The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-08-15
Our Rail Road Future,

Hartford, must know that they are sharers ii
our fortunes, and VIII benefit by q genera
prosperity. For the rest of US, the rail road
question is the most important that can come
into our working lives The time is utterly
past for communities to exist without rai
communications; and living as we do between
the near markets of two great cities, we al
feel that we cannot afford to relax an effort
or to let go by one chance for obtaining those
facilities which will bring us up to the leve
of our more favored neighbors, and permit
as to use our industry ut a profit. We cal
then spare some time for the consideration
of the situation.
1t may be forty-tive years ago, since the
Engineer, Mr.. Shriver, representing some
Pennsylvania improvement company, was
saRguine in his expectation that road would
be soon made by the valley of Deer Greek, and
through Bel Air, to Baltimore. The then
called Port Deposit Rail Road, now part OF
the p, w. q B., which was planned forty
years ago, represents this scheme, but on diff
fercnt ground, and with far less advantage to
our county as it furnished railroad facilities
to n county already provided with cheap wa
ter transportation, and considerably devel-
oped as to its agricultural condition. Since
that time, one whole generation, we have
been talking, hoping, planning, and with small
results. By some curious fatality. 10 sooner
had we come to the conclusion that they sue
coed best who help themselves, and had set
on foot some scheme that promised tangible
| result, such as for instance the branch road
from Bel Air to Magnolia, than there would
come up the shadow of some great enterprise
in the hands of the railroad kings which
was to give us all we wanted, and without
cost to ourselves Such flattering prospects
would inevitably kill our small attempts, and
the most earnest advocates for county work
had to feel that in the face of this delusive
hope, no project involving outlay and care to
us, could be pushed. There seems just now
to be lull in the production ofphantom rail
roads, and we seek to avail ourselves of it to
examine into our real condition, as regards
the great interests which have evolved them.
Two great rival lines, ruling over thousands
of miles beyond Baltimore, are neither of
them connected with the great outlet, New
York, by any satisfactory and comfortable
link. Nor is the ground entirely open to them
for making it. Only within few months
has New Jersey allowed a competition with
the roads known as the Camden and Am
boy" lines between New York and Philadel-
phia, which the Pennsylvania railroad thought
to acquire by lease. The ground between
Baltimore and Philadelphia, on perfectly
straight and easy line, the only one of the
kind between the two cities, has long been
occupied by the p, w. and b., an indepen-
dent company, working its road to profit
which has enabled it to extend its lines down
the Eastern Shore, Delaware, and in the Bal
timore Central, and to pay an interest on fif-
for road of practically one hundred miles.
This capital has been to the great rival COM
panies q sad stumbling block in the way of
their acquiring, by purchase, dominant in
flucnce in the little road. Neither of them
can venture to expend the fifteen millions,
lest the other should build, for five, road
through the upper country, which without the
cXccllencics of the p, w. and b., should yet
prove to be a gripping rival to its success.
Both of them know that their passengers
and freight can be carried over this gap in
their own lines by the present government of
the p, w. and b., and delivered to them at
their stations in Baltimore at less cost than
can be done over any new road in their own
hands. Batting the uncertainties of railroad ALI
ances this system would suit them both best /;
for to neither of them, overwhelmed as they
are with costly projects ofeXtension, can it be
grateful to contemplate n large expenditure
without new results
This z w. and B., small as it is in pro-
portion to its gigantic neighbors, is yet, in
the skilful hands which direct it, n power in
in the land. 1t would be easier to-day for
this road to extend its influence and build up
permanent and impregnable interest, by
making its own line from Philadelphia to
New York, than for either of the other two
roads to get up this, for them, only partial
link and the probabilities certainly favor the
supposition that this will be DONE and that
the p, w. and b thus extended, will grasp
and continue to hold the transportation from
New York to Baltimore, on its own lines,
carrying for the others on equal terms.
We have had an air line from New York
to Washington, which ran around the half of
circle, and lasted one month. We are
about to have another one under the auspices
ofJay Gould, involving so many short breaks
and short steam boat lines, that il will repre-.
sent succession of long ferries-pleasant
enough as a change for summer route; all
these showing however, how easily we are
left out Are these the circumstances to
that some one must some day make a road
through us, in spite of the rough country, the
increased distances and the river crossings
Is it not our business to see what we may be
able to do for ourselves, aided by the liberali-
ty of others who are interested in our sue
cess? We can hope for help from two sour
ces. The first is, of course the city of Balti-
more, who has given earnest of her wish in
thepassage ofresoluhons appropriating large
sums to enterprises which had for their avail
able capital little more than the influence of
President and Directors. The next is that
road to which we may look as a natural ally,
the p, W. and B., since all our connections
mnst hn made with IT. OF its liberal offers of