The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1890-01-31


ceiyt and collect subscriptions for The 1Eqis.
B e l. AIR, Md.
Friday Morning, January Is, 1890.
Give the Belt Railroad Fair Treatment.
We regret to see, in some quarters, a dis
position to needlessly embarrass the Belt
Line Railroad Company in its great work of
furnishing additional railroad facilities TO our
metropolis, besides its ineslimable value
and importance to 80 large part of our
State, and particularly to. Baltimore and
Hartford counties.
To all who are familiar with the history of
is well known that Mr.. John Henry Miller, of
Pittsburg, took the contract to build it nine
teen months ago, up to which time he was
stranger to most of our people, and that the
purchase of the Maryland Central and Peach
Bottom Railways by him and his friends and
the Belt Railroad project are his work
Everybody interested in the development
and improvement Of Northeastern Maryland
fully realizes the great advantages which
will surely come to this section if Mr.. Mill
er's plans can be carried out. Fully con-
sciious of their benefits to Hartford county The
-Egis confidently presents considerations to
show why they are of equal interest to Balti-
more city and the State at large.
1. The system of railroads in and about
Baltimore readily divides into those built by
Maryland capital and Maryland and Baltl-
more State and municipal aid, and those
built by Pennsylvania or foreign aid. The
former lack in great measure passenger and
freight facilities, in the centre of the city,
while the latter are well supplied with them.
Thus, the Maryland Central station ON the
north is too remote from the business part
of the city, while Camden station is too far
south. The Pennsylvania Company, for
eign corporation, enjoys exceptional adyant-
ages over all the Railroads entering Balti'
more city, by its Calvert street station, which
Is within q few blocks of the heart
of the city. Mr.. Miller and his
friends, in looking into the Maryland
Central's affairs, were Immediately struck
others referred to, and have the courage and
pluck to meet this difficulty. How, by State
or city aid ? No, by expanding their own
money in building the Belt Railroad, which
they are convinced must prove good invest
ment, in supplying the needs of the home
built railroads and putting them nearer in
the same favorable situation as the railroads
built and controlled by foreign capitalists.
They do not, as we understand, ask any
exemption from taxation nor do the char
tiers of the Maryland Central, the Deer Creek
and Susquehanna and the Belt Railroads
grant any such exemptions. Why require
them to agree, beforehand, to pay annual
rental for going through the citye If they
succeed with the enterprise and it pays, then
tax their road accordingly. Do not antagon-
ize the very inception of the scheme by load
ing it down with charges which deter in
vestors from putting their money in the en-
terprise.
2. The facilities to be afforded by the
Belt Railroad are greatly needed by the west
ern and central parts of the city and will par
ticularly benefit trade and business in these
sections Old Town would also be greatly
benefited by the Belt Railroad, since it
would bring this enterprising business part
of the city into closer connection with the
Maryland Central and the large scope of ter.
ritory through which it passes, the inhabi-
tants of which formerly regarded Old Town
as their purchasing and sales market, and
whittier they would again resort if conye-
nient means of access were afforded them.
8. Every part of the State which is served
by tue Baltimore and Ohio, the Western
Maryland, the Maryland Central and the An
napolis and Shortline Railroads will, by the
proposed Belt Railroad, be brought into
closer connection with the central part of the
city, and the suburbs, for at least fifteen
miles out of the city, will have rapid transit,
giving them advantages in point of ability to
reach the business part of the city, equal to
that but lately enjoyed by the recently an
nexed Belt, over the Maryland Central a
A. AS scheme of the owners of the Mary
land Central Railroad and its friends this
move for the Belt Railroad is entitled to
great consideration, because the Maryland
Central is one of the few Maryland roads that
has not had financial aid from either the
State or the city of Baltimore or both.
5. Conceding that the policy Of the
State and city towards the Baltimore and
Ohio, the Western Maryland and the North
ern Central Railroads has in the psst been ex-
ceeiingly generous, are those who urge less
liberal policy towards the Belt Railroad pre-
pared 10 say that the State and city would
have been better off to-day had less gener-
Gus policy been pursued?
The weight of these reasons, it seems to
US, should induce, on the part of the State
and city. continuance of its past liberal pol
icy towards important railroad enterprises
and particularly one of such scope and prom
Use of substantial benefit to the interests of
so large part of the city and State as the
Belt line.
We should not throttle public enterprises
at the start, because the cry against corpora
tions seems popular, but should encourage
them to make every improvement possible
and then have the courage to investigate their
workings and tax them in proportion to their
success.