The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1907-02-12
MAKE FESTAL OCCASION
Baltimore in Gala Attire
Today In Honor Of Event
an AsaocIated Presa.i


interesting exercises were held at the
general offices in this city today in
celebration of the S0tb birthday of the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad It was
Just eighty years ago today that a
group of Baltimore's foremost citizens
MET at the residence of Philip e
Thomas for the purpose of devising a
means which would enable CONNER
cial intercourse between Baltimore
and the Ohio river. and thus overcome
the commercial advantages her neigh
boring cities. Philadelphia and New
York, enjoyed by reason OF canals.
The Baltimore and Ohio is the
oldest steam railroad in America The
first stone of its roadbed was laid in
this city on the Fourth of July, 1928,
with elaborate ceremony Over its orr
ginal length of nine miles mules drag
ged its cars Then Peter Cooper. a
manufacturer of New York, brought to
Baltimore a steam engine--a curious
concern, something like a boiler with
stGYepipe In it-And Cooper's en-
gine broke ilOwn and the horse ex-
press beat It, Then came the grass
hopper engines--the embryonic germs
Of the tremendous locomotives of to
day. SO, historically, the Baltimore a
Ohio IS extremely interesting.
The road grew. 1t was the first to
cross the Allegheny mountains and
tap the great West. It grew. and
thanks to the energy. the executive
capacity, the untiring labor of John
W. Garrett Il thrived in time
But the story of its early vicissi-
fttIac f,c,,, III. ,,,rrf ft,taraetfuu chan
ters Of the roads career. The origi-
pal project was to construct an all
rail line from Baltimore 10 Wheeling
The origina company was capitalized
at Sj.000,000 and was chartered by the
Maryland legislature. The corner
stone was laid by the illustrious Chas
Corrol of Carrollton the last surYiY-
ing signer OF the Declaration of lnds
nendence The line was constructed
to Ellicott's Mills in 1890 and tle
company announced in the Baltimore
newspapers that a brigade of cars
would run three times a day each way
between Baltimore and Ellic0tts
Mills. the fare being twenty-five cents
Before the line had been long in
operation the motive power was
changed from horses to sail car
built by President Thomass BROTHER
Evan Thomas. This proved a more
feasible means of locomotion, and SO
keen was the interest manifested in
his novel sail car that prominen dig
nitaries and foreign representatives
made the liip from Washington bT
stage in order to ride in this car
Then came The trial OF Peter
Coopers locomotive known as the
| Tom Thumb, which did not prove as
| successful as its builder had antici-
| pated The first trial trip of the en-
| gine was made August 25, 1881, from
Baltimore 10 Ellicott's Mills. A year
or two later engines Of a more i'm
! proved type were successfully tried
and from that time dates the expan
sion of the great Baltimore & Ohio
| system
Under the management OF John w
| Garrett the road crosse to prosperity
thai even he had not dreamed of, The
company's stock paid 10 per cent
dividends. II a dying man had money
in the Baltimore & Ohio lie died con
tent, for he knew his wido was pro
vided for
John w Garrett died IN 1884. and
his son. Robert Garrett. succeeded
him as President of the Baltimore s
Ohio One of the most interestine
chapters In the history OF the road oe
CURED when Robert Garrett opened
he bottle Of champaign that cost mil
| ious
AT thai time there was one railroad
between Philadelphia aud Baltimore
Robert Garrett wanted It for the Bal
| timore & Ohio. Thomas A. Scott want
"a Il for the Pennsylvania Railroad
| That railroad was the Philadelphia
Wilmington q Baltimore Just az thai
ime il was naturally the most dc
girable thing in the world for the b.
3 o. and likewise for the Pennsyl
gania
Robert Garrett set about to ac
luire the property He learned that
.evetal of the largest owners of stock
| iVed in Boston. With their stock IL
his possession he could easily get con
1 rol of the majority. So he Went to
ioston, where his negotiations Were
mlnentlv successful Already in.h
linds exc ne saw the p. g. o trains
olling into Philadelphia
But Robert Garrett was never a
| elfcOntained man He drank deep
krriyec IN New York he went 10 a
inner party Some corporation laai
ears were among those present. Az
hat dinner party the bottle oi cham
1agne that cost millions was openod
Robert Garrett drank A. Flushed. he
,0uld not keep his triumphant sec
ret. But one man, whose legs were
lnder the mahogany. did not drink. he
excused himself about 10 D. m. and
eff the table Before daylight he
vas IN Philadelphia and at the house
n Thomas A. Scott. president OF the
pennsylvania. The next m0rnine
mlssaries of the Pennsylvania were
,urrylug 20 Boston and other points &
get hold Oi the p ~. & b stock