Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1874-04-24
The Railroad and the Mails Again.

We have received letter from Governor
Bowie, which, whilst not written for pub
LEGATION, we may allude to the contents of
without any breach of confidence or eti-
quette. The Governor, in referring to our
complaint against the Railroad Company
for depriving us of our mail facilities.
says that the reason the "mixed train"
which brought it, was withdrawn, was be-
cause the Pope's Creek line is run at a
heavy loss to the Company-that last year
no crops were made and there is no freight
to carry this year. So far as the failure of
crops is concerned we will admit that,
owing to the long and severe drought,
there was an almost entire failure of the
tobacco crop in Prince Georges county,
and the wheat was greatly injured in the
field after harvest. Tho Prince Georges
Is large portion of the State, yet it is not
the entire State. In the little patch which
constitutes the territory of this county
there was made an average crop; and the
year, take it altogether, was a good one
with US. There is large amount of corn
now being shipped and tobacco is also
coming forward Therefore, SO far as we
are concerned, the failure of crops does not
apply, and there is an abundance of pro-
duce here for transportation to market
Whether the B. s. P. Railroad will get
any portion of this We cannot say. But
we do know that our farmers make great
complaints Of want Of accommodation by
the Railroad. The Port Tobacco Station
may be taken as an illustration of the dit
6culties which beset. those who wish to
patronize this road. There is a warehouse
and passenger room under the same roof,
but no person in charge. The shipper
must wait until the arrival of the up-train
in order to deliver his produce, whilst
parties ordering goods from Baltimore or
elsewhere must be present on the arrival
Of the train or run the risk of losing them
after they shall have been left in an open
car or an equally open warehouse at the
station. If not exactly this state of things,
annoyances as great exist along the line,
complaints of which constantly come to
us. Again, when freight is safely put on
the cars its arrival at its destination is by
no means as expeditions as should be, not
reaching Washington, and we believe also
Baltimore, until the afternoon of the next
day after shipment; whereas, by steamer,
it is delivered in Washington in six or
eight hours and in Baltimore in less time
than by rail and at less expense.
For reasons thus calculated to repel in
stead of inviting traffic, We can understand
why the receipts of the road are unsatis-
Metery. But apart from these almost sui
cidal mistakes in the management, it would
be something unparalleled in the history of
railroads if new one should at first pay
expenses. 1t surely ought not then to be
expected when established in sparsely
settled country, blessed as this peninsula
is with easy water communication within
reach of every man. The present owners
of the B. & P. Railroad were perfectly a
ware of this when they obtained control of
the charter of this company, in order to be
enabled to run an opposition line to Wash
ington, and thus supply the connecting
link for their great through route. That
this line could not be expected to pay
shortly was one of the strongest arguments
made in appealing to the liberality of our
people for the County Internal Improve
ment Fund and the right of way. Both of
which appeals were promptly responded
to, the latter probably not costing the
company $1,000. And yet now, when with
the assistance of the repellent policy allu
ded to, this very anticipated condition pre-
sents itself, it is made the pretext for de-
priving us of our mail, as sort of punish
ment we suppose. We are in no way to
blame. Our people dealt most literally
with the company-gave it all it asked,
and more than any other section through
which it passes, when in fact we were less
dependent on it. We are still anxious to
do more for it, to patronize with travel
and freight, but are rebuffed at every at
tempt. Instead of encouragements and
inducements being held out in order to
build up business, difficulties and vexa-
tions of all sorts are interposed in the way,
and to encounter which requires degree
of industry and amiability rather exhaust
ing when the exhilaration of compensation
does not follow. All this is bad enough
still it could be borne; and as our people
are not entirely dependent upon the Rail
road for either the transportation of freight
or passengers, we could easily enough 60
back to our more primitive, but less ex-
pensive mode, of using the rivers which a
kind Providence has blessed us with, and
we would not complain SO much. But the
Railroad Company has done and is doing
us q grievous and irreparable injury in the
delay and disarrangement of our mails, and
of that we do most bitterly now and will
continue to complain. We never asked to
have our mail sent by this route, but by
some means unknown to us, it was sud-
denly changed from the Glymont route to
the Railroad, and we have experienced
since more annoyance, delay and aggrava-
ton than we ever did before.
If, as Gov Bowie says, the company is,
an acceunt If noyertv or want of patron