REPORT 
 
 PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION 
 
 A RAIL ROAD FROM YORK 
 
 CUMBERLAND VALLEY RAIL ROAD, 
 
 Baltimore: 
 
At a regular meeting of the President and Directors of the 
 Baltimore and Susquehanna Rail Road Company, on the 17th 
 June, 1847, Mr. Yellott, from the committee to whom were 
 referred sundry communications addressed to the Board on the 
 subject of a proposed Rail Road from York to the Cumberland 
 Valley Road, submitted a report, which was read, and on 
 motion, was accepted and ordered to be printed. 
 
 R. S. Hollins, Secr’y. 
 
 Office,—Baltimore and Susquehanna R. R. Co., 
 
 Juke 17th, 1847. 
 
REPOET . 
 
 The undersigned, a committee appointed by the Board of 
 Directors of the Baltimore and Susquehanna Railroad Compa¬ 
 ny, upon the subject of a railroad connection between York 
 and Harrisburg, by means of the charter granted by the Le¬ 
 gislature of Pennsylvania to the York and Cumberland Rail¬ 
 road Company, beg leave to submit to the board the following 
 report : 
 
 The committee left Baltimore on the second day of June, 
 accompanied by Isaac R. Trimble, Esq., the former engineer 
 of the company, who had been invited to accompany them. 
 From that day to the 5th, they were engaged in visiting York, 
 Harrisburgh and Middletown, for the purpose of making a re- 
 connoissance of the intermediate country, and of obtaining in¬ 
 formation as to the feasibility and probable cost of the pro¬ 
 posed road. They found the best feelings upon the subject 
 existing on the part of the citizens of the various towns they 
 visited, and an earnest desire to lend their efforts towards the 
 immediate prosecution of the undertaking. Assurances were 
 given by many that stock would be liberally subscribed for. 
 Nothing like a feeling of state jealousy seemed to exist, but 
 all appeared anxious for the proposed railroad connection 
 with Baltimore—very properly considering that it would be 
 productive of equal advantages to Pennsylvania and to Mary¬ 
 land. It would more fully develope the agricultural and min¬ 
 eral resources of the former, by affording a market in the lat¬ 
 ter, thereby adding to the commerce and wealth of both. 
 
 The act to incorporate the York and Cumberland Railroad 
 Company was passed by the Legislature of Pennsylvania in 
 
the month of April, 1846. By said act the company are em¬ 
 powered to construct “ a railroad from the borough of York to 
 unite with the Cumberland Valley Railroad, at some point be¬ 
 tween Mechanicksburg and the Susquehanna river.” The 
 capital stock of the company is limited to 60,000 shares of 
 $25 each; the person subscribing for the same to pay at the 
 time one dollar on each share taken. When 3000 shares 
 shall have been taken, and the fact duly certified to the Gov¬ 
 ernor of Pennsylvania, he shall, “ by letters, patent, under 
 his hand and the seal of the commonwealth, create and erect 
 the subscribers, together with those who may afterwards sub¬ 
 scribe, in a body politic and corporate, in deed and in law, by 
 the name, style and title of the York, and Cumberland Rail¬ 
 road Company, and by that name to have perpetual succes¬ 
 sion,” &c. It is further provided, that, “ if the said compa¬ 
 ny, do not complete the said work, so as to bring it into use, 
 within five years after the passage of this act, then this char¬ 
 ter shall become null and void.” For further details the board 
 are respectfully referred to the charter itself. 
 
 Though the road to be constructed under this charter will 
 be within the limits of the State of Pennsylvania, yet it is our 
 own State that is most deeply interested in its completion. 
 By this means, her large investment, and that of the city of 
 Baltimore, in the Baltimore and Susquehanna Railroad, may 
 soon be made profitable; while the vast amount of trade 
 which would be attracted to our city, would add a new and 
 important item to the sources of her commercial prosperity. 
 Though many enterprising citizens of Pennsylvania are ready 
 to embark their capital in the undertaking, yet they naturally 
 look to Baltimore for the first movement and principal aid. 
 They look especially to this company,—as the party most im¬ 
 mediately interested,—to take the lead, by proposing some 
 definite and concerted action upon the subject. The question 
 then presents itself, shall the work now be started or shall the 
 charter heretofore granted be suffered to expire by its own lim¬ 
 itation ? 
 
Before answering this question, the committee propose to 
 consider— 
 
 I. (Host of (Ecmstuuting tljc Hoair. 
 
 This, according to the estimate of the able engineer, Mr. 
 Trimble, would be about $500,000. 
 
 The committee themselves made a careful observation of 
 two of the routes which have been proposed, viz :—One from 
 York down the Codorus creek to its mouth, thence up the 
 Susquehanna river, along, or near, its banks, to the Cumber¬ 
 land Valley Railroad, at the bridge opposite Harrisburg. The 
 other route would leave the Codorus about a mile below York, 
 and, running in a northern direction, strike the Susquehanna 
 at York Haven, about live miles above the mouth of the Co¬ 
 dorus. Neither of these routes would exceed twenty-nine 
 miles in length ; and by far the greater portion of both, lying 
 along the banks of the Susquehanna, is remarkably free from 
 difficulties, presenting one of the easiest and cheapest rail 
 routes in the country. 
 
