In 1834, the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad began constructing the Washington Branch, designed to connect Baltimore to Washington, DC. Often referred to simply as the “Washington Road,” it was the first of its kind, diverging from the main B&O line and heading southwesterly past Relay and the iconic Thomas Viaduct before reaching the nation’s capital. The Washington Branch opened to the public in 1835, a crucial milestone in America’s transportation history.
However, beneath the technological achievements of the time lay stories of hardship, labor unrest, and even deadly violence, particularly in areas like North Laurel and Jessup. The B&O Railroad hired company managers to supervise the work on each section of the railroad’s Second Division. These managers were responsible for ensuring that the work stayed on schedule and was completed within budget. The bulk of the labor was performed by hundreds of unskilled workers, most of them Irish immigrants.
One of the major engineering challenges of the Washington Branch was creating massive “cuts” through several ridges in Howard and Prince George’s counties. Two significant cuts—through Merrill’s Ridge and Patuxent Ridge in Howard County—were crucial to maintaining a relatively flat grade for the railroad, ensuring its long-term success. Another large cut was made farther south through Snowden’s Ridge in Prince George’s County.
These three major cuts occurred within the Washington Branch. Jonathan Jessop, from York, Pennsylvania, was in charge of the cut through Merrill’s Ridge. John Watson, from Lisbon, Maryland, managed digging through Patuxent Ridge. Both projects represented colossal feats of manual labor.
Lidar images of the area still reveal the scars left by these early 19th-century excavations. It’s hard to believe now, but these cuts were created using little more than picks, shovels, crowbars, and brute strength.
The primary task for the workers was excavating massive amounts of earth by digging through hills, creating deep cuts, and redistributing the soil to build embankments to provide a stable foundation for the tracks. The goal was to create a level grade wherever possible, which required moving hundreds of thousands of cubic yards of dirt.
This work required an enormous labor force. Workers transported the excavated dirt in carts, often over long distances. In some cases, the soil had to be compacted using tampers to stabilize the embankments, while wooden planks were used as temporary retaining walls to prevent landslides during the construction process.
Jessop’s and Watson’s Sections
Jessop’s section stretched over 2.4 miles and required the excavation of more than 270,000 cubic yards of dirt. To put that into perspective, that’s enough earth to bury an entire football field under 126 feet of soil—roughly the height of a 12-story building. This section moved more dirt than any other along the Washington Branch. Workers hauled the soil over an average distance of 2,400 feet, sometimes moving it as far as a mile from the cut area. The cost of completing this section came in at just under $4,300, a considerable sum for the time.
Watson’s section, although shorter at just 1.2 miles, involved moving nearly as much earth—about 220,000 cubic yards. That’s enough dirt to cover a football field under 103 feet of soil. The cost of this section was much higher, however, totaling more than $21,000. One of the reasons for the increased cost was the challenging terrain, which required moving the dirt an average of 0.8 miles, much of it through dense woodland.
Watson was also responsible for cutting through Snowden’s Ridge in Prince George’s County. This section was slightly longer at about 1.25 miles but involved moving less earth—around 150,000 cubic yards. However, it was the most expensive of all, costing nearly $28,500. Why this section cost so much remains a mystery, though unforeseen challenges in the landscape could have contributed to the higher price tag.
Labor Violence
By the 1830s, the U.S. was experiencing a surge in demand for unskilled labor. Massive infrastructure projects like the B&O Railroad and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal required thousands of workers, and many of these jobs were filled by Irish Catholic immigrants. These men fled Ireland to escape poverty and oppression, only to find that the competition for jobs in America was fierce. Many Irish immigrants were accustomed to fighting for employment back home, and those tendencies followed them across the Atlantic.
Tensions were particularly high between two Irish Catholic factions: the “Corkonians,” who hailed from southern Ireland, and the “Fardowners,” who came from the middle of the country. The Corkonians and Fardowners brought their old rivalries to America, where labor disputes sometimes turned violent.
