The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-03-23
Delta and Baltimore Railroad.

meeting in the interest of the Delta and
Baltimore Narrow Gauge Railroad was held at
the Court House, on Friday, March 10TH Col.
E. ii. Webster was called to the chair and N. B.
Whitaker appointed Secretary. Mr.. Stephen
Boyd, ex-President of the Peach Bottom Mar
row Gauge Railway, with which the proposed
road is intended to connect, was present. and in
an earnest and intelligent speech set forth the
advantages of the narrow over The brc ad gauge
for local travel and traffic.
He spoke of the growing favor in which mar
row-gauge roads are held, and proved from the
statistics of the Peach Potion road that it cost
less than $4,000 mile to build and equip
ready for business. This road, he said, has been
operated since the LIST of July, 1874 and has
carried 100000 passengers, without hurting a
hair of the head of any one of them. The speed
attained on portions of the road had reached
45 miles per hour.
There are 20 narrow gauge roads in existence
in the United States, and they have been in
operation sufficiently long to conn end them
selves to the public, as being just as efficient for
all practical purposes, and just as safe as roads
OF the ordinary gauge. lie argued that they
were necessarily better for local travel and af.
lic. competing through line, to be success
full is frequently obliged to carry through freight
and passengers at loss, and must make up the
difference by charging excessive rates for local
trade To make time must be but few stop
pages, whereas the narrow gauge depending
for Its support on the traffic along the route
was obliged to have stations close together, SO
as to gather in as much business as possible, all
of which was to the benefit of the country
through which the road passed.
He ridiculed the idea that either of the Two
great corporations now engaged in TRANSPORTING
freight and passengers between Baltimore and
Philadelphia would ever build a road TO COM
pete with the Philadelphia, Wilmington and
Baltimore road. That road had abundant ca
pacity for all the business it has, and is besides
the shortest and best route between the points
named.
The Peach Bottom road, he asserted. cost for
its entire length of 40 miles 5000, 0S5, or less
than $4,000 mile. The Delta and Baltimore
road, he thought, could be built for less even
than that. There were more cuts and more
rock TO contend with upon the Peach Bottom
road, and labor and materials are cheaper row
than when their road was made.
The net earnings on 20 miles of the Peach
Bottom road last year, were S37, or. Experience
proves that the expenses do not increase with
an increase of business. 1t costs about as much
to run an empty train as full one and the
salaries of officers, &c, remain the same.
The proposed road, he demonstrated, would
certainly be paying enc. 1t would get the
entire grain and produce trade of ali the region
through which the Peach Boitom road passes,
and this, in addition to the trade of Hartford and
Baltimore counties, would ensure its success.
1t would cost $4,000 mile to grade the pro-
posed road, build the masonry, &c. The latter
part OF the work, he showed need, not be done
at once, but trestles could be used at the cuts,
and replaced by stone abutments after the road
began to be worked.
Make up your minds, he said to build this
road. You can build it. What railroad needs
is good, honest, earnest men. You don't want
railroad presidents or railroad engineers in your
board of directors, but self-reliant, honest, ac-
tive men, thoroughly inbued with the spirit of
the enterprise, and determined to make it sue
coed.
Mr. Boyd related the manner in which the
difficulties in regard to the construction of the
Peach Bottom Railway had been overcome, and
made an earnest appeal for immediate action by
the people of Hartford and Baltimore counties.
The engineering can be accomplished better in
the spring and fall, and if the route is located
this spring, the contracts for the work may be
let out next fall, and the cars could be running
in IL or ID months thereafter.
The cost of transhipping freight, he said
would not exceed ten cents per ton, and he
argued that 1t would pay new road better to
tranship its freight than to increase its rolling
stock in order that cars might be sent over other
roads.
Mr.. Nathan Grafton then told the meeting
what had already been accomplished in the
short time since the project had been started.
Nearly $4,000 had been subscribed, and it had
been shown that the thing was entirely prac-
ticable.
Messrs. Young, Maynadierand Street, were APP
pointed committee to prepare suitable sub
scription paper, to be circulated in Bel Air and
its vicinity
On motion of C. j. Moore the subscription
paper heretofore circulated was amended, so as
TO allow of organization and a survey when
500, 900 are subscribed.
A committee of five, consisting of Messrs
Isaac Amos John Moores, S. A. Williams, VIM.
Young and Joseph VI. STREET., has been appoint
ed by the Chair, to solicit subscriptions in Bel
Air and neighborhood.
After vote of thanks to Mr.. Boyd, the meet
ing adjourned to meet at the Court House. on
Saturday, March 3lst, at o'clock, P. NJ, at
which time all the canvasscrs are requested TO
be present and report progress.