 The object of the committee being, not to decide which 
 would he the best location for the road, but only to ascertain 
 that at least one practicable route existed, they did not exam¬ 
 ine others to which their attention was invited. It is proper, 
 however, to state that the opinion is entertained by some of 
 the citizens of York county, that a favorable route for the road 
 may be found by running from York north-westwardly, through 
 or near Lewisburg, and intersecting the Cumberland Valley 
 Railroad some four or five miles west of the Susquehanna. 
 Before the road is finally located, all the country over which 
 the charter authorizes it to be constructed, should, of course, 
 be carefully examined, and that route selected which, under 
 all circumstances offers the greatest advantages. 
 
 For further information upon this branch of the subject we 
 refer the board to the communication of Mr. Trimble, presen¬ 
 ted with this report. 
 
6 
 
 II. ®lje probable amount of tlje JJnsiness of llje Roab. 
 
 At whatever point the road from York may unite with the 
 Cumberland Valley Railroad, the connection between York 
 and Harrisburg will be complete, inasmuch as the Cumber¬ 
 land Valley Road unites with the Harrisburg and Lancaster 
 Railroad, near the canal basin at Harrisburg. Baltimore would 
 thus have a continuous and most desirable connection with all 
 the principal lines of the Pennsylvania improvements. The 
 Cumberland Valley and the Franklin Railroads extend from 
 Hagerstown, in Maryland, to Harrisburg, a distance of up¬ 
 wards of seventy miles, through the Cumberland Valley, one 
 of the most populous and fertile regions of America. Some 
 idea may be formed of the value of the annual products of 
 this valley from the statistics furnished by the census of 1840. 
 The following table shows the aggregate of some of the prin¬ 
 cipal products and manufactures for that year, of the six coun¬ 
 ties of Bedford, Franklin, Cumberland, Dauphin, York and 
 Adams; and also the whole amount of the same products and 
 manufactures, for that year, of the State of Maryland : 
 
 Wheat—bushels,. 2,428,512 3,34^783 
 
 Rye do . 1,413,872 723,577 
 
 Oats do . 3,139,401 3,534,211 
 
 Corn do . 2,95S,104 8,233,086 
 
 Distilled and fermented Liquors, 
 
 gallons,. 1,043,697 366,213 
 
 For the products of these six counties—nearly equal to those 
 of our entire State—Baltimore is the nearest and natural mar¬ 
 ket. Large quantities are now sent from some of these coun¬ 
 ties by wagons to York, thence to be sent by railroad to Bal¬ 
 timore; but far the greater proportion, attracted by superior 
 facilities of communication, is carried to Philadelphia. By 
 constructing the proposed road, we would bring the rich gran¬ 
 aries of this region within a few hours travel of Baltimore, 
 and might reasonably expect to secure almost the whole of 
 this trade. 
 
The committee have been furnished with a statement of the 
 business of the Cumberland Valley Railroad, by which it ap¬ 
 pears that the transportation over that road for the year 1846, 
 amounted to 45,453,990 lbs., and for five months of the year 
 1847, to 32,287,158 lbs. 
 
 Besides the Cumberland Valley Railroad, the Pennsylvania 
 Canal would also meet us at Harrisburg. This immense work, 
 extending through the heart of Pennsylvania, connects the 
 waters of the Susquehanna with those of the Ohio and Lake 
 Erie. Its length, (including the Portage Railroad of 36 
 miles,) from liarrisburg to Pittsburg, is 2S4i miles, and from 
 Beaver to Lake Erie, 136 miles—total 420J miles. But, be¬ 
 sides the main line, branches of this canal have been extend¬ 
 ed into various sections of the State. Ore of those extends 
 from Duncan’s Island, at the mouth of the Juniata, up the 
 Susquehanna to Northumberland, a distance of 39 miles. At 
 this point, two other branches start; one running with the 
 North Branch of the Susquehanna, 73 miles to Lackwan- 
 nock,—the other with the West Branch, 72 mile to Dunstown. 
 The latter branch of the canal is met at Williamsport by a 
 railroad, the greater portion of which is finished, extending 
 from Elmira in New York. Elmira connects by canal with 
 the most important lines of improvements of that State : and 
 a Railroad of but 30 miles in length is wanting to connect 
 Williamsport with the great New York and Erie Railroad, 
 now in progress of construction. These various branches of 
 the canal pierce the rich counties of Dauphin, Perry, Juniata, 
 Union, Columbia, Northumberland, Luzerne, Bradford and 
 Lycoming,—abounding in lumber, iron and grain, and con¬ 
 taining some of the most extensive and valuable coal-fields in 
 the world. 
 
