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lines. John W. Garrett, president of the B&O, was an

important figure in the Civil War, as head of the major means of transportation and communication between the Capital and the west and north. Due to this prominent position, Garrett later became nationally powerful. Post Civil War depression, too, created problems on the B&O. Because of decreased business, the company decided to cut employee's wages by 10 percent in July 1877. Riots ensued in the B&O's major yards along the entire line, and were quelled only when army troops were brought in. Becoming too crowded at its freight yards in Martinsburg, West Virginia, the B&O started searching for a new site for its yards. The Maryland Legislature offered land tax exemption if the yards would be moved to Maryland. One day, sometime in 1889, a poor farmer (possibly more than one) came to Berlin looking for land near the river to settle on. He was sold what was then the Potomac Farm. It later turned out that this man in poor farmer's clothing was an executive of the B&O. In a surprise move, without the town's knowledge or consent, the B&O major yards would then be built right in Berlin. In 1890, the advent of the new freight yards turned the formerly clean, peaceful little village of Berlin into a railroad boomtown covered with coal soot. Until 1890, Berlin (since the canal arrived) had had a consistent population of approximately three hundred. In six years, that figure multiplied tenfold, and in 1896 Berlin had a population of three thousand and was still growing. The seven-mile long yards at Berlin were the longest owned by a single company. All during B&O's history, the yards here handled all passenger and freight service on the roads east-west main line.As the yards expanded in the town, the residents moved up the hill, away from the danger, noise, and soot. What was once the town of Berlin is now all railroad yard. The new town of Brunswick thrived because of the railroad. During World War II, the Brunswick yardf handled a record capacity of 101,000cars per month. Becauseofthemassive amountsofgoods,including war materials, going through Brunswick, it was a strategic point. Due to this, the government put anti-aircraft guns on the hills surrounding Brunswick, and a local club took the task of watching for German planes. In December 1953, the last steam locomotive was retired locally, and Brunswick became considerably cleaner. In 1957, the railroad listed 1,182 employees on its local payroll of $6,000,000 per year.Later, in 1959, the B&O, in a consolidation

move shifted its yard operations elsewhere, taking the jobs with it. The main shops were moved away, with only minor repairs being done at the Brunswick roundhouse. The facility for repairing, dismantling, and rebuilding freight cars was instituted in October 1961 and helped Brunswick climb back out of its slump for a while, but eventually that activity too would cease.

Extending lines beyond Cumberland, the B&O arrived at Wheeling, West Virginia, on the Ohio Riveron December 24, 1856. It ultimately reached to Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis and Louisville on the west. Eastward, its own tracks were extended to Philadelphia, and it served New York via trackage rights over the Reading Company and the Central Railroad of New Jersey. It developed into a major provider of freight and passenger transport in the vital northeastern quadrant of the United States.Throughout its corporate history, there were some very good years and others which were not so good. Always known for its well-maintained cars, engines, and right-of-way, and enjoying a fine reputation as a friendly railroad providing excellent service, the B&O had everything a prosperous company should have, -except the ability to maintain a healthy financial stature over a prolonged period. It suffered along with all the railroads, particularly those in the northeast, during the 1950's. In 1960, the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, solidly based in Pocahontas coal, started buying B&O stock, and eventually acquired an amount sufficient for the I.C.C. to approve control of the B&O by the C&O on May 1, 1962. The two railroads continued to operate separately at first, but followed a design of increasingly coordinating operations and sharing management. Subsequently, on June 15, 1973, a new corporation - Chessie System - embraced as subsidiaries the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, and the Western Maryland Railway. On November 1, 1980, Chessie System merged with Seaboard Coastline Industries to form CSX Corporation, the present owner and operator of the railroad through Brunswick. S - Data extracted from an undated manuscript in BHC files, entitled "A Short History of the BALTIMORE & OHIO RAILROAD," author unknown, plus personal research and knowledge. History ofthe Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, John F. Stover. W - BRH

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