Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-11
Views Expressed by Citizens on a
Current Topic.
wAsH1HeroN's COMMERCIAL INTERESTS,
Why the Railroad is Favored by Mer-
chants-Men who Think Mules Should
be Superseded by Locomotives-The
Coal Men and the Canal,

canal company to lease its canal and all its
works to the Washington and Cumberland
railroad company, and to lease and release all
the liens of this state upon the canal and all its
property in favor of the lessee.
The amended charter of the Washington and
Cumberland railroad company, it is said, will
provide that this company shall construct one
or more tracks from Cumberland to Washing
ton; may connect with other railroads; shall
maintain and operate such portions of the
canal as are not used for railroad purposes,
and may borrow money not to exceed $8, 0O0, 900.
The proposal to build a railroad in place of
the Chesapeake and Ohio canal continues to be
matter Of earnest discussion among the bust
ness men OF Washington. Below will be found
the views on this topic expressed by citizens
interviewed by STAR reporters. As shown in
the interviews published yesterday views of
citizens differ, but the railroad project is gen.
orally received with favor.
y. L. sIDDoNs.
Past experience in the canals affairs" said
MIR. F. L. Siddons, would seem to indicate
that no hope OF successful future for it can
be entertained The railroad scheme seems to
me to be the only practical course that can be
pursued. Canals are constructed and main
tanned now only when railroads are impracti-
cable. see nothing in the way to the rail-
road idea, and in it is to be found every advan-
tage in the way of rapid transportation and the
better handling of the freight that modern in
ventlon has given to the world"
ROBERT H. JOHNSON.
Robert II. johnson, fruit and produce dealer,
said: ''The canal is of no earthly use except
for the shipment OF coal, lime, stone, &C., but
the construction Of a railroad would open up
that country for not only such shipments but
also for the shipment of poultry. fruits vege-
tables and commodities requiring rapid trans
n0rtQtInn Mt ~ Of ND xy,a al 4.
some Of the finest produce, fruits and vege-
tables that come to this market, and the only
thing needed to get them here sound and fresh
IL railroad"
J. q. WATERS.
j. G. Waters of the firm Of J. G. Il ]. NJ
Waters said that either way the question is de-
cided there will be a litigation. II should
like, he said, ito see a railroad by all means
II the Maryland legislature passes the bill there
will be hitch at once, and the point will arise
which is the superior. the court or the legisla-
ture. However, whatever may be done it will
be several years before the road Is completed.
and OF that am sure. can't for the life of
me see why the coal men should prefer canal
when there are SO many good reasons why they
should prefer a railroad"
H. A. WILLARD.
Mr.. H. A. Willard, president CT the Columbia
fire insurance company, said: II am in favor
OF new railroad coming to Washington by all
means. The canal is too far behind the age; it
is too slow. People want better, surer, faster
means OF bringing their produce to a market
and railroad is exactly what they need"
JOHN CoRsoN.
ooh, give US a railroad by all means" ex-
claimed Mr.. John Corson, Of the banking firm
of Corson & Mccartney. The canal is far too
slow for our needs. and should be replaced by
a road along the bed. don't suppose that the
state of Maryland is at all DESTROYS OF our hav-
ing the road come here, for it would hurt the
interests of Baltimore seriously. should be
In favor, il road were built, of retaining this
lower level OF the canal for the purpose Of
feeding the big mills over in Georgetown, for
it is now in good condition and is a great bene-
tit. But the coming of the road would boom
this place wonderfully. believe in hosting
the flag high whenever a railroad comes to
town."
W. II. LowDERMILR.
Mr.. W. H. Lowdermilk OF tho Anglim book
store firm spent fourteen years an editor at
Cumberland, Nd, and made special study of
the canal-railroad problem, which is there of
permanent interest In a conversation with
a STAR reporter this morning he said that in
his estimation canal would be better for the
interests of the city il it could be made to pay,
but on that point he had serious doubts. A
railroad, he added that might be built in the
a
''one-legged affair" unless a great deal of
money were put into it, but it would stand
more show Of succeeding than a canal which
would have strong competition to fight at the
start. Senator Davis, he thought, intends to
go Just far enough with his road scheme to in
duce the people of both Washington and Balti-
more to show their hands; that is, to give him
an inkling of what they would do il he pushed
the road to either place. The law allows the
construction of the road as far as Wlliamsport
this year, and this. thought Mr.. Lowdermilk, is
all that would be done.
". HoUaH.
P. Y. Hough, Wholesale and retail butter
merchant: 1.-The railroad scheme is grand one
and hope it will not be long before 1t is car
ried out. The construction of such a road
would open up that part of Maryland and also
the Virginia and West Virginia borders. There
is lots of butter made along the proposed route
and large Quantities are already shipped here.
With the construction of the road there would
not only be more butter made but the ship
ments here would be larger. Large shipments
Of butter are now received from Berlin and
Harper's Ferry, and equally large shipments
would be made from other points on the road"
S. L. HOOVER.
~ have often thought what good thing it
would be il such a road was built in place of
the canal" said s. Lemon Hoover, butcher in
the Center market. The road would no doubt
increase the shipments of cattle to this city.
There are cattle raised in upper Maryland that
would be sent here if such a road was estab-
lished. Cattle cannot be shipped on the canal
and II the farmers desire to send their cattle
here they have to drive them all the way
think the road could not help bene fitting both
Maryland and Washington"
CHARLES RIDGELY.
Mr.. Charles Ridgely, drummer for ]. L. Bar
bour & Son, said: 1.-The advantages of a road
such as is proposed are not fully understood by
many because they don't understand exactly
how slow canal travelling is. If the railroad
scheme is carried out it will be OF great benefit
to all concerned"
W.T.. DAVIS.
'If the plan is carried out" said Mr.. W. T.
Davis of the firm of Jno. A. Davis Il Son, CON-
mission merchants, sit will open up a new
country. There are many apple orchards
through that country, but the fruit cannot now
be shipped here because Of the long haul over
the roads to railroad. The construction of
the road proposed cannot help proving a great
benefit both to the people here aud along the
line Of the road"
JOHN T. MITCHELL.
Mr.. John T. Mitchell declared that he be-
ieved that outside Of the coal men, the entire
community preferred railroad.
GEO. q. BorELER.
Mr.. Geo. g. Boteler Of Cropley, Boteler 4
Champion, dealers in agricultural implements,
said that he has always been in favor of the
railroad idea since the freshet of 1889, and
firmly believes that the interests of the District