Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-03-02
MAY BRING DIVISION HERE
PERSISTENT RuMcRs or RALTI-
MORE & OHIO PLANS.
Official Of the Road Declares That
flartinshurg May Shortly pc a
Divisional Point.

Divisional. Point
Persistent rumors have been ahoat
here for the past day or two to the eff
feet that Baltimore & Ohio officials are
seriously considering the ACCESSIBILITY
| of restoring Martinsburg to its former
position as a divisional terminal. in
part, at least, and the statements have
come from such sources as to raise
the hope that the Baltimore & Ohio is
not indulging in idle speculation again.
A representative of The Herald ran
across Major b. F. Bond, the we'll
known travelling passenger agent of
the Baltimore & Ohio, in this city on
Monday afternoon, and asked him con-
corning the reliability OF the state
ments. Mr. Bond was not willing to
discuss the matter at length, but stat
ed emphatically that 1t would occasion
no surprise to him If the rumor prov
ID . be correct within the next few
ve, IS. He declared that the railroad
o1ic ais have been considering the
roposition to make Martinsburg the
/ eastern terminal Of the second divis-
/ ion for all trains going west and COM
| ing east by way of Grafton and Key
ser and to allow Brunswick to remain
the terminal for all trains going and
coming by way of Pittsburg. Major
Bond also stated that he believed the
officials would act favorably upon the
proposition He also declared that a
new passenger station is embraced in
the general scheme but that this part
/ of the matter he was not in close
touch with, although he was heartily
in favor of it.
/ Many persons bere are somewhat
skeptical concerning the entire mat
ter. and profess to believe that the
Baltimore & Ohio railroad company
viii continue the policy toward Mar
tinsburg that has characterized the
railroad for the past ~ years,
Enthusiastic Over It.s
The statement above to the
effect that the Baltimore & Ohio rail-
road officials are planning to remove
the second divisional terminal in
part from Brunswick to Martinsburg
has stirred up a great deal of com
ment in this city, and while all of it
! is not of a hopeful character, there
are many persons who profess to be
lieye that there is some reasonable
| foundation of the rGmor.
Several gentlemen have appeared
with statements, which while more or
less circumstantial, are corroboratiye
of the declaration of Major Bond, the
Baltimore & Ohio travelling agent, that
the officials are seriously contempla
ting the re-establshment of the div
ison here. It is stated that several
civil engineers have looked over a
: portion of the Stewart land, west OF
\ town, recently, and another gentle
man declares that a civil engineer IN
the employ vi the DditiihoiS y ie
stated that he had heard General Sn
perintendent Fitzgerald say that. in
. all probability, the change would take
place within the next Is months This
/ statement was made some time ago
:, A well known local attorney also init
mates that he is in possession of such
information as would lead him to be
| lieve the plan is seriously contempla
ted. while other persons have receiv
|. ed information in an indirect way
that would indicate the same thing.
; While there are many who will not
! believe the division is to be brought
here until ii actually comes, the feel
ing among the. majority is one of hope
fulness The rumors have come from
what are believed to be reliable
sources, and have been circulated witt
such persistence and confidence. thai
there is at least reasonable ground
to believe the change is contemplated
This has stirred speculation and en-
, thusasm, especially among the bust
ness people, to whom the prospect is
EXTREMITY pleasing