Evening star., 1870-01-13
BALTIMORE AND OHIO RAILROAD
COMPANY.

COMPANY.
Meeting Of the eDirectoFs-The Capita
tfon TaX-The Point Of Rocks Road.
The regular monthly meeting Of the Board of
directors OF the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
company took place on Tuesday, in Baltimore,
MI .. W. Garrett, President, in the chair. Al
Yer the transaction Of the regular business of the
Board, the President made some extended re-
marks IN reference to the recent message of the
Governor Of MARYLAND to the General Assembly
on the subject of the capitation tax on the WASH
lngton Branch, and various errors OF fact. into
which the Governor according to Mr. Garrett)
has fallen on the subject are pointed out. The
claim made by the railroad company upon the
in providing money for the States interest in
London, Is also referred to. We quote from the
concluding portion Of Mr.. Garrett's remarks, As
follows:
every erroneous statements have been made
throughout the various counties of the State by
parties hostile to the Baltimore and Ohio road
asserting that this company has been opposed to
the construction Of railways in other portions of
the State. Thscompany Is in favor Of a general
railroad law, by which all persons desiring to
build such roads could organize, under such
wise restrictions as the Legislature may impose.
1t has only hitherto opposed SPECIAL grants of
Iower in such cases where such power did not
appear to be desired by the people of the State
The Governor states with most marked breyity
in reference to very costly work now being
prosecuted by the company through two OF the
most important counties in Maryland-Frederick
has been Commenced. It will be gratifVng lpfa to
Il e cit z rs of the State, who are not already
aware Of the fact, to learn that seven miles,
from Washington northwest, and three miles
from Point of Rocks southeast, of the Metropol-
itan road have been constructed and the tracks
laid, and that large amount of expensive work
has been done upon various other and heavy
sections OF the line. The sum expended upon
this work probably exceeds the entire expendi-
lures of the Baltimore and POtomoc road up to
this time.
1t has been the aim of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad COmnanv n nj m fha
hensive manner in building up all the great in
terests of the State of Maryland and of its chief
city. Organized under the authority of the
state, the company has been and continues to
be profoundly anxious to accomplish all that its
powers will permit in developing the great in
terests-of Maryland. 1t continues to construct
and Opulent regions for commerce with the chief
city Of the State, and through most important
sections OF its territory, using its credit and in
yesting its means largely and literally in order
to effect these objects, in many cases i'm unre-
munerative enterprises i'm our own and neigh
boring States. With a policy so useful, so en-
!arged, and producing such valuable results for
the public interests, may not the company look
for unrrejudiced and equitable consideration OF
its relations with the State of Maryland?
Should the Pennsylvania Railroad Company,
which for years delayed and defeated the con-
struction of the Pittsburg and COnnellsville
road, (ntended to form a connection through
cumberland, the second city of the State, with
Pittsburg and the vast NOrthwest,) and which
finally dld succeed in obtaining from the Legis-
lature OF Pennsylvania repeal of the charter
OF that cOmpany-a charter that was only ulti-
mafely maintained after protracted litigation
through the decisions of the cOurts-shOuld that
same pennsylvania Railroad Company, by its
ownership in The Northern Central Railway
Company, have an advantage over the great
institution OF Maryland, SO effective in its past
history in promoting and securing her interests,
by having authority to construct the Baltimore
and Potomac road, not subject to the onerous
requirements which have heretofore attached
to the Washington Branch road?
All that is asked is, that the parent road of the
great system of Maryland Improvements should
be treated with equal consideration: that the
Washington Branch road shall be placed in the
same position as its competitor for business, ami
that the account of the Baltimore and Ohio
Company for monies advanced for the accom-
mOdation and in the interests of the State should
be fairly and justly considered. 1t trusts and
does not doubt, that, through committees of the
Senate and House of Delegates, the whole SUBJ
amined into and acted upon i'm the spirit of
equity and justice which has always distin-
guished the government of the State''
he baltimore American, in referring to the
subject, believes that the tax is an illegal one
and ought to be abolished, but SAYS: &" This does
not affect the claim of the State upon that which
mas already been collected The Baltimore and
Ohio railroad does not pay one cent of State,
city, or county taxes on any of its many millions
OF property in Maryland, everything it owns
being exempt. If it buys a piece of property
anywhere in the State, it is at once stricken oil
from the State seem also to be overlooked by
Mr. Garrett. But for the lberality that has
been extended to it time after time, it would not
now be the wealthy corporation, extending it's
branches in every direction, which the Presi-
dent so elOquently describes"