 Between York and Harrisburg, on the east bank of the 
 Susquehanna, is Middletown, the greatest lumber market per¬ 
 haps in the country. The following estimate of the number 
 of feet brought down the river annually to this point, has been 
 furnished by a gentleman of York, who has given considera¬ 
 ble attention to the subject: 
 
Boards—300,000,000 feet, Board measure, 
 Timber—150,000,000 do do 
 
 $3,000,000 
 
 1,500,000 
 
 Total value of annual trade, $4,500,000 
 
 Both of the routes for the York and Cumberland Railroad, 
 which were examined by tbe committee, pass up the river 
 immediately opposite this place, and could be connected with 
 it by a bridge of one mile in length. Tbe privilege of bridging 
 the river at this point was not granted in the present charter, 
 but no doubt could be hereafter obtained. Besides serving to 
 bring this valuable trade upon the railroad, a bridge here 
 would be of great advantage to the neighboring country; and, 
 as a toll bridge, would nearly pay the interest upon tbe cost 
 of its construction. 
 
 It will be found by reference to the census statistics of 1840, 
 that two-thirds of the iron manufactured in Pennsylvania, is 
 made in the counties west of the Susquehanna. Should the 
 proposed road be made, Baltimore will be the most convenient 
 market for this trade, and cannot fail to receive a large pro¬ 
 portion of it. 
 
 But the source from which this road would ultimately real¬ 
 ize its largest profits, is the coal trade. In the upper part of 
 Dauphin county, and near the Susquehanna river, are the Ly- 
 ken’s Valley, Berry’s Mountain, Bear Valley, and Stoney 
 Creek coal basins,—the three first anthracite, tbe last bitumi¬ 
 nous. The coal of this region in quality has no superior. In 
 quantity it is inexhaustible. The report of an intelligent com¬ 
 mittee, who had visited these basins, made to tbe legislature 
 of Pennsylvania in 1S39, estimates that Bear Valley basin 
 alone contains 658,240,000 tons,—while some have estimated 
 its deposits as high as 4,000,000,000 of tons ! If the York 
 and Cumberland Railroad be made to Harrisburg, the day 
 will not be distant when it will be extended into the heart of 
 these coal basins. From Harrisburg to Dauphin Town or 
 Port Lyon, at the mouth of Stony Creek Valley is eight 
 miles; from thence to the bituminous coal beds of Stony 
 Creek Valley, is 13 miles. From Dauphin Town to the an- 
 
thracite coal beds of Berry’s mountain is a distance of 29 
 miles. The whole distance from Baltimore to the bituminous 
 coal basin of Stony Creek would be only 10S miles; to the 
 anthracite coal fields of Berry’s mountain 124 miles—the for¬ 
 mer a shorter route than that of the Schuylkill coal sent to 
 Philadelphia by the Reading Railroad. Coal could be deliv¬ 
 ered by this route in Baltimore much cheaper than it can be 
 supplied by any existing or proposed route from any fields yet 
 discovered. Canal and railroad connections already exist 
 between Harrisburg and these coal basins—and considerable 
 quantities have been brought into the market. But the com¬ 
 pletion of the York and Cumberland Road would give a new 
 impetus to this trade, by affording it a shorter and cheaper 
 avenue to the waters of the Chesapeake. 
 
 We have thus far been considering the probable business of 
 the York and Cumberland Railroad, if dependent solely upon 
 the trade of Pennsylvania. But another great enterprise has 
 been commenced, which, when completed, must insure to this 
 road an amount of business that will make it one of the most 
 profitable railroads in the Union. The charter for the Penn¬ 
 sylvania Central Road, to extend from Harrisburg to Pittsburg, 
 was granted in February, 1S46. The importance of this road 
 to the trade of Philadelphia has called forth the most zealous 
 efforts of her citizens to hasten its completion. Three mil¬ 
 lions of stock, or nearly half the amount required, have alrea¬ 
 dy been taken; and sections of the road are about to be put 
 under contract. 
 
 The length of the road from Harrisburg to Pittsburg will 
 be 228 miles,—and its estimated cost is something over 
 $7,000,000, or about $31,000 per mile. Philadelphia has al¬ 
 ready a railroad connection with Harrisburg by a route of 106J 
 miles. By finishing the Central road, she will have a contin¬ 
 uous railroad connection with the waters of the Ohio at Pitts¬ 
 burg, by a route of 334J miles. Can it be doubted that this 
 connection will speedily be made ? 
 
 Some have asserted that nature has raised insurmountable 
 barriers across the route of the Central Road. The diflicul- 
 
10 
 
 ties have been much exaggerated. From the reports of intel¬ 
 ligent engineers, it appears that, by making two tunnels of no 
 extraordinary length, the mountains may be passed, and the 
 whole road constructed, so that the maximum grade would 
 never be more than 45 feet to the mile. 
 
