Virginia Free Press & Farmers' Repository

1st	mile,	4 minutes	15 seconds.
2d	“	4	15
3d	“	4	15
4th	“	3	15
5th	“	3	45
6th	“	3	00
7th	“	3	30
8th	“	3	30
9th	“	3	45
10th	“	4	15
11th	“	3	30
12th	“	4	30
13th	“	4	00

RAIL ROAD EXPERIMENTS.

BALTIMORE, AUG. 17.

Our readers were informed, some time since, of the formation of a Company to make a Rail Road from Winchester in Virginia to Harper's-Ferry, a distance of thirty miles, who were incorporated on most liberal terms and with ample powers, by the Legislature of Virginia, at the last session. A delegation from that Company, consisting of Mr. Bruce, the President, Mr. Barton and Mr. Newborough, Directors, and Mr. Bent, Clerk of the Company, have visited Baltimore to examine the Rail-roads in the vicinity of this city, to obtain information as to their construction, and ascertain the disposition of our citizens to unite with them in effecting a communication by Rail-way between Baltimore and the rich valley of the Shenandoah, in which Winchester is located. On Monday afternoon, the gentlemen composing the delegation took a ride up the Susquehanna Rail Road; and, we understand, were much gratified by the interesting scenery through which it passes.

Yesterday morning the delegation of the Winchester Rail Road Company, above named, on the invitation of the President of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road Company, and accompanied by him and by several of the Directors and a number of other gentlemen of this city, proceeded in cars, moved by the locomotive steam engine, constructed by Mr. Davis of Yorktown, Pa., from the Depot on Pratt street to Ellicott's Mills. Three cars, containing sixty-six persons, were attached to the Engine; they departed from the Depot about fifteen minutes after nine o'clock, and arrived at the Mills within fifty minutes.

The following shews the time, for each mile, in which the above journey was performed:-

[Note: Table or times omitted as not textual]

Those who are well acquainted with the road passed over, will know, from recollecting where the curves are short and frequent, the causes of the difference in the rate of speed.

When it is considered that the weight of the engine, with its apparatus, is only three tons, and that the weight of the three cars and passengers was above eight tons, it will be obvious, that the performance of yesterday was greatly superior to that of any of the locomotives in the first two trials on the Liverpool and Manchester Rail-way.

From Ellicott's Mills the party proceeded in the same cars, drawn each by a horse, up the second division of the road, a distance of thirteen miles, to the forks of Patapsco—on this part of the journey, besides the gratification of viewing a most interesting and beautiful natural scenery, new to almost all of them, they had the pleasure of seeing two tracks of Rail-way—one completed and the other more than half finished, made with stone rails, and constructed with a degree of excellence, that will be difficult to exceed, and evidently of the most permanent description.

Returning, the party arrived at Mr. McLaughlin's Hotel, at the Mills, at three o'clock, where an excellent dinner was prepared for them, with wines and liquors of the best quality, which they enjoyed in a most agreeably shaded and cool situation, on the Piazza in the rear of the Hotel.

After five o'clock, the locomotive was prepared to bring them from the Mills to Baltimore; an additional car was attached to it, and the number increased to ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY. All this increased weight and friction of wheels was conveyed, without difficulty, the whole thirteen miles in rather less than fifty five minutes. Although Mr. Davis frequently, when approaching a turnout, from doubts whether the switch was properly arranged, lessened the speed of his engine, by letting off the steam.

We consider the performance of yesterday as a triumphant proof, that we can have locomotive steam engines constructed in the United States, capable of transporting on our rail-ways, both travellers and articles of merchandise and produce with as much speed as can be desirable or useful.

[Gazette.