Evening journal., 1899-12-18


BOAT LINE IS LOOKED UPON AS
A PRELIMINARY STEP IN THAT
DIRECTION BY THE PENNsYLvA-
MA RAILROAD.
The Baltimore Sun OF today says:
The announcement made in the Sun OF
Saturday that negotiations were pend
ing for the purchase of the Wheeler
Line Of steamers by New York parties
has created much speculation, and it
has been stated that this is but a pri-
mary step toward securing the prac-
tical control of the steamboat lines
which ply between Baltimore and the
Eastern Shore OF Maryland.
The movement said q prominent
railroad man, has been expected in
some quarters for some time and the
negotiations have been so quietly con-
Quoted that it was a surprise that a
leak had let the matter out There is
well-grounded suspicion that the Penn
sylvania railroad is behind this step to
secure the Wheeler Line, and there are
other lines which come TO Light street.
which, it is thought, viii be also abb
Borbed.
The Pennsylvania railroad. which
has lately acquired the Baltimore,
Chesapeake and Atlantic railway prop-
erty and the steamboats, Of that COM
pany, is preparing to consummate a
deal for other companies. thereby Civ
ing Il absolute control OF an the East
ern Shore lines This statement is
strengthened by the fact that the Penn
sylvania railroad has recently acquired
the Baltimore and Delaware Bay rail-
read, which runs from Bombay Hook.
Del, TO Chestertown, Md. and in a
measure parallels the route of the
Queen Anne railroad. This newly ac-
quired road win figure in the new
move which is now on tap. as it is
Il known there Is a charter already in
existence which grants to the road
power to continue It's tracks from Cnes-
tertown TO Rock Hail. from which point
the Chester River Steamboat Company
now carries freight and passengers.
The proposed plan is to extend this
road TO Rock Hall. which is about an
: hour and a quarters run from Bati-
more by steamer. This would enable
the Pennsylvania railroad TO bring
both passengers and freight from
points in Delaware TO Baltimore in a
b lshorter time than can now be done ovre
It's present route by way Of Porter's and
Newark. In addition to the shortening
Of the route, the road will Dass through
the most fertile part of the Eastern
Shore and will give TO the Pennsylva-
MIA railroad entire control Of all tho
railroads on the peninsula except the
. Queen Anne. and this property may
ALSO be acquired II the present proposed
program goes through; for II the Penn
sylvania railroad purchases the Chester
/, River Steamboat Company's property
which would enable the Pennsylvania
railroad TO connect with the proposed
extension of the Baltimore and Dola-
ware Bay railroad from Rock Hall TO
, Baltimore, and would by this proposed
route be able to make the trip from
Rock Hall TO Baltimore I'm an hour and
a quarter while the Queen Anne takes
two and a quarter hours TO come from
Queenstown to Baltimore this would
bottle up the Queen Anne road. which
I Is practically surrounded by the lines
! OF the Pennsylvania railroad, which
road now reaches every county of the
Eastern Shore, while the steamers OF
the Baltimore. Chesapeake and Allan
3 tic railway and the Wheeler Line cover
v every available landing place along the
4 waterways OF the peninsula
{ 81 am prepared TO hear Of the con
p summation of these plans at auy time.
S know. as others do, that the Peansyl-
y vania railroad never leaps in the dark,
but when once started she usually
lands the object Of her pursuit.