The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1869-12-17
THE HARTFORD COUNTY RAILROAD.


reached the footing anxiously hoped for by
its friends We are going ahead, at least,
in the right direction.
The meeting on Tuesday, which was an
adjourned one from the 23d of November
last, received the reports of the various com
mittees which had been appointed at the
last regular meeting, and took several for
ward steps toward the furtherance of the
work, by appointing committee to obtain
from the Legislature an act ofincorporation,
and also by continuing the Committees
on Conference and Survey of Route and
the general Executive Committee. An en-
gineer of the Philadelphia, Wilmington &
Baltimore Railroad Company has been here
to take q general view of the country
through which the road will probably pass,
and has been since written to by the Com
mittee on Survey, and is expected on at
once, in accordance with his own appoint
ment, to commence that part of the work.
Upon its completion and his estimates, from
actual surveys, meeting will be convened
to adopt the location of the road. Mean
while the efforts of the friends of the work
will be continued to secure the necessary
amount of subscriptions, for upon this
must depend, after all, whether the road is
to be carried to a successful completion or
the contrary. This is the one consiaer,t-
ton now to be anxiousiy looked to. The
work is within the means of our people and
can be accomplished; but it can be accom-
plished only by continued and persistent
effort and exertion. That it will be done
we have every reason to expect, and there
is now that shape in the enterprise which
will make every effort tell.
There is no mistake about the fact that
our people are in earnest this time, and be-
ing so, results will be reached that are
solid and tangible. Nay, that is the great
result already reached-that they are in ear
nest. 1t is regarded now as a business en-
terprise that will pay; and the best and
shrewdest business men in our midst are
those who are giving it the most attention.
We believe it is generally conceded-for
we have heard many express themselves
whose judgments in this matter are entitled
to respect-that if this road shall not be
built, and the effort now making fails,
real estate in a large section of this county
will rapidly depreciate in value, at all
events it will not be marketable; for there
will thcn lie no inducements to offer pur-
chasers from abroad that we will probably
in a short time be nearly connected by rail
with the city of Baltimore or other outside
markets-because the probability will then
be rendered most positively and unequivo-
cally remote. The failure of the effort
would most undoubtedly result in active
consequences of disadvantage to us, which
would be much worse than the negative
disadvantage of not having attempted it,
But, as we said before, we believe it is to
be carried at last to a successful issue, for
our real estate owners cannot afford to suf-
fer it to fail.
The question of the route, as we predic-
ted, is now the one that is exciting the
greatest attention and interest. The nat
ural anxiety prevails in each individuals
mind that it shall be made upon that line
which will contribute most to the value of
his property or the convenience of his bust
ness, consistently with the public interests.
But it is a question which, it seems to us,
must go far to settle itself, when the differ
ent routes are actually surveyed and the es-
innate for each is made by the engineer.
The most direct and cheapest line will in
evitably be adopted, unless inducements
shall be offered to vary therefrom, by extra
subscriptions, or actual work for the road
when completed. These, it seems to us,
ARE the considerations to be offered by any
who shall advocate any other than such a
route as above named. But these are legit-
innate reasons for a change, and if shown,
should be listened to and weighed by the
meeting of those interested, which shall
determine the matter. At this end of the
line we are aware that it makes little diff
ference which way 1t shall go, within rea-
sonable limits but we nevertheless respect
the opinions of those whose interests and
advantages are not upon so easy footing.
When the surveys, therefore, are to be made,
every one should see that the advantages
of particular route of interest to him are
fully yentilatcd-so there will be full data,
at least, upon which to arrive at correct
conclusion.
Meanwhile, we shall endeavor to keep
our readers posted in any news respecting
the road, its actual prospects rather than
speculations concerning it, and cordially
invite cooperation, through our columns,
in pushing forward the good work. The
amount of subscriptions is now $GO,350.
The MOBILE WEEKLY REGISTER, the old