The Democratic advocate., 1902-08-09
Surveying in the Mountains.
From the Baltimore American.

From the Baltimore American.
The engineering corps of the Western Mary
land Railroad is rapidly completing the sur
yey through the mountains of Washington
county and down into the Cumberland Valley
for light grade line which is supposedly des-
tined as the main line, to extend from Balti-
more into the West.
The plans so far as matured contemplate a
tunnel running under one of the most pictur-
esque sections, near Monterey, and which will
be two miles in length. For many weeks past
the engineering corps has been at work high
in the mountains, and then again low in the
gulleys aud ravines, searching for suitable
roadbed The movements of this little body
of men through the section have been eagerly
watched by those residing therein, and the
line as now laid down on paper is generally
discussed.
From what can be learned it is proposed TO
have the new line leave the present line near
Smithsburg, passing down the valley through
Waterloo and in the neighborhood of Rouz-
ersville. The banks of stream known as
Red Run will be hugged through a rayine
which will lead the road through the old Buena
Vista property and down past the Buena Vista
Inn property. On this line it is said to be
possible to have uniform grade of not more
than per cent, or rise of one foot to the
hundred.
GREAT TUNNEL PROJECT.
The tunnel will begin not fsr from the
old Monterey Hotel property, and will pass
through the ridge known as the Blue Hills
with but one break. This tunnel will stretch
in straight line for two miles under mag
nificent section of mountainous country.
Through this tunnel, it is said, grade of but
one half per cent. can be maintained, which
would be of vast benefit when the immense
volumes of smoke emitted from locomotive
pulling steep grade in tunnel is considered.
The ine would be free again in the neighbor
hood of Clairmont and would then follow the
ravine to Emmitsburg. The direct route, it
is said, would carry the road quite close to the
Mount St. Mary's Seminary at that place.
Country through which a uniform grade
may be maintained could be found below this
point, the new line TO meet the old line near
the Monocacy bridge, Ore ofthe interesting
problems to De considered, it is stated, is the
building of the line SO as to avoid what is
known as the Middleburg hill To do this
the line would have to diverge, following u
creek to what is known as the Double Pipe
creek and thus onward. The original build
ers of the road are said to have made great
mistake in carrying the line over the Middle
burg HILL and enough coal has been burned,
railroad men say, to have built the new line
many times.
TO CUT DOWN GRADES.
The tremendous grades on the present line,
both on the east and west sides of the noun
tains, are well known to all who have travelled
the road. Going up the east slope the engines
have to exert themselves on grade at times
ou rise of 95 feet to the mile, while on the
west sides a grade of II feet to the mile is en-
countered. The general impression through.
out the mountains is that if the proposed
line is constructed as outlined the old line
will be- maintained as at present for or
binary passenger traffic, although of course
should fast through express trains be run
to the West they would probably use the
new road as the grades would not only be
much lighter and better speed coald thus be
maintained, but in addition the proposed line
would probably be between four and five
miles shorter than the old line. The old line
passes through an important section, and IN
addition the charter calls for its maintenance.
One Of the accomplishments of the tunnel,
which would in some places run, it is stated,
over 500 feet below the surface caps OF the
mountains, would be the settlement once and
for all of the stories of mineral wealth lying
dormant beneath the Blue Hills. Copper,
iron and other minerals have been struck
through the mountains in quantities which
are said not to have been paying, but Dame
Rumor has always dealt kindly with the
hidden "wealth' of the mountains.