The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-07-30

1t is not little surprising how blind to their
own interests some of the old fashioned agriculture
alists are frequently found. Example has no effect
upon them-arguments make no impression
They roll along through life in one particular
groove; imbibe fixed habits and fixed ideas, and
pertinacously adhere to notions as obsolete as the
style of the garments they wear. Yet these men
make money; appreciate its value, and are eager
to make more if they could only be brought to
understand how result so desirable could be
accomplished without drawing too heavily upon
their purse strings. As case in point, we refer
to the Farmers of Carroll county. The project
or Railway to Westminster has long been
agitated, and quite a number of unsuccessful
attempts were made to awaken an interests in the
movement But the farmers of Pipe Creek valley,
working as fertile and productive soil as is to be
found within the limits of the State of Maryland,
and who have been compelled for half century
or more to transport their products to market over
as execrable roads as are to be met with anywhere
protested themselves unable to appreciate the
advantages to be derived from public improve
ment which would enable them to reach Baltimore
in an hour and half, give them ample time to
dispose of their grain, make their purchases, and
return home the same day. Now, the trip occupies
some three days. while the expense incurred is
fourfold. But to construct Railway would cost
money, and as they were expected to subscribe for
a portion of the stock it was proposed to issue,
they preferred to move along in the old ruts and
to follow the old fashions. 1t was in vain that
they were told that the value of their land would
4l,o wifi, 4l,o;r
surplus crops to a market would be sensibly re-
duced; that they would require to keep fewer
horses, and would therefore have more provender
for sale-they could not see how that could be, or
why they should do things differently from what
their fathers did before them. They could spare
the money it was true, but if they spent portion
of their earnings on such new tangled notions
they thought it more than likely they would
never get it back again. But at last by dint
of extraordinary efforts, some of them were
induced to countenance the innovation
meetings were held, a charter was obtained,
the Northern Central Railway Company made over
to the newly incorporated Western Maryland Rail-
way Company what is popularity known as the
Green Spring Branch Railway, by which, the cost
of from ten to twelve miles of grading was saved,
and under these attering auspices the old Farmers
came forward, rather reluctantly, and subscribed
for a sufficient amount of capital stock to justify
the commencement of operations. The work went
on swimmingly fora while, and then, all at once,
when installments were called in, the call
was only partially responded to; excuses were
made; evasions practised, and suit-at-law was
instituted, by which all the operations upon the
line of road were brought to a stand still. How
long this state of things is to last whether any
arrangement can be perfected under which the
road can be constructed to its terminus al
Union Bridge, we are of course, unable to say
but that the road ought to he completed, and thai
it would pay fair dividend to the stockholders
no one doubts who is aware of the fertile charac-
ter of the country along the line of its proposed
route, and of the stimulus which local road
exerts upon an industrious population.