Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1907-03-02
Communicated.
Should Annapolis Stand In The
Way Of The CCunty's
Growth?
Waterbury. Nd. Feb. 27. 1907.


Dame rumor. based upon what seems
TO be good authority. says not and the
reason given Is the attitude of Annap-
oils towards tlIfs great enterprise.
III IL be true that the road is not TO
be electrified, then the damage and
disappointment TO a large section Of
Anne Arundel county is simply be-
yond computtion. And if il be true
that Annapolis IS to blame then, in
deed, is she assuming a great respon-
sihiify. for which she is likely 10 be
held too a strict account in the loss
Of material prosperity for the city aud
county. and in an outraged pubilc
sentiment. There are thousands Of
acres of land between Annapolis
Junction and Annapolis. that for
years has waited, and longed and
hoped for an electric railway, whose
coming has been looked for as the
means of converting mere nominal
values into great assessable wealth.
People from Washington and Balti-
more have notified rs that they are
ready TO come and invest their monty
in our land, and make their homes
among MS, when the Electric Railway
has gone before.
We have stood upon the Western
heights of the Severn river. upon land
valued nj from ten to fifteen dollars
per acre and looked across to the East.
ern Shore upon just such land now
selling at from City 10 five hundred
dollars per acre because Of an assured
electric railway, and we have felt
satisfied that 10 the near future just
such results wbuld be realized upon
the Western side because of another
electric railway. Then our imagina-
tion has pictured the heights of the
Sevren, like the heights of the IIud-
son, adorned and beautiful with count
less homes aud villas, adding hum
dreds of thousands of dollars TO our
taxable wealth and rendering famous
our beloved county and beautiful
river. But alas for human hopes
If there is to be no electric railway
but only the same old thing run with
no accommodation for auy one aud no
inducement to new settlers, and all
to accommodate a certain element of
Annapolitans. then, indeed, we have
our fondest hopes been blighted and
cruelty dashed to the ground and we
are sorry wounded in the house of
our friends"
"Oh tell il not in Gathi' A city
has Mt last been found, this side of the
Flood that oppose the entrance OF an
electric railway. 1t is true that after
months of dilly-dally and delay,
during which time the true friends
Of progress have been held in hor-
rible suspense, the city passed an
ordinance permitting the entrance Of
the road, but upon terms which no
company could possibly accept and
seek an effort to throw the response
bility upon the other fellow decieyes
no one.
Much better have said mo" and
meant il.
The attitude of our city does not APP
peal 10 the spirit Of the age, but rath
er seems dominated by the atmosphere
of our ancient State House which
measuring its years by centuries seems
to have cast its spell over, which,
in spite of its age, ought to be
modern city.
We are not willing to admit, how
ever, that a majority of the citizens of
Annapolis are actuated by so narrow
minded policy toward this great en-
terprise and it is to her progressive
twentieth century citizen we appeal.
This element should assume control
of the city's affairs and forthwith re-
move every barrier which stands in
the way of her growth and progress
and the wonderful development which
we verify believe awaits our section.
As the result of the completion of
this great modern electric railway we
hear our Annapolis friends say, what
has the county to do with the city's
affairs?" Much every way
Our interests are identical, our de-
pendence, muture and for this reason
we have no apology to make for call
ing upon Annapolis to adopt no pol
icy detrimental to the interests of the
county. We further call upon our cit
liens all over the county, the same
citizens who have contributed so
largely in the past to the growth and
welfare of Annapolis and who are to-
day her main service of strength, TO
join in this protest and let it be
clearly understood that the business
or professional man of Annapolis
who opposes this great enterprise, the
very rumor of whose coming has
added thousands of dollars to 1he
value of our property, is no friend
of our people. We believe that the
possibilities of development for our
section and city too, growing out of
the completion of this road are far
beyond our fondest dreams and that
the true attitude of Annapolis and the
county should be that of making
common cause in doing everything
possible TO secure it even TO the ex
tent that the character of this COM
pany compel it to build an electric
railway to Annapolis and that nothing
less will surprise us. W. X. Il.