The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1865-03-04
The Air Line Railway.

A Bill has been introduced in the House of
Representatives by Mr.. Farnsworth, authorizing
the Northern Central Railway Company to con-
struct branch route, striking off from the main
road somewhere between York and Baltimore
and proceeding in direct line to Washington.
The object is, by this branch and It's Northern
connections, to secure new, safe, cheap and
speedy line of communication between New York
and Washington
Now, without attempting TO discuss the partic-
ulars of the Bill, some of which may be obec-
tionable, we are decidedly and earnestly in favor
of the project. We advocate, on principle, eve
ry public Improvement. Every new turnpike or
railroad is public convenience and a benefit to
the section through which it passes. 1t lessons
the cost of travel, lowers freight, cheapens the
necessaries of life, improves trade, stimulates la
Dor, deyelopes resources, induces immigration
and increases the value of land. We would
grant charter to every company that had the
money and the public spirit to make railroad
or turnpike. Let the scream of the iron-horse
be.heard wherever be can labor for mans inter-
est and comfort. When we get two railroads
where to-day there is but one, and when every
country road is nicely graded and piked, our
country will be richer and her vast resources bet
ter developed than they now are.
But we advocate the new route not only as a
public convenience, but as public necessity
There is but one line between New York and
Washington, belonging to three or four different
companies. This line is beset with difficulties
distractions and delays from beginning to end.
At Philadelphia, passengers and freight must be
ferried over the Delaware river, necessarily caus-
ing some detention. AT Havre-de-Grace the Sus-
quehanna must be crossed in the same way, while
foods and ice frequently render the passage dam
gerous and sometimes impossible Between Hav-
re-de-Grace and Baltimore are several wide
streams with deep marshy bottoms more or less
dangerous to cross and liable to cause delay,
while the passage through Baltimore being by
horsepower, must always interfere with speedy
transportation. All these things would beayoid-
ly bridged, and by avoiding Philadelphia and
Baltimore, the greatest dispatch could be secured.
A railroad, like everything else, has limited
capacity. 1t can do so much and no more; and
with the immense travel and freight passing be-
tween the Northern cities and Washington, in
addition to the heavy Government transportation
made necessary by the war, there is too much for
one line to carry. 1t may manage to do the work,
but it makes the trains so frequent that there is
more danger of accident and less possibility of
keeping the road in good order. "Compettion
is the life of trade and with two lines instead
of one, the Government, as we'll as the people,
wonld be better and cheaper served.
But more than this. The new Line would
tend to break up several CALLING monopolies.-
Both the Camden & Amboy and the Baltimore
Ohio Railroads, demand tribute from all pas
sengers as State tax.
This is one of those obsolete customs which
ought to be uprooted with slavery, secession and
sundry other worn out legacies Of the past
Every citizen of the United States ought tohave
the right of free transit from Maine to California,
without paying one cent of tribute to any State
treasury. If State may lay a tax of one cent,
it may lay hundred, and thus entirely prohib-
it passage over its soil policy which may do
very well among the naked tribes Of Africa,
through whose territory you must buy your way
withgifts or fight your way with guns but en-
frightened people should leave it 10 them
Let the charter forthe Air Line be granted by
all means. The Nation, the State and the coun-
ty will be benefttedrb by it, It will be one of the
great, national, internal Improvements of the
country. The convenience and the necessities
of the public demand it. 4 10 40 a az
The Bill of Mr. Farnsworth makes no appro-
priation of public money for it. Ttrequires that il
shall have a double track, shall be completed in
two years, and shall not charge over three cents
a mile for passengers, nor over six cents tor
for freight.