 We have stated the estimated cost of the work, and the 
 amount of stock already subscribed;—can the balance of the 
 stock be taken ? The committee have been assured that it 
 will be; and they see no reason to doubt it. The distance 
 from Cumberland to Pittsburg, by the Southern or Savage ri¬ 
 ver route of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, (which seems 
 now to be settled upon) is 17S miles, and the estimated cost 
 $4,383,070. The distance from Harrisburg to Pittsburg by 
 the Central Road is 22S miles, and the estimated $7,000,000; 
 a difference of only 50 miles of distance, and $2,616,030 of 
 expense in the two undertakings. If we compare the popu¬ 
 lation and wealth of the two States, it would seem that the 
 extension from Harrisburg is a much easier undertaking for 
 Pennsylvania, than that from Cumberland is for Maryland. If 
 Baltimore extends her road to Pittsburg, who can doubt for a 
 moment, that Philadelphia will then (if she should delay until 
 then) put forth her utmost energies to effect the completion of 
 her Central road ? Can it be hoped, that she will look on 
 with calm indifference while a rival city snatches away the 
 rich treasures of the West,—the golden fleece which she her¬ 
 self had already spent so much toil and treasure to secure ! 
 It may be said that Philadelphia has already a canal commu¬ 
 nication with Pittsburg which has cost an immense outlay,— 
 and that she will not be willing to expend millions more in 
 making a railroad to the same point. Let it be remembered 
 that the march of improvement is onward with daily increas¬ 
 ing speed. Time is now emphatically regarded as money. 
 Merchants from distant cities buy and sell by telegraph! The 
 canal boat drawn by the sluggish mule can no longer success¬ 
 fully compete with the lightning speed of the steam-driven 
 car! The daily increasing passenger travel from the popu- 
 
12 
 
 conflicting. If we regard the rapid and daily increase of the 
 western States in wealth and population, and estimate from 
 their past progress what will be their future greatness, we will 
 find that in a few years, the business of that wonderful region 
 will furnish an amount of freight and travel sufficient to give 
 constant and profitable employment to both works. In 1S10, 
 the population of the Mississippi valley was 1,064,703. In 
 1S40, it had reached 5,335,57S. By the same ratio of in¬ 
 crease, in 1870,—(within twenty-three years,)—it will be 
 26,000,000 ! Some idea may he formed of the value of the ag¬ 
 ricultural products of this region from the estimates furnished 
 in the report of the Commissioner of Patents for the year 
 1845, by which it appears that, besides other staples, the corn 
 crop alone for that year amounted to 273,384,000 bushels, and 
 the wheat crop to 55,3S4,000 bushels. A considerable amount 
 of these products is sent annually to the Atlantic cities for 
 foreign exportation. Increase of facilities produces an increase 
 of trade. If greater facilities of internal communication were 
 offered, and the expense of transportation thereby lessened, 
 how much greater an amount of western productions would 
 annually pass the Alleghanies ? And which of all the cities 
 of the sea-board is more advantageously located for the Wes¬ 
 tern trade than Baltimore ? Nature has done much for her. 
 It only remains for her citizens to appreciate her advantages 
 and to improve them. Human art and enterprise may perfect 
 what nature has done, and the monumental city may secure to 
 herself the larger portion of the trade of a region able at all 
 times, from its surplus products, to supply the starving millions 
 of Europe with food ! 
 
 The committee, therefore, think that both connections with 
 the Ohio might very properly be made. The construction of 
 the York and Cumberland road would cost a comparatively 
 small sum. This can be spared from Maryland and Pennsyl¬ 
 vania capital, and an abundance of means left for the comple¬ 
 tion of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. 
 
13 
 
 In conclusion of this part of their report, the committee 
 would recapitulate tl^e following important items from which 
 the profits of this road might be expected to arise : 
 
 1. The Produce Trade of Western and Southern 
 Pennsylvania. 
 
 The amount of this trade would be large and its nearest 
 market Baltimore. 
 
 2. The Lumber Trade. 
 
 This road would bring Baltimore in direct communication 
 with the pine forests of the Upper Susquehanna, and with 
 Middletown, the greatest lumber market in the southern or 
 middle States. 
 
 3. The Iron and Coal Trade. 
 
 The anthracite and bituminous coal basins of Dauphin 
 county would soon supply this road with a trade which of 
 itself would render it a profitable investment. From the great 
 difference in the cost of fuel upon the two routes, coal could 
 be carried at much less expense upon this than upon the Read¬ 
 ing Railroad. 
 
 4. The Passenger Travel of Western Pennsylvanta. 
 This road would furnish the shortest and cheapest route to 
 
 Washington for three fourths of the counties of Pennsy]va-> 
 nia, and to many of the southern counties of New York, 
 containing together a population amounting to two millions. 
 Passengers could leave Harrisburg at 4 o’clock in the morn¬ 
 ing, reach Baltimore in time for breakfast, and thence proceed 
 to Washington where they could arrive by II o’clock. 
 
