Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1883-10-06
+" ETCHINGS."
IN WHICH THE INDEPENDENT
Attempts Portraying the Varied Inter.
estS and Industries of
Martinsburg.
NUMBER VIII.
THE b. y O. RAILROAD.

| THE B. d O. RAILROAD.
One of the great arteries Of the
worlds commerce is the Baltimore &
Ohio railway. Stupendous in its in
ception, colossal its in fulfillment, this
enterprise stands out in bold relief as
q great fat accompli of the 10th CEN
fury. The story of its beginning be-
| longs to the time characterizing the
early dawn of railroad days, SO far as
this country isconcerned, but, as mat
ter of course, we can no more than out
line that story here; even the few
bald facts WIS give have been made pub
lie over and over again; still we feel
| that a community so deeply indebted
to railway as this is, cannot read a
retrospect without interest. ''The b. &
0. railway company, whose charter was
obtained from the State of Maryland,
In March, 1927, was the first railroad
company in America authorized to car
ry on the general business of transpor-
tation. In the beginn ing no one
dreamed OF using steam upon the road:
horses were to do the work; and even
after the completion of the road to
Frederick, relays Of horses cen inued
to move the cars from Baltimore to that
place. From this circun stance the Re-
lay House. at the junction OF the main
line with the Washington branch too k
it's name. The b. g. 0. was begun on
on the 4th of July, 1923, Chas. Carroll,
Of Carrollton, one of the signers of the
Declaration of Independence, laying
the first stone. The road was gradual
ly extended along the valley of the Pa
tapsco to Ellicotts Mill, thence to the
Potomac to the Point of Rocks, thence
along the Valley of the Potomac to the
Cumberland coal region, and finally
across the Blue Ridge and Allegheny
mountains, to the Ohio river at Wheel
ing, and since, on to Cincinnati and
Chicago, with diverging branches to
various points. In 1880 a small loco
motive was built in Baltimore by the
late Peter Cooper, of New York. The
whole engine could not have weighed
more than ton, yet with it he drew a
car filled with the directors of the b.
Il O. railway and their friends, from Bal
which reached IS miles per hour. This
was the first locomotive for railroad
purposes built in America and the first
one used for the transportation of pas
sengers on this side Of the Atlantic.'
To this rough statement of facts, we
may add still others, prominent one
being this: the b. d o. railway has
educated a large per cent. Of the con-
i has been school in which practical
engineering in its highest, most complete
type is taught, and in its operating the
ablest men that the country could pro-
duce have been called upon to take
charge of affairs.
The 'setcher'' is not a special
pleader for the b. & o. We are quits
with the road on the score of obligation
we buy ticket and are carried TO our
destinations; we must admit, however,
that the road has added millions to
the material wealth of the country il
traverses, and that the city of Martins
burg is not the only place that derives
inestimable benefits from it. This city
is Headquarters for the End Division, ex-
tending from Martinsburg to Keyser, a
distance of l02 miles. Here are located
round houses and repair shops, and
these shops give constant employment
to an average force of 800 men. Mar
tinsburg is also what is known in rail
road parlance as a 'slay over station
for the End division, and the conse-
quence is that 800 train men make this
their home. The railway population { IA
working population-saying nothing of
wives and babies is, therefore, about
500, and the wage account of this num-
Der is not far from $4,000 per month
nearly quarter of million dollars per
years-all, or nearly all of which, re-
mains here.
The shops of the b. 81 O. at this point
comprise: two round houses, each with
capacity for 16 engines; a 'setting-up
or general repair shop; a machine shop;
oil house, and one or two subordinate
departments. The ''yard,v so-called,
is magnificent one, extending east
and west, distance of four miles, and
it would seem that the road has so ar
ranged matters as to best promote the
shipping interests of the city.
II. A. French is supervisor Of trains
for the Second diyision-with head
quarters at Cumberland; Jas. 4. West
fall is supervisor of engines; w. +.
Landers is station agent; w. nj. Brown
is cashier; John f. Martin, depot mas
ter; John w. Keefe, Thos. X. Byers,
John j. Beck and b. f. Slane, Dis
patchers. These men who fill the posi-
ton of Dispatchers are all vet