In June 1834, while working on the Washington Branch, tensions boiled over into full-blown conflict. Workers from Jessop’s and Watson’s sections got into a violent dispute, and by the end of the day, four men were dead, several others injured, and some of the workers’ shanties destroyed. The “Riot on the Washington Rail Road,” as it was called in the newspapers, was a shocking incident that underscored the volatile nature of labor relations at the time.
Horace Capron, the manager of the nearby Savage Cotton Mills, quickly arrived on the scene with a group of workers from the mill to help restore order. They were soon joined by Major Finley and a contingent of infantry and riflemen under the command of General Charles S. Ridgely. Together, they managed to quell the violence.
A peace agreement was reached between the two factions. Fourteen men from Watson’s sections and 13 from Jessop’s signed the treaty, representing all the workers involved. This agreement temporarily restored peace to the work camps, but the violence would soon return with tragic consequences.
The Murder of John Watson
Later that year, in November 1834, the labor unrest took a deadly turn. John Watson, the B&O manager responsible for Sections 4 and 5, became the target of a calculated and brutal attack. The violence that erupted in June had largely been between rival factions of workers, but by November, the anger was directed squarely at the men overseeing the project.
The initial assault occurred on November 18, when a group of 8-10 workers attacked Watson and contractor John Gorman. Gorman had reportedly been robbed of $1,200 and had accused some of the workers of the crime, which enraged them. Gorman was severely beaten, and even his wife and others were injured. Watson, also badly injured, managed to crawl some distance away and hide behind a tree. Despite his injuries, he eventually made his way to his own shanty two miles away. Friends warned Watson that his life was in danger and urged him to flee, but he refused to leave.
The next night, a mob of 30-40 men returned to Watson’s shanty with the intent to finish what they had started. Watson’s assistants, including a man named William Mercer, were with him. Mercer tried to help Watson hide, but the mob found Mercer first, dragging him outside and beating him to death with clubs. They then found Watson, threw him down a flight of stairs, and brutally crushed his skull.
The attackers looted Watson’s shanty, stealing what little valuables he had. According to the Niles National Register, one of the attackers mentioned being a cartman Watson had discharged, suggesting that Watson’s firing of workers may have been a motive for the murder.
Following the murders, Lt. Col. Campbell and troops from the 1st Volunteer Rifle Regiment of Maryland were sent to ensure the safety of the local residents. They swept through the work camps, rounding up nearly 300 Irish laborers. Campbell believed that among the prisoners were the men responsible for Watson and Mercer’s murders, as well as several important witnesses. However, he also noted that many of those arrested were likely innocent of the crime.
Eventually, several men were indicted for their roles in the violence. Owen Murphy, Patrick Gallagher, and Terence Coyle were charged with the murders of John Watson and William Mercer. Murphy, 23, was convicted of first-degree murder for killing Watson and was sentenced to death. However, his sentence was later commuted to 18 years in prison, where he died in 1839. Gallagher, 30, was found guilty of second-degree murder for Watson’s death and was sentenced to 18 years of hard labor. He was acquitted of Mercer’s murder and was pardoned in 1836. Coyle, 22, was convicted of second-degree murder for Mercer’s death and was sentenced to two consecutive 18-year terms.
Legacy of the Washington Branch
Work on the Washington Branch of the B&O Railroad was completed in August 1835, and the line became an integral part of Howard County’s infrastructure, marking its eastern boundary. However, the bloodshed and violence that accompanied its construction are often overlooked in the broader narrative of progress. The human cost behind such monumental achievements is a crucial part of the story that deserves to be remembered.
The murder of John Watson, the labor unrest, and the harsh working conditions endured by immigrant laborers are part of the hidden history of this region. Recognizing the sacrifices made by these workers, both in their physical labor and their lives, allows us to fully appreciate the legacy of the B&O. It’s a reminder that the conveniences of modern transportation were built on the struggles and hardships of those who came before us.
Read Hidden History of Howard County by Nathan Davis and Wayne Davis, published by The History Press, for more forgotten and hidden stories about Howard County.
Read Hidden History of Howard County by Nathan Davis and Wayne Davis, published by The History Press, for more forgotten and hidden stories about Howard County.
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