The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-09-29
why the Midland Road was Sold.

Hon. John w. Garrett, President OF the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, in giving his
reasons, on the 18th, to the Board OF Directors
of the B. & o. R. R. for agreeing to sell the
Virginia Midland Railroad, said
In 1870, after the passage by the legislature
OF Maryland OF an enabling act, the City COun-
Gil OF Baltimore passed an ordinance author
izing the endorsement of $750,00O of the first
mortgage bonds of the Lynchburg and Dan
vile Road to aid in the construction of that
work. Under the constitution of the State
the ordinance passed by the City Council was
submitted to the vote of the people, ard that
proposed aid to this important extension was
defeated in total vote of 9,799 by majority
of ,633. The people of Baltimore made
great mistake in being improperly influenced
10 refuse that aid. Whilst the assistance by
the city of Baltimore was advocated by the
managers of the Baltimore and Ohio Compa-
ny, the defeat was brought about to a great
extent by the active antagonistic eXertions of
the Northern Central and Pennsylvania Roads.
Rather than permit Baltimore TO be cut OF
from this connection, the Baltimore and Ohio
Company furnished-at considerable financial
inconvenience at that periOd-the means for
the extension of the Virginia Midland Road
from Lynchburg to Danvlle 1t would have
been the policy of the Baltimore and Ohio
Company to proceed with the extension of
that line south of Danville, as would have
been most desirable for the interests OF the
Southern trade of Baltimore, but that it was
occupied in other and still more important
works connected with its main line extensions.
The interests of Baltimore and of its national
trunk line required the completion of the road
from Cumberland to Pittsburg, and OF the
arching of the tunnels and the perfection of
the line from Grafton to Parkersburg. The
construction of the two great iron bridges
over the Ohio river, the one between Parkers-
burg and Belpre and the Baltimore Short Line,
and the other connecting its main stem at
Benwood with its trans-Ohio system at Bell
aire; the building of the highly important
Baltimore Short Line and of the Cincinnati
and Baltimore Roads; the completion of the
Central Ohio and Lake Erie Divisions; the
construction of its invaluable and powerful
line to Chicago; the completion of its Newark,
Somerset and Straitsville line to the best coal
| fields of Ohio the construction OF its eleva-
| tors, piers and docks and other great CONNER
cial facilities at its marine terminus at Locust
| Point; the establishment of lines of steam
ships, first introduced between Baltimore and
Liverpool and between Baltimore and Bre-
men, thus originating the steamship service
between Baltimore and European ports, which
has become so potential IN developing the
commerce of Baltimore; the construction of
its Alexandria branch between Bladensburg,
on the Washington Branch, and Shepherd, on
the Potomac river, opposite Alexandra-these
and other connections and improvements re-
quired such vast expenditures, that it was not
deemed judicious to prosecute in the past the
extensions of the line south OF Danvlle.
During the present year, however. program
was adopted, in association with President
John S. Barbour. of the Virginia Midland
| Road, through which the best results for the
| trade of R4ltimOrp would have hnap achieved
Baltimore has lost through the blunder made
by her action in 1870 in not extending the aid
advised by the Baltimore and Ohio Company
to her Southern system vast amount Ofvalu-
able trade and business during the period
which has since elapsed.