Aiunttroxrv Itiutnrtoan JOURNAL.

 83

on that road. Should not Baltimore, then, build a
road alonga river which is not navigable’! Ii this
road would not be profitable—-embracing as it does
such a vast extent of coal region, and lorming a
direct line of communication with the Lakes, and
at the same time appropriating to your own use a
share of the improvements of New York, and the
branch road already constructed, and in progress
in Pennsylvania——where will you find one that is
profitable 9.

1 hope yet to‘ live to see the day when this road
shall be continued on to lake Ontario, and be known
as the “Lake Ontario and Baltimore railroad/’—~
'I‘o show how tnuch you and we need this improve»
meat I will cite you an incident which occurred in
our State during the past winter. Four oi‘ the Sen-
ators oi the Pennsylvania Legislature, who live a
short distance above wherel reside, in coming to
Harrisburg had to go first to Elmira, irom there to
New York, from thence through the State of New
Jersey to Philadelphia, and from thence to Harris-
burg. Thus being compelled to go live hundred
miles, and travel in two other States to attend their
own Legislature. Now will not the “ City of the
Susquehanna” help the Susquehanna out. But
this trade that 1 have cited you, as coming through
the State of New York from the West, althougli
amply sufficient now to urge you to grasp after a
portion of it must increase.

Thus you see the sun of commerce is not an ex-
pected luminary on the plain ol the lakes, but has
already risen brightly and gloriously and although
we are yet but in the enjoyment or its morning
beams, it has lighted up a scene of busy lite and
enterprise which has astotiislted the world. VVhat
will it be when it reaches the glory oi‘ its noon-day
splendor ‘l Bailled imagination strives in vain to
compute its vastness and its splendor; and the
wildest iancy that ever wrought images for the pen
of the poet shrinks back incompetent from the task
oi delineating the scene which it is destined to pre-
sent. There is no power that can prevent its
growth, there is nothing to blast or to wither it be-
fore it arrives at the immensity of its maturity. It
not only will, but it must increase, and in time to
come present a picture that has no parallel in all
the history oi mankind in past ages.

And Elmira is a point common to all these routes
from the lakes to New York, Philadelphia and Bal-
timore. They wi_ll all pass through this town, and
it is here that Baltimore has ztt‘lVill'ttZlgt:S of which
she cannot be deprived. Among these advantages
is that of distance. From Elmira to New York, by
way of the New York and Eric railroad, is 263
miles.’ From Elmira to Philadelphia, by way oi"
the Susquehanna, which is the best route, is 272
miles; by way oi’ Cattawissa it is 204 miles; but
the equated distance of the Susquehanna route is
less because ofthc heavy grades necessary on the
Cattawissa road, which would require more time
to ass over than it would take to perform the eight
mi es of greater air line distance aiong the Susque-
hanna route. From Elmira to Baltimore is 249
miles, 34 miles less than to New York, and 23
miles less than to Philadelphia.

Speeches were made by I-Ion.J. P. Kennedy and
others, of which that of Mr. Packer will give a
pretty correct idea.’ The road is estimated to cost
$2,000,000. It was proposed at the convention that
the city of Baltimore should subscribe $500,000,
and the counties oi Union, Northumbcrland, and
Lycoming an equal amount. The balance we pre-
sume could be raised on the company’s bonds. A
memorial addressed to the city of Baltimore,
urging upon that city a subscription oi‘tE55D0,000 to
the stock of the proposed road was adopted. The
convention was a most spirited one, and we have
no doubt that immediate steps will be taken to put
the line under contract, and that the road will be
completed with all reasonable dispatch.

The importance of the project to Baltimore jus-
tifies all the interest felt towards it by that city.~——
The local business of the route fully justiiies the
construction of the road, to say nothing of what will
be derived from the New York connections. By
railroad, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York

are nearly equal in distance lrom Buffalo; and

were New Yorll‘ to depend upon maintaining her
present superiority upon railroads, she might well
be solicitous as to the future. It is the Erie canal
that has given to this city its position, and through
that work she must continue to maintain it.

