Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-02-12

pssy have net eemrlied With tlsir con-
IRA With oar c9mpany.
RcFpecsfailv admitted.
| SAMUEL s SHOOT.
| President 3. II. q. B. Co.
/ WAsnISeTos. Jan. q, 1874.
Hon. Resr. 8. HAZE,
Chairman Comnsiree on the Diaricf Of
CstanlSs. House n Representatives
DEAR SIR: You we're kind enough to
express willingness to receive from INC
a statement. IN writing. II my views in
regard to the House Bill No. PA. mas
much as the necessity Tor my leaving Wash
ington would render il impossible that
should attend upon Jour committee at its
next meeting.
I observe from the newspapers thar the
scheme contemplated BY the bill is satjec,
to some structures and oijection- on 20
count Of its bearing upon the public vel.
fare; but to these I shall not direct NJ
attention. being fully satisfied that the
committee will take good care of the pub
lie interests in every respect BY making .
full inquiry into the suljecs-maiter.
| IN what | shall say. therefore. I wish
to be considered as speaking in behalf oil
the Southern Maryland Railroad Com.
pany. in which l am director and coun.
sci. and the interests Of which il some.
what involved in the matter under con.
alteration.
| The Southern Maryland Railroad Com.
pany was chartered BY an act Of the Gen.
eral Assembly of Maryland in 1868. with
the privilege to construct their road from
some point in Prince George county (ths
county adjoining the District of Colum-
bia) TO Point Lookout. the southern ter.
minus Of st. Mary's county. and at the
confluence of the Chesapeake bay with the
Potomac river.
Of course the object Of the corporation
was to obtain permission from Congress
when sufficient work had been done to Jus.
tily the application, in addition to the
grant from Maryland. to make some poin,
within the District Of Columbia its YES.
tern terminus. SO as to secure the trade
and travel between the city Of Washing
ton and Point Lookout
/ AT or about the time this company va.
entering upon active operations for tho
construction Of their road, the Washing.
ton City and Point Lookout Railroad Com
pany (named in said bill No. 274) Oh.
tanned charter from judge of our cir.
cult cour. Chat being allowed By the law:
of Maryland) to construct their railroad
through the same narrow peninsula. and
also TO terminate at the wedge of land
called Point Lookout. This road also
commenced operations in grading from
near Point Lookout upwards for a few
miles. After some warm contests in re.
gard TO some benefits which St. Mary.
county could confer. both companies wer,
induced to give up their contests and ri.
valry by which the public might be de.
prived of any railroad through this pen.
insula to Washington. and 10 make com
promise By which this much-desircd OBJ
set might Re attained. This compromise
was made as s..ova l. tic contract. copy
Of which accompanies this, the origina
being on flc in the flee of the Southern
Maryland Railroad. in this city.
The object and Intention Of the contract
and the contracting parties was. that these
companies should unite 10 a certain wa,
as specified therein. in order. by their
JOINT efforts. to secure a continuous line
of railroad from Washington city to Poin,
Lookout the Southern Maryland Rail.
road Company to construct from Brandy.
wine. in Prince George county. south.
ward, to Point Lookout. a distance oil
about sixty miles. and the Washington
City and Point Lookout Railroad Com.
pany to construct from Brand wine west
ward to the city of Washington. or at its
option TO point designated in the con.
tract on the Baltimore and Potomac rail.
road.
Mutual benefits we're expected to (and
doubtless would) result to these cnmpan.
les from this arrangement. as evidenced
BY the conditions of the clauses of the con
tract Nos. 3 and 1, in which it is stipu-
lated that each company shall finish the
work it has agreed to do. wi'hin three
gears pert ensuing the d.te of said con-
tract Of January 81. 1873. leaving now
but two years in which to comply with
their arrangements with each other.
The Southern Maryland Railroad has
been. and is. working with energy in Or
der to comply with their part Of the con-
tract, and expect to have their work COM
rleted within the present year to St. Ma
rvs river. the point fixed upon in the Sd
clause Of said contract.
To finish from Brandywine to this i'm
| pcrtant sheet Of water would be of great
advantage to the company and to the pub
lie. But your Honorable Committee will
readily see how much greater benefit will
result to both the company and the pub
lie If the Washington City aud Point
Lookout Railroad Company shall comply
in the time specified, or as much earlier
as practicable. with the agreemen, to con-
s,-cct .hcir railroad from Brandywiue to
Washington city.
Their future to do so will subject the
Southern Maryland Railroad Company.
for several years at least. to the necessity
of depending upon the Baltimore and Po-
tomac Railroad Company. Mt considerable
expense and loss Of time, for acsess to
Washington over that road distance Of
about forty miles. whereas the length Of
the road contemplated by this contract
from Bradnyw wine to Washington city will
be only about fourteen miles.