Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1868-12-18
Railroad Matters,
From the Baltimore Sun of the 10th inst

Railroad Matters.
From the Baltimore Sun of the 10th inst.1
NATIONAL RAILROAD SCHEMES. We
published yesterday the bill introduced by
Mr.. Sherman in the Senate of the United
States. to provide railroad facilities to
Washington. The schemes embodied in
this bill are the same which the commit
tee. at the late railroad meeting in Wash
ington, recommended to obtain charters
for from Congress. They embrace a So
called National Railroad North" to run
from Washington to point on the Penn
sylvania Central Railroad, east of Harris
burg; the "National Railroad South" to
be run from Washington to a point on
any railroad in Virginia; the National
Chesapeake Railroad to run from Wash
ington to Point Lookout; the National
Transportation Company" to run from
the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in George
town. to such point as they may select on
the Chesapeake bay. A similar bill has
been introduced in the House of Repre-
sentatives. When all these North, East,
South and West railroad facilities are COM
pleted, Washington will certainly be ''ac-
cessible," and besides, if it shall be here
after deemed desirable to remove the Cap
ital, Senetor Sherman seems to be provid-
ing railroad capacity enough to take it off
bodily to any point of the compass that
may be designated.
The bill for those improvements has no
money in it, but that is, perhaps, looked
for hereafter. As we have before said,
applications for such charters, with Mary
land charters already existing for most of
the projected improvements, and others
which may be had by application to Ma
land and Virginia, mean money or moth
ing. It is not likely that those who will
not put money in the assured roads now
on foot, such as the Point of Rocks, and
Baltimore and Potomac, are likely to put
it in independent parallel railroads run
ming in competition with them. We have
already set forth, at some length, the con-
stitutional argument against internal i'm
provements by the general government,
but even if the Constitution in this, as in
other respects, is to be disregarded, the
immense public burthens which the peo-
pie now bear, and the corruptions attend
ant upon substituting government aid in
public improvements for private enter
prize, admonish US seriously that we have
gone far enough in that direction.
The bill introduced into the House on
Monday, by Mr.. Van Horn, of New York,
to authorize the Southern Maryland Rail
road Company to enter the District Of
Columbia, is more legitimate and practi-
cal. This company was incorporated by
the Maryland Legislature in January,
1868. Mr.. Van Horns bill enacts that
the road be authorized to continue its line
into the District from point on the line
of Prince Georges county, through the
District into Washington city, or such
point as may hereafter be agreed upon by
the company. We have heretofore refer
red to this extension as one for which
Washington could properly call upon
Congress for charter, having suggested
that this road-the Point Lookout
with subscriptions by the State of Mary
land of over $500, 900 to the counties
Of Charles and St. Mary's. through which
it will run, is one which Washington
might aid with advantage and have its
line extended into her limits. Three of
the roads which Mr.. Sherman's bill pro-
poses are already practically provided for
by Maryland charters-there are the Bal
timore and Potomac. the Metropolitan
and the Point Lookout roads-and others
are attainable in the same way, if asked
for in good faith.
~The Baltimore american says
IF we do not mistake the atmosphere
that pervades railroad circles in this city
and vicinity, we are shortly to have one
of the fercest railroad conflicts that has
ever taken place in Maryland. It has
originated in tina want of harmony be-
tween the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
and the Northern Central. which has al.
ready been the occasion of a great deal Of
bitter feeling between the authorities Of
the two roads," The american adds thai
the refusal of MIR. Garrett to check bag.
gage over the Northern Central through
to Washington, and to recognize through
tickets, has induced the many efforts te
get through to Washington on an indie.
pendent line; and whatever may be the
true merits of the controversy, there il
reason to believe that combinations have
been made that will not be beneficial tc
the Washington branch of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad. The combination
referred to, it is said, consists of the
Northern Central, the Baltimore and Pc.
tomae, the Western Maryland, the Phila.
delphia, Wilmington and Baltimore, and
the Union Railroad Company.
POINT LOOKOUT RA1IRoAD.--The En-
gineer Corps Of the Point Lookout Rail.
road. under the charge Of Chief Engineer
B. F. Tippet, are vigorously pursuing
their survey. and have already reached
the farm Of J. E. S. Holiday, Esq, a.
bout one mile from the city, and in the
vicinity of Benning's Bridge. This is
encouraging, and an augury hope, of the
speedy completion of the road Wash.
Star, Dec. II.
The Book Business.