The Cecil Whig., 1886-05-15

New Philadelphia Line The Result Of
Three Years Work.

the Philadelphia branch OF the Balti.
more and Ohio Railroad was successfully
swung free of the false work. and this
great structure was partically completed.
This gives the new line continuous
track from Baltimore to its connection
with the Chester branch of the Reading
Railroad on the west bank of the Schuyl-
kill in the city of Philadelphia. 1t is
understood that the terms of a traffic
agreement have been drawn between the
Baltimore and Ohio and the Reading
companies for the use of the tracks of
the latter and of the Jersey Central be-
tween Philadelphia and New York for
term of three years. With the final con-
Summation of this agreement the new line
will be opened for the through freight
express traffic of the Baltimore and Ohio
to and from New York by way of the
Chester branch of the Reading The hre
will be ready for this business in week
or ten days, and it is expected that
freight trains will Gc running i'll both di-
Iectious over the new road in less than
one month The line will not be ready
for passenger traffic until late i'll the sum-
mcr. The spans for the Schulkill river
bridge are going up, and that structure
will be completed the present month.
There is good deal of work get to be
done on the east side of the Schuylkill
to complete the connections in Philadel-
phia for passenger business. The work
of erecting the stations on the line be-
tween Baltimore and Philadelphia will
be pushed ahead this fine weather, and
moving passengers. Fine locomotives
and handsome coaches are being built by
the company for the service Of the new
line, and the equipment will be notably
excellent i'll all its details. The Balti-
more and Oho has not let go of the pro-
jected line to New Yolk by way of Staten
Island, bat will use the Jersey Central
under the proposed Heading agreement
until the obstacles That block the route
to Staten Island are removed.
The line between Baltimore and pEila-
deiphia, which was practically completed
with the close of the week, was COM
menced three years ago. The contracts
for the graduation and masonry were let
in July, 1888. Work was begun as
speedily thereafter as was practicable.
There has been no railroad construction
n the United States which involved
more impotaf issues than the construc-
tion of this road. 1t was built as con
Meeting link in the system which the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad controls be-
tween the West and Northwest and the
city of New York. 1t had as its compe-
titOr the PcnnSs lvania Railroad system,
and epecially between Baltimore and
Philadelphia the Philadelphia, Whining
ton and Baltimore Railroad, acquired
but recently by the Pennsylvania Rail
road Company, but company which had
enjoyed for years the exclusive railroad
phia, ana practically to New York. The
questions involved were-trst, direction:
second, grades; third, the character OF
construction. The manage mant of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad COMPANY
appreciated fully the fact that nothing
but line of superior excellence conld
afford to enter into competition with the
Pennsylvania Railroad. This road has
been built to conform to these REQUIRE
mrntS.
Starting from Camden Station, the line
will extend by e,ated railroad, not vet
built, through the city of Baltimore to
its eastern limits at Patuxent street, and
begins its way to Philadelphia parallel
with its great competitor. 1t crosses
the Union Railroad by an overhead
| bridge at Bayview; thence, pursuing Il
northeasterly direction, it crosses the
arm of Ba, k river on an embank meut, in
lieu of the tresule used by the other road :;
thence on liue parallel with the Phila-
delphia. Wilmington and Baltimore Rail
road, and from one to four miles month
thereof. to the Big Gunpowder, which is
| crossed by single span bridge of $50
feet; thence crossing the Little Gunpow-
der about three hundred feet south of the
| Philadelphia pike, with Il bridge of 100
| feet span, and iron vaduct of about three
| lttb III III oIl Gtlt ltlUG
line between Baltimore and Hartford
counties in the State of Maryland; thence
| through ildriord county, maintaining a
parallel line with the Philadelphia, Will
mington and Baltimore Railroad, and
distant therefrom from half to three
miles, to the SuSquehanna river, crossing
the Bush river with single span of
| bridge of 100 feet.
At the Susquehanna river the Bllti-
more and Ohio Railroad crosses with a
bridge without q draw. consisting of four
spans of four hundred and eighty feet
each and one span of five hundred and
| twenty feet over the western channel:
| thence by an iron viaduct, across Garrett
| Island, of nineteen hundred and forty
six feet in length and sixty five feet in
| height, and thence bv two spauS of three
| three hundred ahd clgh y feet each, aud
one span OF live hundl,d and twenty feet
| over the eastern ciILnucl, to the Cecil
| county shore: Jl-ence 18th ii span of two
| hundred feet Crossing the Port Deposit
| Branch OF the Pennsylvania Railroad;
thence pursuing nurthwesJerly course,
| crossing l'rincipio creek, with twin
arches of thirty feet, near the Whitaker
| Iron Furnace; thence crossing the Little
and Great Northeast creeks, and on
| through Cecil county 10 the Delaware
| state line, crossing near To the old Mason
| and DIXon's stone, crossing the Big and
| Little ELK rivers near to the extensive
| mills; thence through the State of Della
ware, passing through the cities of New
ark and Wilmington, and near to the vii
lagos of stanton and Newport.
The Brandywiue river is crossed by a
bridge without draw" at an eleva
ton of one hundred and eight feet above
the water level, and in the immediate vi
ci6ity OF the great paper and wooden
mills located on that stream. Thence
through the State of Penusy lvania. pass
ing north of and near To the villages of
Linwood, Thurlow and Lamokin and be
tween the cities of Upland and Chester:
thence through, Chester, and continuing
a nortEeastwardly course north of and
near to the villages of Eddystone, Crum
Lynn, Darby and Paschall, and entering
the western limits of the city of Pnila-
delphia uear Cobby's creek and Seven
tieth street.
The country alDng this line is high
healthful aud picturesque From the
road a commanding view is had of the
Susquehauna and its tributaries, the
Northeast and Elk rivers, and from Will
mington north the view of the Delaware
river and across the same to the JERSEY
shore is most inviting. In the coLstruc-
ton o. this road no pains or expenses
have been spared to make it iirst-class in
every respect. AS the new link in the
line COnupct ING The cities of WASHINGTON