The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1908-07-24
STOP! LOOK! LISTEN!
No Immediate Danger. However, of Be-
ing Run Over.

The citizens committee, appointed
to devise ways and means for raising
the amount necessary to make a sur
yey of the route of the Washington,
Westminster and Gettysburg Railroad
through and four miles each side of
Westminster, met in the Firemen's
building Monday evening Mr. Cor
such, president of the M. & M. Associ-
alton, presided, and John Milton Reif-
snider presented the report of the
committee, which had considered two
propositions from Mr.. Redmond. One
was to raise and turn over to him $40O
to pay the expense of a survey of the
8 miles of road. The other PROPOSE
ton was for the citizens of Westmin-
ster and vicinity to subscribe $4,000
to the capital stock of the road, pay
able as. the work progressed on this
part of the line, the company to make
it's own survey and secure and pay for
the rights of way. The committee re-
ported favorably on the first propo-
sition.
Dr.J.W. Herring made short speech
in advocacy Of greater railroad fa-
cilities. Frank Thomas read a letter
from Mr.. Redmond containing the
propositions given above, and stated
that Mr.. Redmond had shown him a
number of letters from influential men
highly laudatory of that gentleman's
work as railroad man.
Fred. D. Miller moved that a COM
mittee of five be appointed to visit the
city council and request that body to
appropriate the $400 required for the
survey. This motion was adopted ,and
the meeting adjourned.
Speaking for ourselves alone, we
very much doubt the ability of Mr..
Redmond or any one else to interest
capitalists in the building of an inde-
pendent steam railroad any where in
the East, except under the most allur-
ing conditions. The tendency now is
to trolley lines, or roads operated by
electricity, traversed by single cars
instead of trains, stopping anywhere
and everywhere along the line to pick
up passengers and freight. Such
roads can be built and operated at
much less expense; rights of way may
be had for the asking because they
are an accommodation to the farm
er and not menace; he can board
| the car at his own door and load his
produce there; trolley lines develop
the country, steam roads develop the
/
towns.
There is hardly trolley road in
the country that does not pay a divi-
dend upon the investment, and al
present this dividend comes almost
entirely from the passenger traffic
When they haul freight, and it will mo-
be long before all of them will be do
ing this, their profits will be largely
increased. The Annapolis Short Line
since it began operating its cars BY
electricity, has inaugurated a nigh
freight service, and is said to be haul
ing more freight than at any othe1
time in the history of the road.
The promoters of the w., w. & G
road claim that the passenger traffic
between Washington and Gettysbur,
will be the principal source of reve
nue.. That being the case, trolle.
line would answer the purpose mucl
better than a steam road, would b,
far more attractive to travellers, woult
cost much less to build, and a grea
deal less to operate, and the capita
required could be much more readil.
secured.
Steam railroads, cinders and stuff.
coaches are out of date. Give us tn
open car, the clean motive power, tn
pure ozone, and an unhampered viev
of the beauties of nature in field an,
forest