The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-03-06
The PrOsreA, Of Firrr Yonrs.

ACIEssS1g uan has recently unearth-
edacoE di the ya'ioual mtelligeneer Of
October ISL PAPER then and for n long
time Afterwards published at Washington
Cig By GaIest Seaton, and in its zenith
The eHost noted ani influential paper at the
National ClPial. Mr.. Gales, the editor,
'r Io1'na!iS OF great reputation, the
mend and "nnscIor OF Clay, Webster and
ilthe Whs leaders. This much by the
Hyd eIPanation Of what follows. He
Eu'e about railroads in 1881. The Balt-
noH a'i Ohio was then built rs far as e.
EoaslliIsa a distance of thirteen miles
toa Fillmore, and was operated
PTly b! horse power and party BY
crude locomotive engines. The road was
begun in ls!6 but in five years had only
reached EIlicou's Mills. It was even then
looked upon Is an experiment. The wise
men oIthclaRihad doubts whether it was
anything more than fancy railroad, and
none Of them booked forward to its ability
10 supeneie canals-perhaps even road
Flsons-n the carriage OF tgeneraI freight.
Nt. Gales went over from Washington to
Iook into the matter. lie took trip over
iheHiIs andtlus recorded his impressions:
we Travelled in large car drawn By
ae hone, carrying eight or ten persons,
nd capable, We suppose, OF carrying thirty
Glory. Indeed, the ear was drawn with
s. much case that We do not believe that
HAl Il been 50 loaded its progress would
laVe been Al all retarded by the addi-
gehll weight Of the load. In the distance
ps''etn hItimore and Ellicott's Mills the
Gor'E vas changed once, going and com.
ny In SONG We did not accurately reckon
as ume' hut in returning the whole dis.
~" oI thirteen miles was performed in
Iig'hine minutes-the limit to the speed
sdas The capacity Of the horse in trot.
uls rather than the labor he was
sAa to perform. The locomotive
van van machine, in the train OF which
IN @aied with persons are occasionally
Ua'l' Is well as those loaded with the
tIs1S Ia'sis1S OF commerce, is propelled ut
.T1U Tue same rate, and might be propell.
SSalcl' more rapidly il it were desirable.
I S4' lor 9ur part We have no desire ever to
= caff'tCi by any mode Of conveyance
sS ISt nPldIy than at the rate OF thirteen
.., ..ses an hour. \ much greater speed, we
- Atl,iei, would be attended with con.
Ehayt9OIe E,S liability to accidents and with no
,I Is.le injury to the road. Even al this speed
n",it MY s,taiest care and circumspection are
tISyyesS'lry, and We do not think We should
;s ;sV ,I1y en1IIre1y safe, under any circumstances,
,I;u ~ uayI!s,l'he Qua railroad BY night at any.
1alne like that speed"
=. Mr' Gales had serious doubts whether
yae T, roaa could be utilized for commerce.
t,, !, n,sn' perhaps, superscde stage coaches,
oSa 0u' was a small affair alongside Of n canal.
On this point he says = N''''''
De undertaking. whether besides % ii of =. fisS,
49, @ ule continual Necessary qxnense ii
rsla's and keeping it in prSner nriaT wiIi N
MOI Hsorhtoo large portion II i,S S,Hc race;nts N
~ questions We shall M, " nrJor.oSl S ,toS,tS, y
consider. Nor shall We bs,s "usttaSS iuS,i,m,o 10
COMPARISON, which might he daemoS ,S,,,u' IN.
SO,,o HS,ous' between canal and railnSad trans.
sEAtlon OF the heavier and hmiIv % ar,;,
20 VI commerce with rpinropco ~ 49,
f. accommodation and general oI"niS.
M s,,ssla 70 Tue wants Of the country. TI In hi,
;STSllar s, SI We will initiate the courtesy 20 n
q al IIa!li4ore friend when he visited ou, n
M M, and would not allow himself i'To 10 SS, SS,
S'ng dispaFaging Of IT,"
lsfcadeF can see from the above clip
N Sna a'ile t even intelligent people dreame,
S. Sla' future Of the railroad system tiit,
no 'n $50 The widest flights Of eve
Sa 'oad enthusiasts did not approximat
S.s..a me Feasibility :. Of uIlroad Ike til
S'. p''Sat i. Baltimore & Ohio, and sim les tb
Fs;3 I1s%lSiIi'y Of set Of rival trunk n line nc
tSs ,a, aa,,, with their connections, should spa
s"A''A'n' from ocean to ocean.