The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-01-03
THE WESTERN MARYLAND.
Rumors That the Pennsylvania Rail.
WV MiShe. ~ Acnnfr.. IL

Rumors That the PennSHINnuia Rail
way Wishes 10 hcquire n.
The latest gossip regarding The fate OF the
Western Maryland Railway and Of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal is that the
Pennsylvania Railway Company is now in
the field as a bidder for them The story
regarding the designs Of the Pennsylvania
comes from a Baltimore financial source.
Il is interesting. but railway men are in
ciined to receive it with triae Of doubt
Il is asserted that the purpose Of the
Pennsylvania IS to break the combination
by which The Western Maryland is serving
as a connecting link between the Reading
and Baltimore and Ohio chiefly for freight
traffic. and which made it possible FOR the
latter. few months ago. TO establish . fast
passenger train service between New York.
Philadelphia and Pittsburg. Furthermore.
this line serves 20 parallel the PeunsyI-
vania.
Another repuIed object Of The PennsyI-
vsnia is attributed TO its alleged appreheu-
sion that within a few years tte Western
Maryland will be in a position 20 utilize a
franchise 10 mas for a road 20 Jones Falls.
the construction Of which would relieve
if Of the necessity Of running its trains
through The union tunnel at Baltimore and
effect a saving Of abou, $500 q year in
tunnel tolls. This would mean a CORE
spending loss of revenue from the tunnel
and cause a deficiency which the Pennsyl-
vania would have to meet.
II Il could control the Western MARYLAND.
The Pennsylvania would be able 10 prevent
this. as its continued use OF the tunnel
could be enforced The tunnel tolls. il is
said. are sufficient to pay the interest on
s. 0Uo. 900 bonds al per cent. at which
figure bonds endorsed by the Pennsylvania
could be hoatad. The inference is. there
fore, that in addition to the $45o, 600 the
New York syndicate is willing 10 pay for
the Western Maryland, provision is made
for the $1,000 600, and the actual cost to
the buyers Of the road would be 81. 500, 600
II is further pointed out that the West
ern Maryland parallels the Northern Cen
trail, a part OF the Pennsylvania system 10
York. Pa. and other towns in the south
crn part Of the State OF Pennsylvania The
declared policy Of the administration Of
President CSssatt, OF the PENNSYLVANIA. is
10 buy up all roads that can int. fere with
his road or prove valuable as feeders. and
hence It would be advisable to remove the
Western Maryland from the field as a COM
petitOr. as, in addition 10 paTal eling the
Northern Central it taps a valuable traffic
producing territory Of the Pennsy Iyauia in
Southern Pennsylvania, particularly in the
rich and populous Cumberland Valley
Control Of the road would leave the Penn
syivania master Of the southern Pennsyl-
vania and northern Maryland territories.
The struggle for possession of the Ches-
apeake and Ohio Canal is believed to be a
part of the contest over the Western Mary
land 1t offers a practical route TO the
Georges Greek and West Virginia coal
fields. While the acquisition OF the canal
for the purpose OF converting its bank into
a railroad highway is -besat with legal OBJ
stacles, the fact is recognized that the flu
ture is fraught with possibilities Of the re-
mOvaI Of these obstacles. and the way will
then be clear tor a railroad. The Penn
sylvauia. II in possession, would then be
able to furnish a market for the coal Of
fcred at Cumberland 10y the West Virginia
Central and other companies. and this II
is said. neither the Western Maryland nor
any other road could do owing 20 traflc
contracts gov in effect between the coal
and railroad companies.