The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-03-29
EXTENTI0N OF THE
W. n. RAIL ROAD.
Line Completed to Cumberland and
In Operation.


Gould interests it. was stated that
the system would be extended
westward. Then during long
period no further official announce
ment was made, although from
time to time appeared reports Of
the progress being made. A few
days ago, however, the company
announced that freight service
had been inaugurated over the
first link in the westward extern
sion From this bare announce
ment the public gains little idea
ofjust what has been accomplished,
but in the current issue of the
Railroad Gazette Mr.. Ralph c.
Dawson gives some very interest
ing particulars Of this work. He
writes:
The aggressive policy shown by
the Gould system during the last
few years in its effort to reach the
Atlantic coast is again brought in
to prominence by the completion
of the Cumberland eXtention of
the Western Maryland from Big
Pool, Nd, to Knobmount, dis
lance of about sixty miles. It
will be remembered that some
years ago, when Mr.. Gould's Ell
fort 10 reach New York proved
futile, he bought from the city of
Baltimore control Of the Western
Maryland, and shortly after OBJ
tanned control of the West Vir-
glnla Central and Pittssurg. The
Western Maryland extended west
to Big Pool, directly across the
Potomac River from Cherry Run.
1 is from this point to Knob
mount, few miles south of Cum
berland, that single track CON
neCtion has been made with the
West Virginia Central and Pitts
burg, known as the Cumberland
extension Of the Western Mary
land. The country between these
two points is extremely rough and
was a difficult one in which to To-
cate a line that would be reason
ably free rom heavy grades and
curves. Several alternative pre-
liminary location surveys were
made and then lines compared,
both with reference to construction
cost and economical operating val
ue. After careful consideration
of the several routes the present
route was decided upon and the
final surveys for it were completed
in the early part of 1908.
The new line follows along the
Chesapeake and Ohio canal side
of the Potomac River Valley and
occupies for the greater part of its
distance the side of the valley OPP
posite from that on which the
Baltimore and Ohio is built. Ow-
ing to the mountainous nature of
the country, the canal, and the oc-
upation of the opposite side of the
river by the Baltimore and Ohio,
the new route neCessitated the
building of five tunnels and TWEEN
ty-three bridges including nine
over the Potomac river, seven over
the canal, aud three over the
tracks of the Baltimore and Ohio,
which it parallels most of the way.
Near Baird the new line is on the
same side of the river as the Bal
timOre and Ohio, and in many
cases is so close to it as to be
within a stones throw At Baird
rail connection was made with the
Baltimore and Ohio tor the pur-
pose of transferring material to the
new line.
The line for construction pur-
poses was DIVIDED into three divi-
sions, The first division extend
ed from Big Pool to Sideling Hill
Creek and was 22.Io miles long;
the second division extended from
Sideling Hill Greek to Paw Paw,
1912 miles; and third division ex-
tended from Paw Paw to Knob
mount distance OFFS miles.
Starting from Big Pool, the first
division to Sideling Hill Creek
closely parallels the river and the