The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1872-05-17
CORRESPONDENCE.
The Bel Air and Magnolia Railroad.
FALLsToN, May 18th, 1872.


Mr.. EDIroR: We take our pen in hand
las the school-boy would say to express what
we believe to be the public sentiment in our
community in regard to the contemplated r.
r. from Bel Air 10 Magnolia. We are, it is
true, unauthorized to act at present in the
province of representative, yet meeting with
many of our citizens almost every day, and
hearing the "Rell Rud," question freely dis
cussed, we are pretty well posted. Fallstoni-
ans want q railroad. Sjme it is true, have
been hoping that Towsontown and Delta
would do something, but our hopes have new
| er been of the sunshine order in regard to
that enterprise.
| If our conclusions are correct then the
question before Fallston Qhe village of one
hundred and eighty is, would not road from
Bel Air TO Magnolia, though east of Winters
Run, be of great advantage; would it not be
better for us than no road? When hungry,
we prefer half loaf to no cake at ALL In
our opinion if our monied men were only
| sure the Towsontown and Delta road would
not be made, they would then come up to
the mark and do something The prevailing
sentiment here is, subscriptions could be tit
ken, if the road is made acct of Winters run.
For this purpose the meeting was called, that
! was held at Oakland, on the goth ult
Should the road be made arest of Winters
| run, it would lie benefited by the trade and
travel, from Fallston. Oakland Seminary,
Reckord's extensive Bone Factory and Lum-
Der yards, Stockton, (where no doubt bust
| ness would be dOnc) Lees flour mills Frank
llnville Cotton Factory, and u paying trade
from the farming element in those localities.
Should the road be made on the present
prol osed route, the above named places would
not be OF much advantage to it. The people
OF your town, (of more than hundred and
elghty) are right in saying that their prefer
able route is far the cheapest, and they are
unseltish in saying, the only reason why they
prefer the route west of Winters run is be-
cause it is cheaper Well, that is an impor
tant item. 1t is prudent and economical to
build as cheaply as possible; but it is highly
| important, also, that the road should run
| through localities that are able to sustain it.
If we understand the issue, the enterprise if
carried into effect is to be sustained by Har-
ford county. Ifso, its makers and advocates
should no. lose sight OF the significance of
reaching the best paying places, without
making the road too circutous and dear.
We think Bel Air and Fallston should COM
promise, and in our opinion the road could
be made The people have the means but it
Is hard thing to get many to see the advan-
| tage OF having railroad in our county
| apart from the ignorance manifested, some
| remind us of man we heard of while living
in Washington county, Pennsylvania Years
ago the people of that section drove their
horses, cattle and hogs, over the mountains
down the National pike all the way to Wash.
| inston, d. c., and Baltimore, which was to
them, as they thought, paying business,
though it required weeks of labor and absence
from home to make the trip, besides the ex-
pense attending it, When the Baltimore e.
Ohio Company proposed running their great
road through Washington and Green coun-
ties, Western Pennsylvanians took strong
grounds against the company, and through
their legislature the enterprise was defeated,
and the road was made through Western Vir-
| ginia. The fellow in question owned farm
in one of the rural townships Of Washington
county. He opposed the the rell rud bitterly.
In his opinion railroads were nuisance, only
| benefited the already rich, beside they were
destructive to stock and timber, killing the
former, and setting fire to the latter. why"
said he, 'spose they run the road through
| my farm, it would not be pike but rail road,
| and spose some time when the corrs ar guyine
through my farm they break one of their
rails, why don't know that if they were in
a hurry, they would stop and take any of my
! best rails to mend up with?"
,ITTI r. Pills