The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-12-30
WHEELING DAILY lNTELGENcER MONDAY DECEMBER 8O 1885

Of bslterments during the long depres-
sion following the panlc OF 1878, as was
the case with the Baltimore q Ohio.
But serious as was the mistake In
volvsd in Mr., CARROTS method of
financing his road Il was not so serious
aa the errors he made In regard to re-
strietinB It's physical growth, These
latter errors, more than the former are
coming home now to the company 1t
Is the simple truth OF railroad history
In this country well known now to all
Intelligent railroad men, that no man
In his day had greater opportunities
than Mr., Garrett, to lay the founda-
lions for u /permanent business and q
splendid prosperity for his road, and no
man more pers!stently neglected them.
One OF his most conspicuous neglects
was his failure to acquire the only road
once existing between Baltimore and
Philadelphia, and which for many
years was waiting, like a ripe apple to
fall into his basket, and that he could
have had for low price as compared
with what the Pennsylvania finally paid
for II. Its acquisition would have Sc
cured him a desirable local route and
still more desirable terminals In Phlla-
delphia. But because the road had ne
mained so long as q natural eastern
connection Of the Baltimore & Ohio he
assumed Il would always 80 remain,
and therefore would not acquire It. His
son and successor attempted to re-
trieve the neglect OF the father, but
made such a sud bungle OF It that at
the last moment the Pennsylvania
stepped in and acquired II.
OF like error was Mr., GaTett's neg
lect to secure an independent line to
New York. He could Just as well have
had the Camden & Amboy as his Penn
syivania rival. The Baltimore & Ohio
always had excellent credit and could
buy anything II desired. II had every
thing but sagacity. Mr., Garrett was
provincial and Baltmoreanln his ideas,
and did not believe much In New York,
Locust Point was his idea of an At
lantic terminus for his line; good
enough idea as far as It went, but
wholly inadequate from passenger
point OF view and not correct as re-
CARDS the miscellaneous business Issu-
ing from the metropolis OF the country
All in all. II was a great error, and has
put the Baltimore & Ohio in hole ever
since.
At Chicago Mr.. Garrett made mis-
take OF a serious character and one
that has been handicap on the line
ever since. He built road to South
Chicago and there stopped and pur-
chased n temporary easement over the
Illinois central's tracks into the city
proper. It was very penny-wIse and
pound foolish to do this, as was soon
discovered when the Illinois Central
cut OF the easement and compelled the
Baltimore & Ohio to seek accommoda'
ton over another and less desirable
line.
At Pittsburgh there were once great
possibilities for the Baltimore & Ohio
in the days when the Fort Wayne and
Cleveland & Pittsburgh roads were for
sale TO the best buyers. What a world
OF difference It would have made to the
Baltimore & Ohio IL II had availed It,
self OF George W. Cass offer and ac-
quired the Fort Wayne as the Con-
nellsvllle's outlet to Chicago. II Mr..
Garrett could only have lifted up his
eyes, like the prophet who saw the
glory Of Israel in the distance, and have
taken in the immense business OF Pitts
burgh as It exists to-day he would
certainly never have neglected that OPP
portunity. He would have acquired
not only the Fort Wayne but also the
Cleveland & Pittsburgh.
But somehow Mr.. Garrett never
grasped the growth OF the country nor
the territorial needs Of his line. Hence
all It's future life has been bound in
shadows" Lost opportunities may be
some times recovered TO individuals,
but seldom indeed to railroads. There
viii be no such era OF trunk line de-
velopment and opportunity again In
this country. Tom Scott saw the fu-
ture as II by inspiration, and laid an
empire at the feet OF the Pennsylyu-
MIA. Commodore Vanderbilt saw It
and laid another empire nt the feet OF
the New York Central. Henry Keep
saw 1t and laid still another empire at
the feet OF the Chicago & Northwest
ern. Alexander Mitchell saw II and
made sure OF the future OF the Chicago,
Milwaukee & st, Paul system. Unfor-
tunately for the Baltimore & Ohio none
of these men were at the head Of It's
destlnles In those days. Mir Garrett
was too much taken up with tax a.
sessments, damage cults and salaries to
nee his opportunities, They went by ns
the water that never turns the wheel
n second time.
There II loo much 70 be said on this
subject for one article. Suffice It that
these ara some OF the facts that reach
far back and radically explain the Bal
tlmore 4 oho's present dlsablements-
disablements that We all dcplarc hut
must nevertheless recognize, As to how
far the situation can be improved by
the now men and the new influences
that have come into the company time
alone can tell, There is vast amount
In the way OF local development to DO
achieved. such ms the recent deal at
Falrmbnt; and. also important amRlga.
nnilnnn or nlllnnrca nrc poHalble. Rnnh