 5. The Freight and Passenger Travel of the West. 
 When the Central road is finished, this must be very great. 
 
 This road will possess advantages which will enable it to com¬ 
 pete successfully for this trade with any other work. 
 
 III. £Uumntages to result to Baltimore & illarulaittt 
 from its Construction. 
 
 The Baltimore and Susquehanna Railroad extends from 
 Baltimore to the Maryland line, and thence, by means of the 
 
York and Maryland line railroad, to the borough of York, a 
 distance of 58 miles. In this work the State of Maryland 
 has invested §1,SS4,054 25—besides large arrearages of in¬ 
 terest due from the company, and Baltimore city $S50,000. 
 Nearly every ton of freight, and every passenger passing over 
 the York and Cumberland railroad, would also pass over this 
 road. The former would be about 29 miles in length ; the 
 latter is just twice that length. The trade of the York and 
 Cumberland Railroad would thus swell the receipts of the 
 Baltimore and Susquehanna road, and would soon render pro¬ 
 fitable the large investments of our State in that work—and 
 eventually enable the company to make dividends to the city 
 and the private stockholders. Another result even more im¬ 
 portant would be the creation of a new and valuable trade for 
 our city, affording employment for her capital, a field for the 
 enterprise of her merchants, and a strong and lasting impetus 
 to her growth and prosperity. 
 
 Nor would the advantage arising from this work result sole¬ 
 ly to our own State. Pennsylvania is equally interested in its 
 completion. By this means, the citizens of many of her Con¬ 
 gressional districts will be benefitted by having a nearer and 
 cheaper route to the National Capitol and other southern cities. 
 Thousands of the farmers of her interior counties would find 
 their lands increased in value from the increased convenience 
 for sending their crops to the markets of the Atlantic seaboard. 
 Coal fields and mineral lands now neglected and valueless 
 would be opened and give wealth to their possessors. Thus, 
 while no part of that State would be injured, thousands of 
 her citizens would receive important benefits from this pro¬ 
 posed connexion with our city—a work which would create 
 business for itself, by producing a new trade and increased 
 travel. 
 
 The committee therefore think, that the agricultural inter¬ 
 ests of Pennsylvania and the commercial interests of Baltimore, 
 would alike be promoted by the construction of the York and 
 Cumberland railroad. They also believe that it would be a 
 profitable investment for capitalists. 
 
15 
 
 The committee have thus endeavored to discharge the duty 
 imposed upon them. It will be for the Board to take such 
 action upon the subject of this report as to its members may 
 seem proper. 
 
 Coleman Yellott, 
 
 R. M. Magraw, 
 
 William P. Pouder, 
 
 Committee. 
 
Baltimore, June 10th, 1847. 
 
 To the President and Directors of the 
 
 Baltimore and Susquehanna Rail Road Company : 
 Gehtlemen : 
 
 At your request, I give you the result of a late reconnois- 
 sance of the country between York and Harrisburg, made in 
 company with a committee of your Board, with reference to 
 the proposed construction of a rail-road northwardly from 
 York to Harrisburg. 
 
 Our examinations, aided by impressions which I had re¬ 
 ceived from a reconnoissance and partial surveys made ten 
 years ago for a similar purpose, fully justify the following con¬ 
 clusions, to wit: 
 
 1st. That there are two —probably three routes of easy prac¬ 
 ticability from York northwardly to the west end of the Har¬ 
 risburg bridge, or to a junction with the Cumberland Valley 
 
 railroad at some point between said bridge and Carlisle. 
 
 Two of the routes would pass northwardly and westwardly 
 across the Conatvago hills,—and the third would follow 
 the Codorus and Susquehanna river. Instrumental surveys 
 can alone properly determine a choice of route, and how far 
 its selection should be influenced by local interests. These 
 surveys should be full and complete, and might be made this 
 summer. 
 
 2d. That the length of the extension to the Cumberland 
 Valley Railroad at any probable point of intersection, will not 
 exceed a distance of 284 miles; and by the shortest route will 
 be about 27 miles. 
 
 3d. That the inclinations—gradients—on either route will 
 not exceed 40 feet to the mile; and one of them will not ex¬ 
 ceed 10 feet to the mile on any part of the route. 
 
4th. That the cost of the extension, inclusive of sidelings, 
 water stations, depot houses, &c., along the line, and a suita¬ 
 ble depot for freight and passengers at the point of intersec¬ 
 tion -with the Cumberland Valley Railroad, will not exceed on 
 the average $18,000 per mile—not including however land and 
 damages, which may be put down at a moderate sum, and not 
 including engines and cars : it being supposed that the equip¬ 
 ments of the Susquehanna Road will be sufficient for the ex¬ 
 tension, the first year at least, and that they can run to Har¬ 
 risburg. Thus the cost of the. extension, assuming its length 
 to be 2Sh miles, will be $513,000. 
 
