Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-11-28
NOT BY ANY MEANS.

In the adjoining column we reprint the
communication of observer" to the
Frederick Daily News of Nov. II, 1907,
for the particular edification of our read
ers, who, according to the remarkable
argument of observer" have been la
boring under mistaken idea of what
was the proper thing for the w., F. &
G. Ry. Co. to do in building their road.
The article is ingenious in its beginning,
but by the time half column is written
about railroads in general in Frederick
county, the real purpose of the writer is
disclosed and he proceeds to launch forth
into an argument convincing to himself,
no doubt as to HOW and WHERE the line
of the w., F. & G.. Ry. should be built
from and after reaching Lewistown. He
commends the building of the road as a
proper and wise thing to be done. He
even gives the Business Mems Associa-
ton of Frederick great credit for having
given the road it's first and greatest i'm
petus, which is not true, for the Associ-
alton had nothing whatever to do with
the starting of the road and they did as
little as they could in the way of raising
funds to help it's being built.
1t is we'll known to the writer from
what source this remarkable article
originated for we have had the same ar
gument given to us in person, hence this
end of it is not shrouded in mystery.
1t is written from purely selfish mo-
tives, as no one who knows the situation
would for moment concede that the w.,
F. & G. Railway should be diverted from
Lewistown to Rocky Ridge. Because of
other persons mistakes in building the
Emmitsburg railroad originally to Rocky
Ridge instead of to Thurmont, is no rea-
son that the electric railroad should make
an equally great blunder and build to
Rocky Ridge.
observer" has some fears for the
railroads already in existence in the ter
ritory to be traversed by the w., F. &
G.. to Thurmont and Emmtsburg, and his
plea is that interests already acquired
ought not to be hurt. He points espec-
tally to the Monocacy Valley railroad as
an instance where it would be very
wrong thing to parallel their line from
Catoctin to Thurmont. But what is to
become of the poor old Monocacy Valley
if the w., F. & G. builds to Rocky Ridge?
The answer of observer" is that as
they had their charter amended 50 that
they could extend their line to Frederick
they could build an extension from Ca
toctin to Lewistown, and then that would
give Thurmont all the railroad facilities
necessary.
Suppose the Monocacy Valley people
say to the w., F. & G. Railway, you
build from Lewistown to Catoctin and
there connect with us, and then the En-
mitsburg railroad can build to Lewistown
and connect with the w., f. g. G. road
at that point, that will give Emmitsburg
all the railroad facilities necessary! Any
thing wrong with such reversal of the
argument? Not at all, it is just as logi-
cal and sensible as that put up by COB
server. observer" says the Emmits-
burg railroad has recently relaid "heavy
steel" on it's roadbed, thus putting for
ward another reason (?) for the electric
road going to Rocky Ridge. Yes, they
had 45lb. rails on their road and put on
in their place 6Olb. secondhand rails OBJ
tanned from the w. M. Railroad. The
W., F. & G. is being built with new 7Olb.
steel rails.
Now the truth of the whole matter is
that there has been preconcerted plan
by which, by some, it was intended to d.
vert the road to Rocky Ridge as outlined
by observer, and the influences brou't
to bear have been considerable. There
has been great deal of this argument
brought to Thurmont and instilled into
number of our people so that they have
come to look upon the building of the
road to Rocky Ridge as not only posi-
bility but probability.
We have repeated it over and over a
gain in these columns, that the road
would be built to Thurmont. We still
say SO, and it is not necessary for us to
give our reasons again. We say that all
who are interested in the w., F. & G.,
either directly or indirectly, should see
to it that no such argument is counten-
anced and that all energies be lent not
only to have the road built to Thurmont,
but from here to Emmitsburg and Get
tysburg, and built as quickly as possible.
1t has not been the policy or intention
nor will it be the intention of the w., F.
& G. Railway Company to interfere with
rights of others already acquired, but be-
cause there are other roads in existence
in the territory which they propose to
traverse, is not sufficient argument a.
gainst the road being built as contempla-
ted by its chartered provisions. The same
argument would apply with. equal force
because man had dry goods store in
Thurmont, that then there should not be
another dry goods store opened because
it wouldinterfere with the acquired rights
of the other store. And the same argu-
ment of observer" might be applied as
against building the w., F. & G. road at
all for it will interfere with the rights of
the N. G. and B. & O. railroads which
now serve this territory, in whole or in
part.
What would "Observer" say to the
Emmitsburg railroad connecting with the