 

Bridge over the Central Railroad lilinois°

By the politeness of T. B. Blackstone, Esq., re-
sident engineer on this division oi’ the Central rail-
road, we have had exhibited to us 21 plan of the
viaduct by which the road is to cross the Illinois
river at this point.

The distance from bind‘ to bind‘ is one mile and
a quarter; about one hall’ of which is to he oceu
pied by embankmer.t, and the retnainder by a truss
bridge resting upon piers one hundred and sixty
ieet apart. These piers are to be built oi‘ solid
masonry resting upon piles driven into the ground
as closely together and firmly as possible. They
are to be lltly leet in breadth and fourteen feet in
thickness, presenting sharp angles in both dircc~
tions of the stream. The stream side inclines at
the rate oi’ six inches to the loot, ascending to the
heightof forty feet; this is to act as the ice breaker;
for which purpose it is admirably adapted, inas-
much as a mass ofice, impinging upon it, instead
oi striking a tangent, expending its iorce upon the
structure, lodging and creating a gorge, would
have a tendency to slide up and be cut in two, or
break by its own weight, imtnediatcly fall into the
current, and be carried down.

The lower sides incline three inches to the foot
and likewise present an angle in order that the
eddy may not only be lessened but produced beyond
the base oi the pier, which will obviate the under-
mining process. At the height of forty feet is an
onset, above which, a perpendicular portion, like-
wise ol'thc best masonry, is to rise 17 feet, making
the entire-height oi‘ the pier, 57 feet, and upon this
the bridge is to rest. Mr. B. informs us that not-
\VllllS'tZllltlll‘lg there will be a span oi‘ one hundred
and titty feet, the character oi thesuperstructure is
such, embracing the principle oi'the_arch, that the
weight imposed by the cars rather adds to, than
taxes its strc11gtl1.~—Lrtsa,Zlc S/.a.7tda7'(Z.

Ultlo.

Jtailroact Facts and Fttncz'c.s*.—-—lt1 these days of
electric telegraphs, express mails anddaily papers,
when every iacility is given l'or tltc detection of
error, and spread oi‘ truth, it is really surprising to
iind a paragraph like the following, in so respect-
able a periodical as the American Railroad Jour-
nal :——

Next south of the “Central” is the “Cincinnati
and Marietta railroad,” aiming at a connexion
withthe " Hcmplield” and “Baltimore and Ohio,"
at \Vhee-ling. As however, this line is 26 miles
longer than the route by Zanesville, and certainly
not more favorable in grades or curves, it tnust
depend upon local support. Between Mariettannd
‘Wheeling, a distance of 80 miles, the line occupies
the margin of the Ohio river, and during the season
of navigation, would find the steaniboats control
local tratfic. This fact \vill make the extension ol
this road east of Marietta a very dllficult matter.

Error F£rst.—Tl1e' M. and 0. line is not 26
miles longer than the Wilmiiigttiti and Zanesville
route, to \’Vheeling. Take the straightest possible
course tor the latter, and the most-crooked one
ever contemplated for the former, and the dificrence
is under 15 miles.

I}rro7' iS‘cco_mZ.———But it is in grades and curves
that the Marietta and Cincinnati road bids defiance
to any other line in Southern Ohio. It has been a
primnryobjeet with the ‘company, and a matter ol
pride with their excellent engineer, to make the
best road-bed and have no curves of less than $3600
radius. He expects to put his express train through
from Cincinnati to Bclpre, at the average rate of
40 miles an hour. There is no railroad work in
the State, that can favorably compare schedules
with the Cincinnati and Marietta line, whether as
to gradients, curves, masonry or width and solidity
of road-bed.

