Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1902-06-19
ECoanusIcArKD.


Beacon, Internationally Sir
| was glad 20 read sh your lastissue
the reference to the new attempt al
the construction Of the railroad
which for over 30 years has been on
the "tapis" and which is familiarity
known 70 US as the Washington and
Point Lookout road.
You may think that | am little
too previous in writing you on this
subject as IL is barely six months
since / came from Europe and set
tied near Mechanicsyille on a portion
of that well and favorably known
estate called Forrest Hall.
Ny earnest desire to see Southern
Maryland taking its proper place
among the prosperous sections of
the United States, must be my ex-
cuse for expressing these few words
OF warning, and in doing so ! wish
70 be understood as being only de-
sirous TO place before your readers
any reflections so that finding them
good, they may be useful TO them or
finding them otherwise, they may
serve to elucidate and confirm some
better ones.
The first anomaly that struck me
soon after my arrival was to find
that the climate, the geographical
position as well as the quality Of the
soil were all most favorable to Saint
Mary 'scounty further discovered
that the people of these parts were
above the general average intellect,
in spite of all this, strange TO say.
the development of this county is
much below the average.
Why is this? the answer and the
remedy are TO be found in the lack
Of rapid facilities of transit. Why
therefore is it that during over 30
years so many unsuccessful attempts
have been made to construct and
equip the railroad from Washing
ton 10 Point Lookout?
To this question ! beg to submit
the following answer which whilst
not covering all the ground may be
sufficient ut the present moment.
One of the causes of this recurring
failure is due believe to the gen.
erous facility with which rights of
way have been granted to various
persons without ascertaining
1st. Whether such persons repre-
scented serious and responsible bod
les of capitalists having subscribed
the amount necessary to complete
the road.
End. Whether any arrangements
had been come to with the owner OF
the bonds of the line now working
from Mechanicsville to Brandywine.
This may seem to some people a
small matter, but to any sane CAPT
talist it is the most important point
since the building of the section
from Mechanicsville to Point Look
out would increase the value of the
other one now working without in
anyway benetitiug him. On the con-
trary, as he would need to control
the whole of the line, he would have
10 purchase the Mechanicsville to
Brandywine section at q much en-
HANGED price were he to do so after
rather than before.
sNAnother of the causes for the non
success of this ill-fated road is to be
found in the sham earHestness of
some of the men who have come here
for the purpose of grading very i'm
perfectly some few miles in order to
obtain a consideration fromitimorous
interests in Baltimore or in some
other place and then leave matters
alone.
The result of this sham railway
building is to frighteR capital away
from such an enterprise, this rail
road being looked upon by tinanciers
as impossible, otherwise it would
not be stained with so many failures.
To such an extent is this the case
that it is more difficult now TO enlist
capital on behalf of this road than il
was some 30 years ago.
/ wish and | am sure we all wish
to see the day when we shall wit
ness the completion Of such q road;
for that reason we are all ready TO
help any bona fide corporation de-
sirous to build and equip this road,
and as we do not want any more fail
ures we must exact from any future
railway men asking for rights of way
TO furnish US serious proofs.
(O That these parties have secured
valid charter.
(b) That they have made arrange
ments with the bondholder or
bondholders of the Mechanics
Vile Brandywine line.
(c) That the party or parties ask
ing for such rights of way duly
represent a serious and res
ponsible corporation, with am
pie means for the purpose of
building and equipping the
road.
Surely these are very small things
to ask in return, and il not complied
with it would only indicate that we
are once more in the hands of jung
lers and bunglers.
In conclusion, | take the liberty
of saying to those who have lost all
faith in ever seeing this railroad
built, that there are many honorable
ways of building such o road with
out going out OF the county for funds
and without letting the road pass in
hands other than our own. Later
On xvo NOV, hava A.. d;Oo,,x,s, 9...-o.l =.