The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1905-03-01
SHALL FULTON HAVE A RAILROAD ?
A Practical Article from the Pen of Blair
W. Truax, OF St. Louis.

CQ Will OuC VI bliG illOSO lul POI v
ant trolley lines in st. Louis, and
knows what he Is talking about,
when he discusses the railroad
situation in Fulton county.-Ed.
Since my earliest recollection,
there have been at intervals OF
about every SIX months, rumors
of railroad about to be extend.
ed through Fulton county: and
while there have been scores of
reports of roads from every con-
ceivable direction about to be pro.
iected within the confines of my
native county, none of them have
ever materialized, and there is far
less prospect for a useful railroad
at the present time than at the
time the old South Penn was sur
veyed and partially graded, but
ANONYMOUSLY permitted to come
to nothing in order to augment
the ever increasing power of 9TH
er great railroad corporations.
OF course, great hopes are be-
ing entertained for the proposed
b & O. short line; but should the
line ever reach completion, it
would prove more detrimental
than beneficial to the region it
traverses, as no station would be
located in Fulton county, aud the
community would be infested
with "hoboes," (which are natural
ly associated with every railroad
in the United States.
Recently, the idea of a trolley
system has been advanced and |
: believe this will eventually prove
the solution of the "cheap and
rapid " transportation problem,
which now confronts the people.
1t is evident that no steam road
could be protitabiy operated with.
IN such narrow confines; but cleo
trio cars, such as al e IN practical
use IN scores of rural commune
Ties, could be utilized with but
slight expense and furnish much
more satisfactory service.
The general idea seems to pre-
vail that the road should cross
the Cove mountain, thus connect
ing McConnellsburg with Mer-
cersburg. To tins | would be
strongly opposed. Should a troll
ley road be built, it should extend
transversely through the county
from McConnellsburg to Han
cock; and by so dong, would pass
through the most fertile and
thlckly populated portion of it.
TO have the road extend Sim
ply between McConnellsburg and
Mercersburg would deprive the
best part of the county of the
benefits and profits to be derived
from such line, and | seriously
doubt that such road would
prove profitable, as the business
of the town alone is inadequate to
maintain system, such as would
be necessary to be of much bene-
fit to transportation facilities.
The other route would not only
be advantageous to the inhabi'
trnts of the Cove and Timber
Ridge, but would afford much
better terminal and connection
with the regular railroads. Mer
cersburg, itself, is only a sub-sta
tion situated on an insignificant
road, while Hancock Is located or
two Of the principal roads of the
country; and in addition, has the
old. fashioned but cheap route o.
the 9. & o. Canal thus permit
ting direct communication witt
all the great cities of the United
States. So, in my estimation
Hancock would be by far th'
more desirable terminal, not con
sidering the intermediate points
suclra route would connect.
The advantages an electric roat
would have over steam road ar,
apparent. Less attention neeC
Ne devoted to the grading of th,
, road, as electric cars are capabl,
o. ascending much steepergrade
than steam cars, the general road
bed need not be so solid, and tn
necessary bridges not nearly 81
strong nor expensive; and, 10 ad
dition, cars could be run far NOR