 From the unusually favorable character of the ground, on 
 one of the routes, I should be fully justified in estimating the 
 cost of the road, ns specified above—laid in the best manner 
 with a 60 lbs. rail at less than $500,000, and in stating that 
 responsible contractors are ready to contract for its entire com¬ 
 pletion for that sum, giving proper security. 
 
 At your request, I have also prepared a skeleton map, exhi-.. 
 biting the various lines of public improvements from Balti¬ 
 more and Philadelphia, or New York, westward ; as also the 
 lines of improvements extending from the Susquehanna, to 
 the coal basins of the Bear Valley and Stony Creek. 
 
 The great value of the bituminous coal of these basins 
 though not generally known, is yet well attested by both ana¬ 
 lysis and public use. The distance from Baltimore to the 
 Bear Valley coal basin by the contemplated extension is 140 
 miles, to Lyken’s valley 130 miles, and to Stony Creek basin 
 10S miles. In both cases the route from Harrisburg would 
 take the Pennsylvania improvements and thence to the coal 
 basins, by local improvements. 
 
 The practicability of reaching a valuable coal district by 
 railroad and canal, distant but 10S miles from Baltimore, is 
 a discovery both new and gratifying to her interests. 
 
 In respect to distance, it places Baltimore on the same foot¬ 
 ing as Philadelphia with reference to a coal trade—the latter 
 city being about 110 miles from the centre of the coal region 
 above Pottsville; 
 
When the contem plated Central Railroad from Philadel¬ 
 phia -westward is completed, and a connexion formed at or 
 near Harrisburg, the section of it thence to Stoney creek, or a 
 short branch road from it, of perhaps two miles in length taken 
 in connexion with the Baltimore and Susquehanna Railroad, 
 will form a continuous line of railroad communication 10S 
 miles to Baltimore, the character of which will be well adap¬ 
 ted to transportation of coal at low prices. This will be ap¬ 
 parent from the following named characteristics of the route— 
 
 From Stony Creek coal basin to Codorus, (one of the routes 
 proposed,) a distance of 46 miles the road will be either level 
 or decending towards Baltimore. From Codorus through 
 York to Hethcote’s station, a distance of 27 miles, there is no 
 ascent of more than 12 feet per mile. From Hethcote’s to 
 the summit of Slate Ridge, the ascent is 60 feet per mile, and 
 the only unfavorable portion of the whole route. From the 
 summit to Baltimore, 36 miles, there is a continuous descent, 
 with the exception of one ascending grade of three miles, at 
 30 feet per mile. 
 
 To work the road over the summit, advantageously for coal 
 
 or other heavy trains there should be a double track laid on the 
 five miles of heavy grade, for the use of assistant engines, so as 
 not to impede the regular transit of other trains. Then a coal 
 or burthen train going south and arriving at Helhcote’s; the 
 engine would take a part of its train to the summit, and return¬ 
 ing, bring up the remainder at one or more trips—proceeding 
 on to Baltimore down grade with the whole train ; or, if found 
 best, an assistant engine of great power could be kept at the 
 summit to aid in hauling over the trains. 
 
 The cost of transporting coal to Baltimore would be $1 50 
 to §2 00 per ton—yielding fair profits. 
 
 I hope the present moment may prove auspicious in direct¬ 
 ing the attention of the merchants and properly holders of 
 Baltimore to the great importance of the extension to Harris¬ 
 burg, by which means a valuable and extensive trade may be 
 drawn to Baltimore at a comparatively trifling expenditure. 
 
The vast trade of the Susquehanna Valley and its tributary 
 districts -were formerly'not undervalued by Baltimore, and 
 when possessed by her, contributed more to her prosperity 
 than that from any other source. For twenty years Baltimore 
 —intent upon engrossing the rich and illimitable trade of the 
 west, has neglected, or scarcely deemed worth suitable efforts, 
 the trade and produce of the noble valleys of the Susquehan¬ 
 na, ample and rich to secure the prosperity of any city, if pos¬ 
 sessed by it alone. Impatient of delay while gazing west¬ 
 ward towards the rich prize, Baltimore seemed to forget the 
 humble maxim, “ there is a time for all things,” and that it 
 would have been perhaps better to obtain a secondary benefit, 
 at a small cost and without delay, before she made the great 
 effort to reach the mighty West. Such a course might have 
 given strength to her arm, new vigor to her energies, and 
 brighter hopes and confidence in the accomplishment of her 
 GREAT PROJECT. 
 
 That which ought to have been done long ago, should not 
 now be longer delayed, for the reasons which originally had 
 
 It is manifest that Baltimore will derive more benefit from 
 the expenditure of half a million towards the extension of the 
 Susquehanna Road to Harrisburg, than from thrice that sum 
 expended on any other object—and the benefit, too, will be 
 immediate and at the same time, without injury to any other 
 of her great schemes of improvement—what better incentive 
 to action than this ? 
 
