History of Western Maryland. J. Thomas Scharf
apprehension that the road was to be diverted from the line which would bring it to the city of Cumberland was the occasion of a mass-meeting, which was largely attended, and the proceedings of which were unanimously indorsed by the citizens. Wm. McMahon was chairman of the meeting, and Wm. Buskirk acted as secretary.
Resolutions were adopted urging an examination of the Cumberland route, and strongly commending it to the consideration of the railroad authorities. A committee was also appointed to meet and confer with the surveyors of the road. This committee was composed of the following: John Hoye, B. S. Pigman, David Lynn, William Reid, Martin Riser, Jr., James D. Cresap, Robert Cresap, Isaac McCarty, Thomas Greenwell. Their wishes were gratified, as the Cumberland route was chosen, and Nov. 1, 1842, the first regular passenger-cars arrived from Baltimore, and returned at six the next morning. The through fare was six and a half dollars. The schedule time arranged was: leave Cumberland at eight a.m., reaching Baltimore at six P.M., and leaving Baltimore at seven a.m., reaching Cumberland at five P.M. The express locomotive bearing President Tyler's message arrived at the Cumberland depot Dec. 5, 1842, at ten minutes before eight o'clock in the evening, making the run from the Relay House, one hundred and seventy miles, in the short space of five hours and fifty minutes, which was considered extraordinary speed and the subject of great discussion.
In 1867 Cumberland presented to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company forty acres of ground in its southern limits, whereon to build rolling-mills. The gift was accepted, and the mills were built. The erection of the mills gave work to over six hundred men, and resulted in a rapid increase of population, with a great demand for dwelling-houses. There followed a large advance in real estate, and some two hundred new dwellings were built. The avenue and several other new streets east of the railroad were quickly built up. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company completed its " Queen City Hotel," the pride of the city, in 1872, and tore down the old dingy depot at the Baltimore Street crossing and removed the station to its magnificent new hotel. Its mills are the finest in the country, and have largely added to the prosperity of the city, which gave twenty-eight thousand dollars for the land upon which they are built. They are in charge of the efficient superintendent of the company, William Robinson.
William Robinson was born in Baltimore City, May 14, 1819, and was the fourth in a family of six children of Thomas and Mary (Kelley) Robinson. The family are of Scotch-Irish descent. His father was a sailor, and died in Baltimore about 1829. All the family except William are dead. At the age of twelve William was employed in the store of William M. Johnson, with whom he remained four years. His education was limited to attendance at a private school in Baltimore. At the age of sixteen he was apprenticed to Wm. Jones, of Baltimore, for five years, to learn the shipsmithing trade. After the termination of his apprenticeship he worked for Mr. Jones at his trade eighteen months. For eleven years and eight months thereafter he was employed in the Canton Forge, having charge of the works, during the later years of his connection with them. He was next employed as superintendent of the Baltimore Steam Forge Bar-Iron Rolling Mill, which position he occupied twenty-two years and one month.
In October, 1878, he was appointed general superintendent of the Baltimore and Ohio Steel Rail-Mill at Cumberland, Md., which position he still holds.
These works are the most extensive of their kind in Maryland, and their successful management requires a thorough knowledge of the business in all its departments and no small amount of executive ability. In politics Mr. Robinson was first a Whig, but has been identified with the Republican party since its organization. The only secret order of which he is a member is the Powhatan Order of Red Men. He has been twice married. His first wife was Mary Jane Collins, of Baltimore. By this union one child was born, — Susan, wife of John T. Calvert, of Baltimore. His second wife is Sarah J. Nicol, of Baltimore. Their children are William H., employed in charge of the bar-mill at the Baltimore and Ohio Steel-Works; Sarah Kate, living at home; and Thomas Albert, a commission merchant in Baltimore. Mr. Robinson still retains his residence and home at Baltimore.
