New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-06
REVAMPING A RAILROAD.
HOW The BALTIMORE AND POTOMAC Con
INTO WASHINGTON.

Il
Washington, Dec. DIN looking over A ,.
| Journal OF the late Martin II. Cassen. Of In.
who was warm personal friend Of Govs.st
Yates, and United States senator in 1867. an int.
ing account IS disclosed Of the inception and at,s.
ing difficulties In securing the charter for rish, .
way Of the now magnificent Baltimore and poIo,,,
Railroad, a branch OF the great PennsJ vaflla D.,
| road system, North and South showing how W.
| ineton was rescued from It's mossbacks eopsI,.~
and made the pride OF America and the rival O, p
pean capitals, and is on example Of the pluck an.,
and sagacity OF the people Of the great yor,hr.s.
| In this instance the states OF Illinois and Mu,s
| were grandly represented.
II in January, 1867, that Mr.. Garrett presd.
of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad came near t..
| ling the pending House bill which was before ~
| SENATE Committee OF the District o. Columbia r.,
| mel Oden Bowie OF Maryland who then ana /.
now president OF the Baltimore and Potomac Ralr,s
Company, found that Mr.. Garrett had succeetes a
| side-trackng favorable action Of the commit.
BY presenting arguments that the Baltimore and oA
could do all the business required fOi the Capita q. A.
] Nation, and that Congress should reward his me-.
which had furnished transportation for troops and ~
| plies and saved the city from being captured Nv a.
| rebels IN 1861. This was the situation OF 49,
| when Gideon L. Walker, Of New-YoFk lntrodp.,
| Colonel Bowie 10 j. ". Parish, OF Illinois yho -,
| then In Washington. Colonel Bowie made his var,
known TO Parish and was impressed that he eosl,
help him out OF the difficulty IN way and un
posed TO Parish TO transfer TO him the Maryland ,h
ter which called for lateral branches that he Mia,
form syndicate TO the charter and righ. a,
way into the District OF Columbia and build the ma
Parish Immediately accepted the OFFER and tal,,,
Mr. Walker with him called upon his friend Marin
Casseu who was made the third man Of the synA
cate. John u. Clark, ir, Of Missouri, was The,
consulted and he became the fourth man. II va,
then thought advisable To enlist the services o, oh
W. Forney who was the Secretary OF the United STATE
Senate and also the proprietor OF The PHILADELPHIA
Press" and "Tbe Washington Chronicle These pD.,
were needed to help create honest sentiment iOr a.
enterprise. Mr.. Clark was delegated TO go to PhlAd4
phia TO secure Mr.. Forney's cooperation, which hedN
but with much difficulty, however. before Mr. Fory
finally consented to Join the company Upon NJ
Clark's return, the next day, meeting Of the av.
gentlemen was held, and 1t was deemed expedlent 10
secure the necessary influence to get alOngade n
the Northern Central Railroad Company, whose terminal
was at Baltimore and make this road ally 10 n.
new enterprise. Parish and Clark were appointed
a committee to wait upon Clinton LLOYD, who d,
Chief Clerk Of the House Of Representatives. and v
had many friends among the Northern Central %.
Gals Mr.. Lloyd without hesitation n chance 10
help his friends, and he became the sixth member d
the new syndicate, and promised to put h, shoulder 70
the wheel and push the enterprise. Sangulne Of Ne
cess, these six gentlemen they could create
a sentiment in the Senate Committee among Their
frnds and get the desired charter through Congress
To get legal control of the Baltimore and Potomac
charter OF the State OF Maryland they all met the
next day in Baltimore and employed exGOyem9
Pratt Of Maryland, to draw up the papers Necessary
to transfer the Maryland charter 10 the afOreai sn
dictate On their return to Washington, in COMPANY
with Robert T. Van Horn, ". c. from Missouri, who
IS now president of The Kansas City Daily Journal
Company, they called upon Senator John b. Henderson,
who was an active member OF the Senate District Com
mIttee, and strong plea made by Colonel Van
Horn, Parish, Cassell and Clark for the rad to
the National Capital. senator Henderson was thor
oughly inspired and promised his best efforts senS
tor Yates next visited and he at the great
necessity OF another through road from the North
west to the Capital City. lie said the building
the road would give life and enterprise the people
of Washington and be great blessing to the trav'
elng public. Senator'S Ben Wade, Charles sumner,
Lott NJ Morrill, and other members Of the senate Dis
trfct Committee thoroughly i'm favor Of the BILL,
which was reported favoraby to the Senate aud In
a few days was taken up and passed President
Johnson signed the bill Oh February 5, 1867. Right
OF way was secured, and Immediately thereafter
chief engineer with corps Of assistants were engaged
in locating the line between Washington and Bait
more, and contracts for grading were given ont
Mr.. Garrett went to Annapolis and tried TO secure
from the Legislature repeal Of the lateral esas
of the Baltimore and Potomac charter, which,
II obtained would render IL worthless
Colonel Lloyd Parish and Ex-Governor Pratt
who was retained as counsel, made vigorous fight
against Mr. Garrett, who had host of followes BE-
hind him. Colonel Oden Bowie, the president OF The
Baltimore and Potomac Railroad and also member Of
the Maryland state Senate, ndefatgabe worker
in behalf of the new enterprise, and did good service
toward defeating the opposition. According to the
requirements Of the Baltimore and Ohio charter
capaton tax of 80 cents each passenger travelling
over tie Washington branch went into the State treasury
of Maryland, amounting to large OF money
annually. This was n strong argument made against
the Baltimore and Potomac II would lessen us
State revenue by permitting the building Of nya
road TO Washington. Ii was difficult 10 answer tbs
argument, except that the travelling public Of the
country would appreciate lower rates and better faeF
ties Mr.. Garrett and his friends made a hard hg0l
and at one time carrying the Legislature
but an adjournment without interfering with the
charter.
To make il success and to build the road wlthJlt
delay more capital was needed and Mr. Lloyd was
authorized TO visit Harrisburg, Penn and consult WIN
J. Don Cameron president OF the Northern .ehuA
Railroad Company whom he succeeded in enisans ID
connection with Colonel Tom Scott George W. Cass and
others OF the Pennsylvania Central Railroad Company
They entered into contract agreeing 10 buy out mo
original owners for S150,0OO. and reimburse them la
what money they had expended i'm grading and o'ha
expenses; the road to be built without unnecessary
delay and In flrstcass order. The public will n0s
cheerfully attest that this pledge has been faithfully
fulfilled
To be consistent, the Maryland Legislature suose
quently repealed the capation tax clause In mo
Baltimore and Ohio charter, but not until after NH
lions Of dollars had been uniusty collected from paseH
gers all over the country, who were compelled %
travel this road III order to get into Washington
The benefactOrs OF the people of Washington |"
securing another railroad scattered and gone Ol'
Of them yet live TO enjoy the beauties and grown
Of the Capital sumner, Yates, Wade and Morrill, Of we
Senate, and Thad stevens Il. c. Ingersoll and bO'
Schenck OF the House with Casseu, Walker and FoFfe
who helped TO pioneer the road 10 WashingwSt
have passed over 10 the silent majority but can "a