 If we look beyond the trade of the Susquehanna vallies, to 
 Pittsburgh, following the Pennsylvania improvements, we find 
 the shortest and best route to the trade of that city, to be by 
 the road now under consideration, in connection with those 
 improvements—made with the funds of another State ; thus 
 giving Baltimore an advantageous route to Pittsburg, for the 
 trifling expense of $500,000. 
 
 There are abundant reasons why the citizens of Baltimore 
 should rouse up, begin and complete this connexion via Har¬ 
 risburg, without hesitation. 
 
21 
 
 Though not immediately applicable to the subject of the 
 foregoing professional remarks, I avail myself of this occa¬ 
 sion as a citizen of Baltimore and one deeply interested in her 
 prosperity, to present some views in reference to public im¬ 
 provements of the State. 
 
 The public works of Maryland after long years of toil and 
 expectation, yet fail to pay the State or the city of Baltimore 
 any, but an insignificant return upon their cost. 
 
 What is the reason of this? what peculiarity makes Mary¬ 
 land an exception to other States ? this is the answer: .Aone of 
 her public works have been completed, as originally designed and 
 projected, when they were presented as recipients for public 
 favour and for public and private investment of capital. Yes, 
 after the perpetual application of funds for a period of over 
 twenty years, not one of the four great public improvements 
 of the State, has to this day produced a connexion between 
 Baltimore and any State, or district of country valuable for its 
 products, trade or passengers. 
 
 All the half-finished works of Maryland combined have 
 failed to benefit her or to pay interest on their cost; any one 
 of which would, if completed, have conferred prosperity and 
 honor upon the State. 
 
 To render more apparent the truth of what has been assert¬ 
 ed, let us examine the aspect of the four great works of the 
 State, viewed with reference to their completion according to 
 the original design of their projectors. 
 
 The Baltimore and Susquehanna Railroad, denied 
 its proper and legitimate termination by the adverse legisla¬ 
 tion of Pennsylvania, seeks a precarious trade and revenue 
 from the districts of country through which it passes. 
 
 The Susquehanna TrDE Water Canal, failing in al¬ 
 most its first conception and falling still-born at Havre-de- 
 Grace, instead of measuring its full and perfect length across 
 the country to Baltimore, is now actively and mischievously 
 diverting to Philadelphia a profitable trade intended for Bal¬ 
 timore and formerly engrossed by her merchants. 
 
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, unfinished and lan¬ 
 guishing, drags its slow length along the valley of the Poto¬ 
 mac. Like her twin-sister of the Susquehanna, guiltless of 
 good to Baltimore, but all-powerful for harm, this great work 
 —a nation’s off-spring descended to a State’s paternity, has 
 not been vivified, and strengthened by one morsel of that ex¬ 
 hausted aliment—coal, which it has craved for so many gen¬ 
 erations, nor enriched by that exceeding fecundity of the 
 great west, which was expected to confer wealth, not only 
 upon Virginia and Maryland, but to distribute benefits and 
 blessings over the whole Atlantic coast. 
 
 The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. —The great ver¬ 
 tebra of the State’s strength and prosperity, has not, after a 
 growth of twenty years, yet commenced her great struggle 
 with the dark recesses and rocky barriers of the mighty Al- 
 leganies. 
 
 Every citizen of Maryland now knows and feels the evils 
 of that policy, originating in vicious and mistaken legislation, 
 which permitted the simultaneous progress of so many expen¬ 
 sive improvements—made too in duplicates to accomplish but 
 
 This very excess of effort, setting up one work as rival to 
 another for the same trade, all produced by a contrariety of 
 interests in the State—more fancied than real, and by her un¬ 
 fortunate geographical divisions of territory, have brought 
 upon Maryland her present financial disasters. 
 
 If nothing but deep injury has been inflicted on the State, 
 by an indiscriminate and diffusive expenditure, the true reme¬ 
 dy is obvious; it is concentration of effort and capital, to the 
 completion of one work at a time, beginning with that which 
 will cost the least, and benefit the city most. Let the citizens 
 of Baltimore will it, that a united effort shall be made to fin¬ 
 ish the Baltimore and Susquehanna Road to Harrisburg, and 
 to extend the Baltimore and Ohio Road by a simple stem to 
 the Ohio river. Shall the extension of the latter work be de¬ 
 feated or postponed by a difference of views as to the most 
 suitable point of termination on the western waters ? for any 
 
cause which divides the capital of Baltimore on this question, 
 virtually defeats or injures the road. Shall not the citizens of 
 Baltimore and of Maryland—impatient of delay in the com¬ 
 pletion of her favorite improvements—delays which have al¬ 
 ready swept off one generation of time-—now ask their public 
 men, wilh a measuring emphasis, if the prosperity of the State 
 and city are to be forever jeopardized by a fatal rivalry of inter¬ 
 ests, and divisions of counsel and legislation ? If union of 
 views, capital, confidence and hopes are to be always denied 
 her? 
 
