to her market square。 Her scheme embraced a vision of conquest regal in its sweep； beyond that of any rival； and comprehending two ideas worthy of the most farseeing strategist and the most astute politician。 It called not only for the building of a transmontane canal to the Ohio but also for a connecting canal from the Ohio to the Great Lakes。 Not only would the trade of the Northwest be secured by this meansfor this southerly route would not be affected by winter frosts as would those of Pennsylvania and New Yorkbut the good godmother at Washington would be almost certain to champion it and help to build it since the proposed route was so thoroughly interstate in character。 With the backing of Maryland； Virginia； Western Pennsylvania； Ohio； and probably several States bordering the Inland Lakes； government aid in the undertaking seemed feasible and proper。
Theoretically the daring scheme captured the admiration of all who were to be benefited by it。 At a great banquet at Washington； late in 1823； the project was launched。 Adams； Clay； and Calhoun took the opportunity to ally themselves with it by robustly declaring themselves in favor of widespread internal improvements。 Even the godmother smiled upon it for； following Monroe's recommendation； Congress without hesitation voted thirty thousand dollars for the preliminary survey from Washington to Pittsburgh。 Quickly the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company and the connecting Maryland Canal Company were formed； and steps were taken to have Ohio promote an Ohio and Lake Erie Company。
As high as were the hopes awakened by this movement； just so deep was the dejection and chagrin into which its advocates were thrown upon receiving the report of the engineers who made the preliminary survey。 The estimated cost ran towards a quarter of a billion； four times the capital stock of the company； and there were not lacking those who pointed out that the Erie Canal had cost more than double the original appropriation made for it。
The situation was aggravated for Baltimore by the fact that Maryland and Virginia were willing to take half a loaf if they could not get a whole one： in other words； they were willing to build the canal up the Potomac to Cumberland and stop there。 Baltimore； even if linked to this partial scheme； would lose her water connection with the West； the one prized asset which the project had held out； and her Potomac Valley rivals would； on this contracted plan； be in a particularly advantageous position to surpass her。 But the last blow was yet to come。 Engineers reported that a lateral canal connecting the Potomac and Chesapeake Bay was not feasible。 It was consequently of little moment whether the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal could be built across the Alleghanies or not； for； even if it could have been carried through the Great Plains or to the Pacific； Baltimore was； for topographical reasons； out of the running。
The men of Baltimore now gave one of the most striking illustrations of spirit and pluck ever exhibited by the people of any city。 They refused to accept defeat。 If engineering science held a means of overcoming the natural disadvantages of their position； they were determined to adopt that means； come what would of hardship； difficulty； and expenditure。 If roads and canals would not serve the city on the Chesapeake； what of the railroad on which so many experiments were being made in England？
The idea of controlling the trade of the West by railroads was not new。 As early as February； 1825； certain astute Pennsylvanians had advocated building a railroad to Pittsburgh instead of a canal； and in a memorial to the Legislature they had set forth the theory that a railroad could be built in one…third of the time and could be operated with one…third of the number of employees required by a canal； that it would never be frozen； and that its cost of construction would be less。 But these arguments did not influence the majority； who felt that to follow the line of least resistance and to do as others had done would involve the least hazard。 But Baltimore； with her back against the wall； did not have the alternative of a canal。 It was a leap into the unknown for her or commercial stagnation。
It is regrettable that； as Baltimore began to break this fresh track； she should have had political as well as physical and mechanical obstacles to overcome。 The conquest of the natural difficulties alone required superhuman effort and endurance。 But Baltimore had also to fight a miserable internecine warfare in her own State； for Maryland immediately subscribed half a million to the canal as well as to the newly formed Baltimore and Ohio Railroad。 In rival pageants； both companies broke ground on July 4； 1828； and the race to the Ohio was on。 The canal company clung doggedly to the idle belief that their enterprise was still of continental proportions； since it would connect at Cumberland with the Cumberland Road。 This exaggerated estimate of the importance of the undertaking shines out in the pompous words of President Mercer； at the time when construction was begun：
