Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1907-07-11
The Town and the Railroad.

The Town and the Railroad.
II An interesting session Of the town
council of Shepherdstown was held
Monday evening, when Messrs- Mar
shail Mccormick, of Berryville, and
Cleon Moore, of Charles Town, at
/ terneys for the Norfolk s. Western
Railway Company, were present in
the interest of the company. Mr..
Mccormick presented a draft of an
ordinance that the railroad wishes
passed by the council in order that 1t
may begin its improvements at this
| place. He stated that the War De-
partment had passed favorably upon
the plans for the new bridge, the le-
gal questions affecting the matter in
Maryland had been adjusted, all
rights of way acquired, and now the
only thing in the way of the imms.
diate beginning of work on the new
line was the franchise necessary from
the council. The ordinance that he
presented gives the company the
right to cross several streets of the
town short distance east Of the
present track, and in it the railroad
agrees to provide the proper approach
es and crossings and keep the same in
repair for fifteen feet on either side.
The council did not seem to be en-.
Enthusiastically in favor Of the ordinance
az it was offered. Councilman J. L.
Welshans offered several amendments
that at once caused the attorneys to
sit up aud take notice. He made as
conditions to granting the franchise
that the railroad would erect new
passenger station at or near German
street, within the town limits that it
provide watchmen at the German aud
Washington street crossings; that it
remove the old track from German
street when the new line shall have
been completed; that it shall pay
500 to meet the expenses of adopting
the proposed ordinance.
Mr.. Mccormick stated that he had
no opinion to express as to some of
these demands, but contended that
the railroad would need the use of the
old track as spur, and that it was
necessary to retain it in order to con.
meet with possible future industries or
warehouses. Members of the council
expressed emphatic objection to the
retention of the old track, and insisted |
that it must be removed from German
street, anyhow. The amendments
were then added to the ordinance and
it wae passed in this shape. The at
torneys Tor the railroad did not seem
to be enthusiastic about its adoption
under these circumstances, and init
mated that the company would not be
likely to accept its provisions.
Public sentiment in our community
is with the council in demanding of
the railroad something in return for
the favors it asks. Almost every
body and every institution in the
town has the spirit Of Improvement,
save the railroad. It's station is a
ramshackle old affair that was poor
concern twenty-five years ago, and is
undeniably out of date and insufficient
now. Passengers have to climb over
mountains of freight to get to the
trains. Often they have to creep be-
tween freight cars to board the pass
enger cars, and the situation is so
positively dangerous that distressing
accident is liable to occur at any
time. The depot is beyond the. cor
poration, and though the town au-
thorities, with a desire to improve af-
fairs and make a more creditsble and |
convenient condition. have required
individual property owners to make
good sidewalks to the corporate linn
it's the railroad has no semblance of
pavement on its property and it's pa
trons have to plunge through the mud |
at all seasons Of the year. 1t Is not
necessary to refer to the character of |
the first Impressions made upon
strangers coming to our town because
of the neglect of the railroad to pro-
vide decent accommodations.
Public sentiment is not entirely |
unanimous about removing the sta
ton to German street, some persons
that to have the freight |
yards there might prove very object
ionable. But we think that every
body is agreed that we need new
depot building some place and that it |
should have decent approaches and
modern facilities. 1t is reasonably |
certain that the railroad will not
make these improvements of its own
accord, and we rather suspect it is up |
to the council to stand pat until we
get what we need and ought to have.