On Thursday, Oct. 10, 1830, the opening of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal for continuous navigation from Cumberland to Alexandria, was commemorated at Cumberland with appropriate ceremonies. On the day previous a number of gentlemen arrived in Cumberland to participate in the ceremonies. Among them were Gen. James M. Coale, president; and Messrs. John Pickell, William Cost Johnson, William A. Bradley, George Schley, and S. P. Smith, directors of the canal company; ex-Governor Sprigg, Gen. Tench Tilghman, and J. Vanclear, State agents; the Hon. William D. Merrick, late United States senator from Maryland; John L. Skinner, editor of the Plough, the Loom, and the Anvil; Henry Addison, mayor of Georgetown; and a number of others from various parts of Maryland and Virginia.
These gentlemen came by the invitation of the canal company, and were properly received and entertained by them. Col. John Pickell was accompanied by the band of the Independent Blues of Baltimore, who, soon after their arrival, made their appearance on the portico of the United States Hotel and rendered a variety of selections. About half-past eight on Thursday morning a large assemblage had collected in the street before the United States and Barnum's Hotels. About this time the Eckhart Artillery, Capt. Davidson, with a battery of two pieces, arrived and performed various military evolutions. At nine o'clock the procession was formed, the Eckhart Artillery in front, escorted by the band of the Baltimore Blues, and followed by the visitors, officers of the canal company, and State agents. Behind these were the mayor and Council of the town of Cumberland, and in their rear a large procession of the citizens of Allegany, preceded by the Mechanics' Band of Cumberland. The procession marched through the streets in the direction of the canal-locks, gathering numbers as it advanced, until, when that point was reached, there was an immense assemblage of all ages. When everything had been arranged, five canal-boats, laden with the products of the mines of Allegany, and destined for the Eastern markets, were passed through the locks amid the salvos of artillery from the Eckhart battery, accompanied by music from the bands. William Price, the distinguished lawyer, then ascended the deck of one of the boats, and delivered an eloquent address on behalf of the people of Cumberland. Gen. James M. Coale, president of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company, arose and replied to the speech of Mr. Price. These ceremonies being concluded, the visitors, officers of the company, and a large number of citizens embarked on the canal-packet " Jenny Lind" and the canal-boat " C. B. Fisk," which had been fitted up for their reception, and proceeded down the canal, followed by the Eckhart Light Artillery with their pieces on another boat, the coal-boats "Southampton," "Elizabeth," "Ohio," and "Delaware," belonging to the Merchants' Line of Messrs. McKaig & Agnew, and the " Freeman Rawdon," belonging to the Cumberland Line of Mr. Ward, bringing up the rear. The passage down was enlivened by the music of the bands and the firing of cannon. Arrived at a large spring ten miles east of Cumberland, the boats halted, and the company having disembarked and viewed the surrounding country, returned on board to partake of a collation prepared by the committee, — Messrs. S. P. Smith, W. A. Bradley, and John Pickell. After luncheon the fleet of boats was again put into line, and started on their return to Cumberland, the coal-boats proceeding down the canal towards their destination. The return was accomplished by night-fall, and the whole affair passed off in the most agreeable manner.
Upon the return of the company to Barnum's, they were entertained by the citizens of Cumberland at a dinner prepared by J. A. Hefelfinger, proprietor of that establishment. After the cloth was removed a number of toasts were drunk. Hon. William Cost Johnson, who, as chairman of the Committee of Internal Improvements of the House of Delegates, at December session, 1844, reported the act under which the canal was completed, rose during the course of the evening, and after alluding in handsome terms to the recent courtesies extended to the officers of the canal company by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, offered the following sentiment, which was drunk with applause:
" The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The former has happily reached its ebony harvests amid the coal-fields of the Alleghanies; may the latter journey vigorously on westward until it rejoices amidst the golden plains of far California!" Soon after the drinking of this toast the tables and chairs were removed, and the dining-room converted into a ball-room. The ball was a very brilliant entertainment, and was generally participated in by the ladies and gentlemen of Cumberland.
The magnitude of the business transmitted over the canal in the one article of coal alone can be estimated from the number