THE MARIETTA AND CINCINNATI
RAILROAD, 1845-1883: A CASE
STUDY IN AMERICAN RAILROAD
ECONOMICS. By John Pixton. The
Pennsylvania State University Studies
No. 17. (University Park: The Penn-
sylvania State University Press, 1966.
94p.; map, appendices, and bibliogra-
phical essay. $1.00.)
When spread out in detail on the pages
of history, the difficulties which faced the
builders of Ohio's early railroads seem
completely overwhelming. First place
among the difficulties probably goes to
inexperience.
The routes most in harmony with the
promoters' resources were not necessarily
chosen. The cost estimates often fell woe-
fully short of the mark. Available funds
seldom allowed for substantial construction
or appropriate rolling stock or adequate
shops, stations, and warehouses. Connect-
ing railroads failed to furnish the traffic
on which income estimates had been based.
The frustrations, in a word, were many!
The history of the Marietta and Cin-
cinnati Railroad, which Mr. Pixton ably
gives us, has as its hero a man who quickly
stood out from among the other railroad
men who were associated with him. Wil-
liam P. Cutler gave the best years of his
life, no small part of his resources, and all
his boundless energy and zeal over to
building and operating a railroad that
really did not come into its own until half
a century after he had helped to organize
it.
Two logical reasons for building this
road made it seem like a certain success.
First, Cincinnati "clearly" needed a direct
line to the East, and also the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad equally as "clearly"
needed a direct line to Cincinnati, still
Queen City of the West. But logic failed
before the difficulties confronted by inex-
perience, and misfortune added to the
railroad men's share of woe. Disastrously
heavy rains washed out track and trestles;
large amounts of scarce capital were
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