Error T/ti?-d.—-—It is believed to be by no means
necessary to follow the course of the Ohio river,
with thc'Cincinnati, Marietta and Wheeling; line,

between Marietta and Wheeling. A good route

may be gotten, at about 70 miles in length, passing
across the country, near Vifoodsfielu. Take a map
ol‘Ohio and examine for yourself. You will find
the courses oi b.ll‘C¢'ilI1S to iavor this pioject.

Such derogatory comparisons, ofrailroad lengths,

as that we quote from the A.‘R. R. Journal, are alto-
gether ad acptcndmit and unreliable. They are
gotten up to depreciate the bonds oi’ one company
at the expense oi’ those oi others—-and are thus un-
derstood, doubtless, by intelligent capitalists.-—~iS‘ci~
eta Grzzctte.
The article complained of by the Gazette was a
camnwt7tz'ca.1‘.io7t; and to refuse all such, because
every statement might not be £lbS()l'lLlCl'_lj correct,
would be to adopt a rule shutting out such articles
altogether. The Gazette very well knows that 3.
great degree oi freedom must be allowed to corres-
pondents, and if any incorrect statements are made,
our columns are open to their correction. We
have always spoken of the Cincinnati and Marietta
railroad as it deserves, in the highest terms, and
sllitll always stand ready to present its side or the
case, and to do it iull justice, whether it hasfbcen
wronged or not.

Iientucky.

L0:Ui7Lgl()7L and ].)(I/lt1JiHC RrL2'lroa(l.——The vote
in Jessamine county on Saturtlary last, on the pro-
position lor the county to subscribc,seventy-five
tliousand dollars in the stock oi‘ the Lexington and
Danvillc railroad company, resulted as follows:
For the tax, 518; against tax, 42:2. Majority for
tax, 00. This plrees the construction of the road
beyond all cavil or doubt. We presume there
never has been in the United States, a railroad
cotnmcncrd under auspices more iavorable than
this one. The stock already subscribed will enable
the company to build the road complete, and put
upon it all the necessary locomotives, cars, etc.,
without the necessity oi.‘ borrowing a dollar. Now
let this important work be pushed ahead. We
congratulate the friends of this great work upon
their success.

VVe are also gratified to see that onrfricnds in

Jessamine have held a meeting, and appointed‘dc-
legates to attend the railroad convention at Nash-
ville. Scc the proceedings in to-day’s paper.-——Ky.
Strztcstnrzit.

G11-ttrtl and (ihunnenuggcc Railroad.

At a int-cling ol this company, on Monday last,
[lst March] Major Robert S, I-Iardaway, Major
Wiley Williams and John Fontain, of Columbus,
and lilomcr Blackman, oi‘ Chunnenuggee, James
E. Gachet. oi‘ Enon, Gen. Anderson Abercrombie
and Dr. Thomas Dawson, of Russell county, Ala-
bama, were elected directors oi this railroad; after
which Major Hardaway was elected President.

The directors have passed already, a resolution
to let out, at once, the contracts for bridging and
superstructure on the first section, [20 miles] and
the President has been instructed to call upon the
Mayor and Council oi‘ this city, in reference to the
bonds agreed to be given, and preparatory to the
negotiations ior the purchase of iron, which the
President ex pects to commence laying down as soon
as it can he ¢_’0l up the rivcrncxt tall. In themean
time, a large force is at work on this first section
and is progressing rapidly.— Coltmzbtts Zl"t'77zes.

Peoria and Oqutnvlitt Rnilromlu

‘We learn that business of considerable impor-
tance was transacted at the meeting of the direc~
tors, held at Knoxville on Tuesday last. That
which we consider ofthe greatest moment, was an
order extending the road to connect with the Chi-
cago branch ot the Central road, which was laid
before the directors. Provision was also made for
carrying forward the work upon the east end of the‘
road from Peoria to Farrnington, and tor the pur-
chase oi two engines, and freight cars to be placed
upon each end of the road to facilitate the progress

thing in earnest.

of the work. This certainly looks likedoing S0l]Ci(_:«-