The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-06-13
From the West Chester (Pa.) Republican,.
The State Line and Juniata Railroad
Company.

This is the name of Charter taken out in
July last, for the purpose of constructing a
first-class road from Philadelphia to Balti-
more, via Newtown Square, Delaware coun-
ty, and West Chester, Chester county, cross
ing the Brandywine below the Junction of
the east and west branches, then by way of
Unionville and Oxford Borough, crossing the
Susquehanna at or near the Mouth of Deer
Creek, Hartford county, Md, following near
the bed of that stream until it reaches Long
Green Valley, and traversing the whole of its
length until it crosses the Big Gunpowder
stream, into what is called Limestone Valley.
Those two Valleys are hemmed in on both
sides by large hills, resembling very much
the Great Valley in Chester county, Pa
They have but the one practicable outlet,
called Stansbury's Gap, through which this
Company pass. Thence by Towsontowf1,
connecting with the Northern Central Rail
road at Swami Lake, (the basin that supplies
the city of Baltimore with water,) about sew
en- miles from Baltimore, and near the juno
ton of the Western Maryland Road. They
are operating in Maryland, under the name
and title of the Maryland and Pennsylvania
State Line Railroad Company. In Deem
Der last they contracted with the Susque-
hanna Improvement Company, to build the
Road from Stansbury's Gap to the Pennsyl-
vania State line. This Company commenced
work with some half dozen gangs, and have
about five miles nearly completed, grading
towards the Gunpowder The former Com
pany have spent i'll surveys and labor, over
forty thousand dollars, not one dollar of
which came out of the pockets of Maryland
people; all they having asked of them, was
the right way, which they obtained with
out cost, except in very few cases.
In April last some difficulty took place be-
tween the Company and the Susquehanna
Improvement Company, (who were tho con-
tractors,) and the former contracted with the
subcontractors to build that portion of the
road between Towsontown and the Nothen
Central which was not in the hands of the
Susquehanna Company. As soon as this
Company is out of the way, the other part of
the road will be rc.let to the PENNSYLVANIA
line.
Towsontown is the county seat of Balti-
more county, situated on the York turnpike,
about seven miles from Baltimore city, and
was established in 1856, by separating her
self from Baltimore and establishing public
buildings of her own. In addition to the
horse Railroad that she now has, she is to
have two steam roads, one narrow guage,
intended for passengers only, and the Mary
land and Pennsylvania State Line road,
which is intended to be q great through line
from north to south, and is said to be some
thing shorter from New York to Baltimore
than the other line. Both these roads are
being pushed vigorously. In 1856 all the
passengers were carried from Towsontown
to Baltimore in two horse omnibus; 1862
horse railway was built, and 1872 it car
ried over six hundred thousand passengers
to that place and along the line of the road.
AS | stated before, the State Line and Jul
niata commenced their road at Stansbury's
10 70 hn bow - oil
Southern roads. 1t is the only opening in the
hill that can be made available between
Philadelphia and Baltimore. The Baltimore
and Ohio, the Northern Central, the Great
National route the Baltimore Central-their
surveys north have all been through this gap,
therefore the Maryland and Pennsylvania,
Juniata and State Line, hold the key to this
general enterprise Limestone Valley is en-
tered here, and it has continuous bed of
about six miles of the best quality of iron ore
lying within few feet of the surface of the
ground Large quantities are now shipped
to Baltimore by mule teams. The limestone
is OF the purest quality and is used principal
ly by builders, as it Stacks without leaving a
particle of sediment, and will bring twenty
cents per bushel more than any other lime in
the market for building purposes. There is
also IN this valley very fine specimen of
marble, such as the patent office at Washing
ton is built Of In fact, there never was q
railroad attempted to be built that will disap-
point the imaginations of the people SO much
as this road, when completed. In the place
of passing througha low and flat country, as
you do on the lower Baltimore road, covered
with chinquapin bushes and scrubby oaks,
you will see fine rolling, agricultural coun-
try, rich in mineral wealth, and dotted all
along the line with fine houses and barns,
well fenced and cultivated farms picturesque
and beautiful scenery, every foot ofwhich will
add tribute to their great enterprise.