 Perhaps no commentary on the errors committed can he 
 more striking than the fact, that the capital which Maryland 
 and her citizens have expended in rival works, would have 
 been sufficient, if concentrated, to construct a continuous line 
 of railroad from Baltimore to Cincinnati!, and another from 
 Baltimore to tile coal basins above Harrisburg. 
 
 Any one can appreciate the enviable position we would 
 have taken among our sister states, had the fortunes of Mary¬ 
 land been thus directed. 
 
 But let it be no reproach to Maryland that she has commit¬ 
 ted mistakes—let her look round among neighbours—consider 
 if they have been more exempt and infallible—and take com¬ 
 fort by a comparison with them. 
 
 New York—like herself, the great pioneer in public im¬ 
 provements—is yet employed in removing the defects of her 
 first “big ditch,” by the substitute of an “enlargement;” 
 and the city of New York, fearing still to rely upon that, is, 
 by aid of the State, constructing an Erie Piailroad, which, like 
 her canal, will yet be the first continuous road completed from 
 the Atlantic waters to those of the west. 
 
 Pennsylvania, too, discovering the mistake she made by 
 adopting broken lines of alternate roads and canals for her 
 connexion with the west, has just started in a new career, and 
 proposes to push, with vigour and singleness of purpose, a 
 new railroad from Philadelphia to Pittsburg. 
 
 Where other States and cities have had courage to remedy 
 the defects of an inexperienced policy, Maryland and Balti- 
 
more cannot fail to exhibit corresponding energy and alacrity 
 in rectifying errors; especially while the advantages of position 
 remain to her now as they were so clearly demonstated to ex¬ 
 ist in 1824. 
 
 It is true, with her population and resources—humble in com¬ 
 parison with those of her great rivals, Pennsylvania & N. York, 
 and from a mischievious diffusion in the application of those re¬ 
 sources hitherto, and without returns of interests to reimburse 
 her; Maryland and Baltimore have had much reason to feel 
 discouraged—and so feeling, what wonder, if the unthinking 
 and the irresolute should, even now, doubt the wisdom, the 
 ability, or the worth of making farther exertions in aid of the 
 public works; or should even be brought to doubt also, if the 
 long boasted advantages of geographical position, actually 
 exist at this moment, as they did twenty years ago. Her peo¬ 
 ple may doubt, divide, hesitate or change, but the great fea¬ 
 tures of nature remain unaltered; the valley, the river, the 
 mountain, latitude and longitude forever maintain the same re¬ 
 lative positions, and hence Baltimore can yet reach the heart 
 of the mighty west by a shorter line of road than can ever be 
 formed from Philadelphia or New York; unless, with suicidal 
 policy, she voluntarily abandons her southern connexion, with 
 all its advantages of distance, and better navigation of the 
 Ohio, and rashly seeks a desperate rivalry on their own terms, 
 with the enterprise and superior capital of Philadelphia, and 
 New York, and Boston too, by taking her stand on Pittsburg 
 and Lake Erie, instead of on the lower Ohio. For a branch 
 to Pittsburg can surely have no object adequate to its cost, 
 unless to be continued to Lake Erie, to compete there for a 
 divided trade with powerful rivals—but admitting the benefits 
 of a mere connexion with Pittsburgh to be all that are conten¬ 
 ded for, those benefits can all be obtained by the York “ ex¬ 
 tension” at a cost of half a million ; will it therefore be wise 
 to expend millions for the same connexion by another route ih 
 no wise superior ? 
 
 It will be a fatal mistake to close our eyes to the vast future, 
 and consider the Baltimore and Ohio Road as completed, 
 
2b 
 
 when it strikes the Ohio at any -point. It will then have made 
 but half its progress westward, and it is this consideration 
 which must be kept in view, or the proper point of striking 
 the Ohio river will not be discerned. 
 
 This question can best be settled within the mind of any one, 
 by a map, on which he cannot fail to perceive the advantages 
 of a southern terminus. 
 
 If after all, convictions in favour of a Pittsburg terminus 
 prevail: then vast labor and expenditure of capital will be 
 saved, inasmuch as the Baltimore and Ohio Road need not be 
 continued west of Cumberland, but be left to repose in the 
 lap of the coal region, and make “the best” of a local trade, 
 for let it be borne in mind, Pittsburg is now connected with 
 Baltimore ; and will be further and better connected, as soon 
 as the Pennsylvania Central Railroad is finished, and the York 
 extension made to Harrisburg. 
 
 A dispassionate consideration of this great question—in¬ 
 volving more deeply the future interests of Baltimore, than 
 aught which has yet been done, will, all must hope, lead soon 
 to unanimity of counsels and concentration of capital on those 
 works most conducive to the public welfare. 
 
 I have no apology for offering the aforegoing remarks, be¬ 
 lieving every citizen should frankly state his views and opin¬ 
 ions on important questions, as opportunity offers. 
 
 I have the honoi to be, &c. &c., 
 
 J. R. Trimi