Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-02-13
TAKING NOTICE IN FREDERICK

1 bV observer IN winch Cne sdtHe redSoH-
ing and the same argument was INDUCED
in as the same observer" used in a
previous article published last November
which was reprinted in THE CLARION,
with our comments along side.
In this last article he pays his respects
to the CLARIoN's argument and proceeds
at length to justify his former position in
regards to the w., F. & G. Railroad
building to Rocky Ridge etc., etc.
Some notice is being taken of these
articles in Frederick, and the argument
Of these answering observer" are well
worth repetition in our columns and we
give them as follows:
| ANOTHER REPLY TO OBSERVER.
To the Editor of THE News.
| desire through the medium of your
valuable paper to reply to the article pub
lished by you on February a, under the
nom deplume of observer.
If he is an observer, as his pen name
seems to Indicate, he is in the position of
| the German boy who desired his father to
give him his portion so that he might
have the opportunity to see the world.
His father gave it to him with the re-
hinder that while hewas seeing the world
the world was seeing him.
eve see the observer. We also
! see clearly the advantages gained by the
w., F. & G. railroad maintaining it's route
/ by Catoctin Furnace, through Thurmont
on to Emmitsburg and thence to Gettys-
burg.
At Catoctin is one of the outlets from
the mountain trade embracing a great
portion of Hauvers, Catoctin and Me-
chanicstown districts. This outlet drains
very fertile and productive country,
where thousands of bushels of fruit, APP
pies, potatoes, etc, are grown, not count
ing the immense amount of lun Der, rails,
posts, telegraph poles, ETC., commonly
produced in timber country.
We likewise see that at Thurmont is
another outlet from practically the same
mountain territory.
Besides, there is Thurmont herself a
thriving little town Of l 200 inhabitants.
There are m, rchants and grocers, ETC.,
who do thrivinr bI}iness. Those mer-
chants would patronize Frederick whole
sale houses if it were convenient to do so,
bringing thousands Of liars here to our
town. AS it now is they must go to
Bruceville and from there, here, making
it almost as far to cone TO Frederick as
to go to Baltimore, So they just take the
bull by the horns and go to Baltimore or
Hagerstown for goods that can be bought
as cheaply in Frederick.
What does the Business Mems Associ-
alton think of that? Can Frederick af
ford to ignore this to please man who
has railroad to sell?
Does the observer" remedy this mu
tual evil by building the road to Rocky
Ridge, which is not far short of Bruce
vills7
The public is not interested in selling
the Emmtsburg railroad, neither does it
desire to take from its owners such val
liable asset, which reaps for them such
vast and frequent dividends.
Now if the observer" is a promoter,
and his scems to be, why don't he have
the Emmtsburg Railroad extend its tracks
to Lewistown and there meet the W., f,
& G. Railway? 1t certainly would not
injure paying road to intersect with an
other paying road We see no reason
why we'should build to Rocky Ridge buy
the Emmitsburg railroad miss the trade
and patronage at Catoctin Furnace, Thur
mont and Mt St. Mary's College to get
to Emmitsburg, when it is so much more
feasible to go straight through, as origi-
nally intended.
Now as to freight savings, which the
observer seems to think Of such I'M
portance. He certainly knows that there
is practically no difference, and freight
is shipped from Chicago or elsewhere to
Rocky Ridge no cheaper than to Thur
mont.
II he don't know this, he does not see
the world while 1t Is seeing him, and he
should adopts more suitable nom de plume.
Of course, between local points it makes
a difference in freight charges, hence we
desire the shorter mileage by going as
chartered.
AS to the Monocacy Valley r. R., they
had chance to make reasonable terms
but declined, so the observer" would
hardly be able to induce them to build
their line to Lewstown to meet the w.,
F. & G. R. R., especially if those three
miles would cost as much as they want
for the first three from the Furnace to
Thurmont.
| think the observer will find 1t
easier to have the w., F. & G. R. K.
built through to Thurmont, as at first in
tended, than to build it to Rocky Ridge,
sell it the Emmitsburg r. R. and induce
the Monocacy Vally R. R. to extend it's
lines to Lewistown and equip it with
trains and convenient schedule.
Can Frederick be more benefited by
running line to Emmitsburg, leaving
out Catoctin Furnace, Thurmont, Mt. st.
Mary's and the mountain trade than by
reaching them conveniently?
What is there between Lewistown and
Rocky Ridge to compensate for thi :?
Creagerstown is only about three miles