The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-03-29
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM HARTFORD COUNTY.
The Discussion Over the B. & o. Road.

BELA1R, Nd, March oath, 1884.
Editors Union Before this letter goes to press
our Legislature will have settled the matter of the
B. & O. elevated road over Baltimore, therefore
what may say about it will be of little conse-
quence. If any of the many readers of the Bati-
more Sm who have been reading the different
articles that have appeared in its columns for the
last week so upon this grave question could
give sound reason either pro or con drawn from
said articles, they are clearer headed than | am.
To-day some fellow, claiming to be some Of the peo-
pie" who are the most interested, will give you
convincing proof that the scheme would be detri-
mental to the interests of the property owners on
the streets where the road will be made, and you
say "well if l a member of the Legislature
should make the company pay the full worth for
all the property they might use or in any way in
jure before 1 would grant them a right to build
such road, and the very next day some other
fellow just knocks this all in the head by telling
you that that article of the day before was written
in behalf of and in the interest of the Pennsylva-
MIA road by their great counsellor and advisor
whom he styles "St. Bernard" And this fellow
will show you conclusive proof lat least you will
at the time think SOY that the best interest of the
entire city is at stake in this matter and that it
will not only prove greatly to its commercial in
terests as city, but that the individual property
holders more than any one else will be greatly
benefited by its construction, and you at once
throw up the sponge and exclaim, "well believe
this fellow is about right and l think the road
ought to be made" This is about the fix have
been in for several days past, and really believe
some of our legislators are in just such dilemma.
Now the real question to be considered is not
what this company or that company may wish as
a grant for purely self-interest, but whether the
city entire in its corporate capacity will be bene
fitted by this elevated road over it to form con-
Meeting link between its western main stem and
its eastern extension of this B. & o. r. r. Com
pany. The city is large stakeholder in this
company, and if this elevated road will prove adj
efciary in common with the other stockholders,
and the privilege of building the road should be
granted, even though it should prove detrimental
to a few individual interests. Nevertheless, when
making the grant provision should be made that
every individual who would be thus injured should
be fully compensated for all loss sustained in the
building and working of the road, such losses to be
established by some legally constituted authority.
The very question of building and operating a
railroad of the kind are writing about over the
tops of houses and over the heads of the busy
world of men and women and children beneath
them on the bed of the streets, looks like fairy
tale, and yet the thing is practicable. Now if it
can be done advantageously to all the parties in
terested there should be no hesitancy in granting
the right. This company certainly can see the
advantage it will prove to them or they would not
ask it. Will it benefit the city entire as a corpor-
portion of her citizens at the cost of great loss of
property and advantageous to another portion?
This is Il question our Legislature should investi-
gate. | remember when this very company was
looking around for site for her depot within the
city limits when she used to bring her passenger
coaches down Pratt street by horse power into her
little depot the south side of the street. opposite
the Maltby House and next to Kurtz's book store.
At last she settled the present sight on Camden
street, and bought and paid an enormous sum
so considered at that dayfor this location. Now
after many years what is the condition of things
in the neighborhood of this depot? Has property
deprecated? has the neighborhood lost any of its
former charms as place of business or is there
not very perceptible change for the better in the
general appearance of the entire community? The
fact is a man who had not seen that part of the
city for the last thirty years would not know it if
he were to visit it to-day. The railroad, instead
of proving as many feared at the time when they
commenced their depot, great detriment to the
welfare and prosperity of this part of the city, has
certainly been great benefit to it. In connec-
ton with this subject of elevated railroads it
tainly would be to the interest of many people if
all the roads entering the city passing through
it were compelled either to pass over or under it.
The science of engineering has been brought to
such perfection that there is nothing unreasonable
that it, in connection with perfect skill in mechan
ism, cannot accomplish. Things are in everyday
operation around us tnat call IOr neltner astOnsn-
ment or admiration from casual observer that a
century ago would have been looked upon as de-
lusive phantoms and would have been treated as
the works of an evil spirit The telegraph or tel
ephone would be as incomprehensible in theory to
our forefathers of even fifty years ago they
to-day in practice to the wild Indian of our far
West. May Baltimore have many elevated roads
if they will add to her material prosperity and
happiness. She is the great centre of commercial
interest to the people of the whole State, and in
one sense herinterests are our welfare. She is the
cUuntfes ueri0eJnerr eustenarce- in great mva-
sure, and we all wish her we'll. RAMBLER.