Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-02-13
POPULATION TO BE CONSIDERED
EDITOR CLARION:

EDITOR CLARION:
Aswe understand it, distance, grades,
curve an cost Of construction are al
ways taken into consideration in the
bu lding of Railroads, when in reaching
an obj .ctive point, revenue producing
conditions are equal, while on the other
h md, if more traffic is prospective via a
route which is little longer and not quite
so straight, the latter is always selected
for purely business reasons. In the con-
troversa,y as to whether the w., F. & G.
Ry. shall continue the construction OF its
line from Lewistown to Emmitsburg via
Thurmont and Mt. st. Mary's College as
chartered and already financed this far,
or whether it shall be built to Rocky Ridge
and tn, ice to Emmitsburg over the tracks
of the Emmitsburg railroad, to the writ
err, seems to admit of but one ;ryument,
and that in favor of building via Thur
mont. The distance from Lewistown to
Thurmont is something less than the line
run to Rocky Rid e; the grades about
equal, and while it is represented that
the Rocky Ridge line has fewer curves,
chat g for nothing. An almost air line
,ould have been run from Lewistown to
Thurmont also, but curves were put in.
IN order to reach thickly settled localities
from which traffic is expected to accrue.
Ii mad. little difference in the Rocky
Ridge line as to whether it be straight
or crooked, as very thinly populated
territory is traversedfrom start to finish.
1t would be we'll for those advocating
the Rocky Ridge line to look into the
matter of population along and adjacent
to the two routes and be amazed to find
difference of at least Is to in favor of
the Thurmont line. Another thing (and
by no means the least) to be taken into
consideration, is Mt. st. Mary's College
proper, and surrounding locality, which
h Is long wanted and is sorely in need of
railroad facilities.
We understand that representation has
been made to St. Joseph's Academy, the
vrtu II owner of the Enmitsburg Rail-
road, that "now is your opportunity?
Make liberal concessions to the w., F. &
3. Ry. to build via Rocky Ridge, for
should they build via Thurmont and Mt.
St. Mary's, your line will cease to be of
value, you will be without railroad facil-
tiles" Admitting that such representation
has been made-how absurd-what does
the Emmitsburg railroad amount too
South of the Sisterhood? Could not the
W., F. & G. Ry. tap the Emmitsburg
railroad at some point south of this In
stitution and go into Emmitsburg over
portion of it's tracks? Would not an ar
rangement of this kind permit st.
Joseph's to enjoy what facilities they
now have, with almost immediate mater
ial improvements, and would it not, at
the same time, afford Brother Insttu-
ton similar advantages which it does not
now enjoy and never will, should the W.,
F. & G. build via Rocky Ridge.
If the line is to be built with view of
serving the greater number Of people
(which we honestly believe to be the in
tention of good majority of its Direct
ors), the line via Thurmont is assured.
We do not believe they would divert the
line in order to serve the personal inter-
ests of few individuals, They are bus
mess men.