The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1869-12-24
Correspondence
HARTFORD COUNTY RAILROAD.

MEssRs. EDITORS In the language of
your very sensible and practical editorial
of the 18th inst, "the question of the route
is now the one that is exciting the greatest
attention and interest !" and am pleased
to see that the matter is discussed in so
temperate a manner your correspondents
&c" and "Equefer," From the tenor of their
remarks | am convinced that no motives
OF self-interest actuate either of Them On
the other hand, it is evident that they are
both sincerely DESTROYS of accomplishing
the praiSeworthy, object of connecting our
county town with the p, w. & B. r. R.,
thus securing a railroad communication
with the city of Baltimore and the rest of
the world. Now, in effecting this, it VII
be true economical wisdom" to locate the
road on such Il route as will contribute to
develop the resources and accommodate as
great scope of country as possible, par
ticularly when the outlay upon such a route
will not exceed but in very small COM
parativc degree the expense Of what might
be considered the shortest route.
sc" seems to think that as "money is
short" it is better to run down Winters
Run, following the stream to Edgewood-
"Equeter" is of the opinion that it would
be more advisable to cross Winters Run
at or near the mouth Of Stony Branch, and
from thence to Magnolia, by way of Stock
ton, giving the neighborhood of Fallston a
depot, II possible, at some point nearer than
Stockton, for the purpose of securing the
large trade that will undoubtedly be affor-
ded from that locality and many miles be-
You'd. 1t seems to the writer Of this COM
munication that unless the distance and
expense is very materially increased, that
TINS route would be far more productive of
the greatest good to the greatest number"
than to merely run from Bel Air down
Winters Run to Edgewood. It may be
that it would cause too great divergence
to undertake to reach a point nearer to
Fallston than Stockton, but if such should
be the case, it will be found that the dis
lance is not as great, say from Painter &
Watson's Store, at Fal!ston, to Stockton,
as it is to Archer & Towards Mill; and
the distance from the Upper Cross Roads
neighborhood to Stockton is not only much
less than to Monkton, but the road is inf
nitely better, as all who have travelled both
roads can testify.
Again, from Stockton to Magnolia, say
by taking the eastern side of the ridge. the
water powers, both those that are improy-
ed, and that will be improved, on either
Winters Run or the Little Gunpowder.
will be materially accommodated, thus adj,
ding greatly to the business of thcroad
than if but one of them is benefited.
1t is to be presumed that from the great
direct benefit this road must be to the pro-
perty holders of Bel Air and the country
north, east and west Of it, that they will
be subscribers to much the largest propor-
ton of the stock, and necessarily have a
controlling voice in the direction the road
will eventually take, and as most of them
are shrewd business men, having an eve
to the ''main chance" it is more than pro
bable that in addition to the benefit result
ing from the vast increase in the value of
their property, by having a railroad run
ming from Bel Air, they will also wish to
secure its being so located as to ensure its
being dividend-paying institution.
AS the engineers will soon be in the field
let the two lines, one from Edgcwood to
Bel Air, following Winters Run, and the
other from Magnolia to Bel Air, by way
Of Stockton, be accurately surveyed, and the
cost of each be estimated, and we will then
have something tangible to act upon. Uni
ting with both &C." and "Equefer" in dis
claiming any self-interest in this matter,
and agreeing with the former that we
should be careful not to undertake too
much, still, would it not also be well that
the same care should be exercised not to
throw away great advantages, both present
and prospective, in the desire to save the
cost of constructing a mile or so of road,
and of overcoming few feet more of
grade?
The above remarks, although hastily
thrown together, have been well and seri-
ously considered The writer has neither
water powers or property to be directly
benefited by the construction Of this road,
go where it may; his sole object is to pro-
mote, to the best of his humble ability, an
enterprise of great import to the entire
community, and one which all good citi-
zens should consider it their duty to pro-
mote by every means in their power.
FARMER