Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-18
BY RAIL TO SALT WATER
Negotiations for the Purchase of the
Chesapeake Beach Railway.
A Wealthy Syndicate, Including Menu
bers Of the Sugar Trust, Said
to BE Interested.

1t was rumored in Baltimore yesterday,
according to the Baltimore Sun, that Mr.
]. E. Searles, the head of the syndicate
which recently effected the consolidation of
the Baltimore and Eastern Shore railroad
and the Maryland. Choptank and Eastern
Shore Steamboat Companies, is negotiating
for the purchase of the Washington and
Chesapeake Beach Railway Company. The
road was planned to extend from Wash
ington to Chesapeake Beach, on the Chesa-
peake bay shore, in Calvert county, Md.
1t was said by the incorporators at the
time work was begun that the road would
have an entrance into Washington over the
Pennsylvania line, which is tapped at Ben
ming station.
Mr.. Searles' purpose in obtaining posses
sion of the property and franchise is said to
be, according to the Sun, to aid the develop
ment of Ocean City and to increase the
traffic of the Eastern Shore road by divert
ing passenger travel in summer to Ocean
City from Washington.
One of the projects, IL the purchase is
contaminated. is to abandon that part of
the Washington and Chesapeake Beach read
from Marlboro to Chesapeake Beach. In
stead Of this, the road may be run direct
from Marlboro through Anne Arundel
county to Horseshoe Point. twenty-eight
Bay, at the mouth of West river. From
this point to Claiborne, the present bay ter
minus of the Eastern Shore road, Is almost
direct line.
A reporter for The Star called upon Mr.
A. III. Mattox, the secretary and general
manager of the Chesapeake Beach railway
at the Washington Loan and Trust build
Ing this morning and inquired IL there was
any truth in the story given above Mr.
Mattox pleasantly but firmly declined to
have anything to say on the subject either
one way or the other.
A well-known local capitalist who desired
his personality to remain unknown con-
veyed to the reporter, however a sketch of
the proposed negotiations and what would
be done in case they were successfully con-
cuded.
Western people have hold of the Chesa-
peake Beach railroad and terminus on the
bay at present, and they have had their
hands full disentangling the affairs of the
company and getting them into something
like proper shape" he remarked. The last
year, however, has not been propitious for
the development of such enterprises and
the original intention of the company to
place its bonds in Washington, and thus
make 1T distinctively local enterprise In
every sense, has not been found practicable
1t is true that negotiations were recently
begun, and are now approaching settlement
by which Mr.. John l.. Searles who is sec
rotary or the American sugar trust, will
purchase majority of the bonds of the
Chesapeake Beach Company as the repre-
sentative of n strong syndicate, including
the Havemeyers. Braytop Ives and other
Dig hnanciers 1t is d mistake, however to
suppose that the road is being secured for
the purpose of developing Ocean City, or to
become a branch of the Baltimore and
Eastern Shore railroad. If the transfer is
accomplished the new owners of the ma
Jor1ty of the bonds will carry out the orig
maj intention OF the promoters of the
scheme and spend a very large amount Of
money IN making the Chesapeake bay ter
minus OF the road a great watering place
understand that over half the road is
already graded. The company owns over
tUo acres of land on the high bluffs at
chesapeake Beach, and it is hardly possible
mat TINS desirable property would be sac
rlhced. L believe the Searles syndicate will
secure the road and give us quick commune
cation with salt Water and a fine resort
When 1t is reached in very short time