〃There are moments in the progress of time； which are counters of whole ages。 There are events； the monuments of which； surviving every other memorial of human existence； eternize the nation to whose history they belong； after all other vestiges of its glory have disappeared from the globe。 At such a moment have we now arrived。〃
This oracular language lacks the simple but winning straightforwardness of the words which Director Morris uttered on the same day near Baltimore and which prove how distinctly Western the new railway project was held to be：
〃We are about opening a channel through which the commerce of the mighty country beyond the Allegheny must seek the oceanwe are about affording facilities of intercourse between the East and West； which will bind the one more closely to the other； beyond the power of an increased population or sectional differences to disunite。〃
The difficulties which faced the Baltimore enthusiasts in their task of keeping their city 〃on the map〃 would have daunted men of less heroic mold。 Every conceivable trial and test which nature and machinery could seemingly devise was a part of their day's work for twelve years struggles with grades； locomotives； rails； cars。 As Rumsey； Fitch； and Fulton in their experiments with boats had floundered despondently with endless chains； oars； paddles； duck's feet； so now Thomas and Brown in their efforts to make the railroad effective wandered in a maze of difficulties testing out such absurd and impossible ideas as cars propelled by sails and cars operated by horse treadmills。 By May； 1830； however； cars on rails； running by 〃brigades〃 and drawn by horses； were in operation in America。 It was only in this year that in England locomotives were used with any marked success on the Liverpool and Manchester Railroad； yet in August of this year Peter Cooper's engine； Tom Thumb； built in Baltimore in 1829； traversed the twelve miles between that city and Ellicott's Mills in seventy…two minutes。 Steel springs came in 1832； together with car wheels of cylindrical and conical section which made it easier to turn curves。
The railroad was just beginning to master its mechanical problems when a new obstacle confronted it in the Potomac Valley。 It could not cross Maryland to the Cumberland mountain gateway unless it could follow the Potomac。 But its rival； the canal； had inherited from the old Potomac Company the only earthly asset it possessed of any valuethe right of way up the Maryland shore。 Five years of quarreling now ensued； and the contest； though it may not have seriously delayed either enterprise； aroused much bitterness and involved the usual train of lawsuits and injunctions。
In 1833 the canal company yielded the railroad a right of way through the Point of Rocksthe Potomac chasm through the Blue Ridge wall； just below Harper's Ferry on condition that the railroad should not build beyond Harper's Ferry until the canal was completed to Cumberland。 But probably nothing but the financial helplessness of the canal company could have brought a solution satisfactory to all concerned。 A settlement of the long quarrel by compromise was the price paid for state aid； and； in 1835 Maryland subsidized to a large degree both canal and railroad by her famous eight million dollar bill。 The railroad received three millions from the State； and the city of Baltimore was permitted to subscribe an equal amount of stock。 With this support and a free right of way； the railroad pushed on up the Potomac。 Though delayed by the financial disasters of 1837； in 1842 it was at Hancock； in 1851； at Piedmont； in 1852； at Fairmont； and the next year it reached the Ohio River at Wheeling。
Spurred by the enterprise shown by these Southerners； Pennsylvania and New York now took immediate steps to parallel their own canals by railways。 The line of the Union Canal in Pennsylvania was paralleled by a railroad in 1834； the same year in which the Allegheny Portage Railway was constructed。 New York lines reached Buffalo in 1842。 The Pennsylvania Railroad； which was incorporated in 1846； was completed to Pittsburgh in 1854。
It is thus obvious that； with the completion of these lines and the building of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway through the 〃Sapphire Country〃 of the Southern Alleghanies； the new railway era pursued its paths of conquest through the very same mountain passageways that had been previously used by packhorseman and Conestoga and； in three instances out of four； by the canal boat。 If one motors today in the Juniata Valley in Pennsylvania； he can survey near Newport a scene full of meaning to one who has a taste for history。 Traveling along the heights on the highway that was once the red man's trail； he can enjoy a wide prospect from this vantage point。 Deep in the valley glitters the little Juniata； route of the ancient canoe and the blundering barge。 Beside it lies a long lagoon； an abandoned portion of the Pennsylvania Canal。 Beside this again； as though some monster had passed leaving a track clear of trees； stretches the right of way of the first 〃Pennsylvania；〃 and a little nearer swings the magnificent double…tracked bed of the railroad of today。