The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-04-26
SUNDAY TRAINS TO RUN.
Mr. S. G.. Boyd's Letter to Citizens of Delta
and Vicinity.
OFFICE MARYLAND CENTRAL. r. r. Co.,
Baltimore, April 9TH, 1884.

Baltimore, April 9TH, 1854.
REV. d. M. DAvENPoRT-My Dear Sr:-Your
esteemed favor of the 10th ult, enclosing petition
signed by John Hughes, S. M. Jenness and one
hundred and twenty -four other citizens of York
and Hartford countless asking the Board of Direc
tors of this Company to Officially discountenance
and forbid the running of trains or cars on the
line of the Maryland Central Railroad, especially
within the territory in which they reside, on the
Sabbath day" was duly received and with the
petition laid before that board at its recent meet
ing in this city.
Both papers received very respectful and care
full consideration not only account of the large
number of petitioners, but more especially be-
cause of the reasons assigned for asking the
board to depart from what has become almost the
universal custom of steam and horse railroads in
this country, especially those lying in and run
ming into large centres of population.
So impressed was the board with the gravity of
the question raised by the petitioners and the
courtesy due them, that it has directed me to re-
ply at length to your letter setting forth as briefly
as possible some considerations determining their
action in declining to comply with the request of
the people asking the withdrawal of our Sunday
trains.
Briefly then, in the first place, the board recog
nizes the sacred character of the Christian Sab
bath, and would not purposely do aught which in
its opinion would be a perversiOn of the uses of
the day, as taught in the New Testament scrip
lures, which it accepts as the best guide for
ligious and moral conduct. 1t is impressed, how
ever, with the belief that such corporation as
its members have been called to manage, in con-
sideration of the extraordinary powers and privi-
leges conferred upon it, notably the right to take
private property for its uses, it not only was
created for the public good, and designed to pro-
mote public interests, but has we'll understood
duties devolving upon it, the performance of
which it cannot evade, if it would act in good
faith to the State. And the board conceives that
as common carrier the company is in duty bound
to provide all needed transportation for both
freight and passengers at all times when it is
customary to furnish the same on other similar
lines of travel, if it be in its power to do SO.
Public necessities to demand not only
that street shall run in cities all days of
the week, but that steam railroad lines termna-
ting there are equally bound to minister to those
necessities on all days and with little Interrupt
ton and irregularity as possible.
Hence it is that at the present day there is
hardly city in this Union which has not only
its street cars running on the Sabbath but its
lines of steam railways also.
Those means of locomotiou are used as we'll by
the church members seeking their places of wor-
ship, as by those in quest of rest, recreation or
pleasure; as well by the dairyman in securing
his daily supply of fresh milk, as by the drover
Fastening his furnishing herd to market.
Right or wrong, fortunately or unfortunately,
our civilization and modes of life, especially in
our cities, seem to require this constant intercom
municaton between city and country, city and
city. Nor will the denizens of our cities believe
their practical christianity is to be improved by
either drinking tepid water or sweltering behind
their blstering pavements, on the Sabbath, when
ice is obtainabIe, and sparkling fountains, green
fields, cooling shades and the clear blue heavens
are within easy reach by rail.
The board admits, however, that if the running
of those trains is "serous detriment to the COM
munity, in working Generalization and affecting
injurousIy (your) social and moral interests"
as represented by the petitioners, injuring the
souls of men and rendering them less capable of
obtaining and enjoying happiness in future
state and less we'll disnasad to their fnll"v
men in this life, then those trains should not rum
1t is of opinion the moral effect upon the commu-
nity traversed by its road resulting from the run
ming of its trains on the Sabbath cannot be difficult
to estimate unless is methods of performing its
work or the nature of the people subjected to the
influence of it's trains, is very different from that
of those subjected to the same influences else
where.
The board is not aware that the people of our
cities have, during the last twenty years, grown
any worse morally by reason of the running of
their street cars on the Sabbath. 1t cannot see
wherein the running of cars, drawn by locomotives
is more demoralizing than those drawn by horses
or mules Nor can it find any evidence to show
that such has been or can be the ease.
From survey of the cities and towns most
contiguous to the line of this company's road,
such as Baltimore, Shrewsbury, Glen Rock, York,
Columbia, Lancaster, Coatesville, Oxford and
Havre-de- Grace, it cannot learn that their people,
though subject to the influence of Sunday trains
for many years, any worse, or for that matter,
any better, than the people of Delta, West Bangor
and vicinity.
In the absence then of any evidence to prove
the demoralizing tendency of Sunday trains, un-
der proper regulations, elsewhere, the board is
led to hope and to believe that the community
represented by the petitioners will not be inju-
riously affected by the running of those trains.
Thus believing, and in view of its duty, as COM
mon carrier to run its trains at all customary
.sr,os - .Ln combustion that IL should
continue to run its Sunday trains, over the entire
length of its road-at least till such time as there
is ndubitablo evidence Of their demoralizing tend
You will please do the board the kindness tc
communicate to the petitioners the sentiment:
controlling it as herein expressed, and assure
them of the deep regret its members feel that q
of duty to the public and to the corporation
they represent has compelled them to refuse com.
plance with their wishes. With high esteem, an
| Yours very truly, S. G. BOYD, Sect.