The Republican., 1925-10-22

City, Nd, was attempted, the Balti-
more and Ohio had to be satisfied at
first with horses and experiments
with dogs. For a little while the "sail
car" was tried out. By 1880, Peter
Cooper had succeeded in perfecting
his locomotive for a trial and altho
crude and small, with the boiler up
right, it was nevertheless the first
locomotive built in America.
Crossing the Alleghenies.
Whilst the founders and first direc-
tors of the Baltimore and Ohio were
experimenting with motive power, as
well as the kind of roadbed and rails
over which to run its trains of cars,
they were equally engaged in pushing
the construction of the road as rapid
ly as possible. Frederick, Nd, was
reached by its rails in 1831-a dis
tance Of 81 miles from Baltimore. On
December L, 1884, the mileage was
extended to Harper's Ferry, W. Va,
81 miles from the beginning.
Beset with many difficulties, the
Baltimore and Ohio continued H.
westward progress and reached Cum
berland, Md, 172 miles, on November
5, 1912, which was just about half
way to its objective, the Ohio River,
as set forth in its charter. When
Thomas Swami was elected its fourth
president in 1848, he was just as de-
termined as his predecessors, Thomas,
Patterson and McLane, to keep push
ing the construction of the railroad
on its way and by January 1, 1858,
the original Baltimore and Ohio line
as chartered from Baltimore to the
Ohio River, was a reality when the
track of the company reached Wheel
ing, w. Va, distance Of 397 miles
just 26 years from its birth and %
years from the laying Of the "First
Stone"
This was a wonderful achievement
in those early days when there were
no guides or plecedents for such ar
undertaking, nor any of the moderr
facilities that are now available,Sure.
ly, it was fearless progressivenesE
that urged on and stimulated the skill
of the fathers Of the feat.
Following this, its extensions were
more rapid into the West. In 1857
the Parkersburg Branch railroad wa.
completed and the Baltimore anC
Ohio was extended to Parkersburg
w. Va, also on the banks Of the Ohio
River. Onward its progress continu
ed. By connections and agreement!
with other railroads it reached Gin
cinnati, Ohio, over the ParkersburG
Branch Railroad and the Mariett;
Railroad and subsequently, through
connection with the Ohio and Missis
sippi Railway, it stretched out to st
Louis, Mo-, May 1, 1857.
The Civil War.
From 1861 to 1865, the years dur
ing which the United States was rem
| by the Civil War, the Baltimore ant
Ohio Raiho cad was the line of STRAIT
egy for both the Federal and Confed
crate forces. It's tracks between tn
City of Washington and picturesqu
Harper's Ferry, W. Va, run jus
north and south of the principal bat
tie grounds where some of the mos
bloody and hotly contested engage
ments were fought, so that the rail
road suffer ed much from destruction
of tracks and confscation Of equip
ment. At Harper's Ferry, locomotive
and cars were thrown into the rive
and bridges torn down. In the mont
Of July 1861, fourteen locomotive
and several passenger and freigh
cars We're taken from the road be
tween Harper's Ferry and Martins
burg, W. Va. In 1859, John Brow
made his memorable attack upon tn
United States arsenal alongside tn