taken at once to the canal basin. About one p
m train load of miners to
THE NUMBER OF THREE HUNDRED
came down from Homecoming on the regular train
and, headed by a band of music, marched through
the streets Of the city. They behaved In very or
dery and quiet manner and contented themselves
with cheering for the results reached by thu
Georges Creek Company. Later they marched IN
o body to tho residence of Chancellor
Walsh where the band played several
lively airs, after which the chancellor invited the
assemblagc to pnrtake of his hospitality. superin
tendcnt Millhollands residence was also visited
with like result. At sundown the crossing and all
the connections being in complete order the first
train lOad of coal from the Georges
Creek mines rolled over the long dis
+ puted point to the canal basin, whert
1t will be at once laden for the voyage tc
Georgetown. Three years 0go ground was broker
for the Georges Creek Railroad and to-day, aftel
two years of hard and bitter contests with the Bn
tlmore and Ohio Railroad, the new company II
prepared to enter actively in competition with III
rival in bringing coal from the mines to tho head
waters of the canal The struggle has been exceed
ingly rancorous and II is n source of relief TO al
concerned that 1t is finally over There is only ont
point for regret, and that Is In the rumor that A
NJ, Brandt esq, who has so faithfully and ably
, represented the Georges Creek and Cumberland
Coal Company in the past, will probably not re-
main with that company permanently. Wherever
Mr. Brandt may cast his lot however, he will carry
with him the best wishes Of THE REPuBLICAN.
ALEXANDRIA NEWS