Notwithstanding, therefore, the beauty of the public
buildings, the town greatly disappointed us.
On our arrival at Baltimore this evening, Mr. Garrett, the principal
director of the Baltimore and Ohio Railway, called upon us and brought
with him Mr. Henry Tyson, the chief engineer, or as he is called, the
master of machinery of the road, whom he was kind enough to appoint to
go with us as far as Wheeling, the western terminus of the line.
This is the most remarkable railway in America for the greatness of the
undertaking and the difficulties encountered in passing the Alleghanies,
which the projectors of the road could only do by crossing the range at
a height of 2700 feet, a project that most people looked upon as
visionary. We are to start to-morrow morning at eight o'clock.
_Wheeling, Oct. 21st._--We have accomplished the great feat of passing
the Alleghanies, and Mr. Tyson has proved a Cicerone of unequalled
excellence, from his great attention to us, added to his knowledge of
the country, and his talents, which are of no ordinary kind. He is the
engineer who has invented, or at least constructed on a new plan, the
locomotives which are used upon this road: but besides being a very
clever engineer, he is remarkably well read in general literature, and
has a wonderful memory for poetry and a great knowledge of botany.
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