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

Lookout railroad company. as proposed
BY House bill 274. now pending before
the House Committee on the District Of
Columbia. should not be granted" and as
the matter under discussion IL q subject
in which our people are interested. VIC
surrender large share Of our space to-day
to the publication Of so much Of the re-
view a. certsins the Introductory letter
Of Mr. President Smoot and the legal
statement Of Mr.. Harris. We had in-
tended to have Published. in eopjuncsion
With the letter and statement shove refer
red to, the contract entered into between
the contesting roads on the 2lst Of Janu-
airy. 1878. bat have been unable to get il
in type. We shall print this in oul
next to put the whole subject fully before
our readers.
OFTrcE OF rnE SOUTHERN MARrLAxD,
No. Pill FoUR-Axp-A-nAIY STREET,
WASHINGTON CIrr. Jan. p, 1874.
HoS. RoBr. s. HALE,
Chairman Committee on the District of
Columbia, House Of Representatives.
DEAR Sir: We desire. especially. to
call The attention Of your Honorable Com.
mi,.ee to the leading and important fact
which. in our judgement, is conclusive
Of the whole suljcet-ma..er before it. II
is. that the Washington City aud Poin,
Lookout Railroad Company has not built
foot of Railroad anywhere under its
own management. and that it is not,
therefore. in a condition to ask Of Con.
gross q franchise to come into the city oil
Washington, or to justify Congress in
granting it.
Last year that company asked Congress
to grant them franchise to come into
this District with their main stem, and
branch thereof. under the pretence that
the latter was an auxiliary to the franchise
they had obtained under the general in
corporation act Of the State Of Maryland
But instead Of using it for that purpose,
they have disposed of it to the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Comp any. for the pur-
pose Of furnishing that company an out.
let south BY the way Of Alexandria.
Accordingly. railroad has been built,
not BY the Washington City and Point
Lookout Railroad Company. but By trus-
tees appointed under an instrument o!
writing between that company and the
Orange, Alexandria and Manassas Rail.
road Co.. from point on the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad near Bladensburg. run.
ming around this city on the other ed,
If the Eastern Brunch to point opposite
Alexandria. Sec contract herewith sub
mittcd
The bonds issued to build this road
to the amount of about $40. 900, were
guaranteed by the Baltimore and Ohio
K. K. Co. and the consideration for the
use of this franchise is $50 900 per an.
mum IN gold on perpetual lease. Thi.
franchise Of course can be of no possible
use to tie railroad which was contempla.
ted by the charter obtained from Mary.
land By the Washington City and Poin,
Lookout Railroad Company.
The outlet thus obtained by the Balti-
more aud Ohio Railroad Company no,
proving entirely satisfactory. the attempt
is now made. by the bill before your com.
mittee. to procure for similar specula-
ton. franchise to run throagh this city
to the northwestern extremity Of George
town, and there to cross the Potomac
river.
To bona file application by the Bal
,imore and Ohio r. Il. Co. for a fran
elise to pass through this city. the South
ern Maryland Railroad Co. has. and can
have. no objection; but until the WASH
ipgton City and Poin. Lookout Railroad
Go. shall have constructed their road un-
der the charter OBJ aimed from Maryland.
We submit that they are net in a condi-
ton to ask of Congress any such grant rs
is contemplated by the bill before you.
/, seems to US that if this charter be
granted. the door will be opened to the
application By irresponsible organizations
for charters within this District for mere
speculative purposes, and if the precedent
be now adopted. we do not see why 9TH
ers could reasonably be refused.
The well-known desire of your COM
mitiee to promote the prosperity OF this
District will be sufficient justification for
the earnest expression of tho hope that a
precedent may not be established which
will bring forth a host of irresponsible
spectators seeking their own private in
,erest. which will undoubtedly result in
excluding corporations that are active and
encrgetieally prosecuting imror,an: works
of great public benefit.
Being certain that such is the view Of
the committee. l confidently state this pro-
position. II the committee shall be sat.
isfed that the Washington City and Poin,
Lookout Railroad Company has not bull,
a foot Of road from Brandywine to this
District. they will of course report ad-
versely on this bill. That such is un.
d''ubtediy the fact. l state the two follow
ing propositions
First. The road around this city from
Bladensburg to Alexapdria. claimed TO
have been built BY the Washington City
and foin, Lookout Railroad Company.
was in fac, built by the Baltimore aud
Ohio Railroad Company, and that it be-
belongs to them by perpetual lease.
Second. That the Washington City and
Point Lockout Railroad Company has no,
built foo, of road under its Maryland
charter from Brandywine to the Dis,ric,
inc.
Now. the proof Of the drst fac, is to be