Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-02-20
ANOTHER FROM HAUvER'S.
To THE EDITOR OF THE CLARIoN:-.
DsAR Enron.

10 HE EDlTOH or HI SLrnAVAs'
d LAR EDITOR,
In your paper Of the 9th
inst. appeared a communication evident
" written by some one interested in the
M. v. R. R.
The writer Of that article made many
striking arguments why the W., F. q. G..
R. r, should pass through Thurmont. In
this we concur. But he never explained
why the M. v. R. R. wanted $40, 1000 for
three miles of railroad that did not cost
one half that amount to buildityears ago.
Th.t road now is hauling great deal
of iron ore, but while the Blue Mountain
Iron and Steel C +. was SO long in Ltiga-
ton, it's tracks were covered with rust
and no steam was seen to issue from its
engine. Three years of inaction and neg
lect we fear has left it's mark.
Just why the owners of the M. Y. n.
R. won't sell is beyond our ken as they
have been offered more than it cost to
build the same. Their road was built
lnder very advantageous circumstances.
B last, ties and rights of way were
anna zeingly cheap and its present selling
price must be nearly all profit
If the w., r. & G. R. r. parallels it
that simply means that the M. V. r. r..
will practically be put out of commission,
and it is obvious to anyone that the w.,
f. & G. R. r. cannot, and will not pay
more for the M. V. r. R. than it would
cost to build line through the same ter
ritory.
The Emmitsburg Railroad owners say
the w., F. & G. r. R. will save time by
buying their road. Yes, perhaps that is
true and maybe would be a present adj
vantage but how about future traffic.
The W., F. & G. R. r. is not being
built for day or week, but for fu-
ture generations. This rod is not being
built for present pleasure, but future
benefit. The permanancy Of the traffic
is to be the paramount reason why the
road should be built here or there and not
the ease or speed Of construction.
1t is easy to buy worthless thing per-
haps, but what will GU do with the "ele-
plant" when you have it, unless you are
in the circus business or running an ami
NAL show?
The W., F. & G. R. F. Company is not
simply trying to build railroad for the
sake of glory regardless of future results;
they are trying to build road that will
pay it's owners and be a public service,
and the more people it serves by reason
of it's location, the better will that SER
vice be, and it goes without saying, more
money will thereby be put into the pock-
cts of it's owners.
Thurmont has come to the front witha
substantial subscription of stock and has
no defunct railroad to offer in exchange
for it either They are willing to risk
their money and put their shoulders to
the wheel to make it lasting success.
We want railroad that stands upon a
good basis Of permanent patronage and
don't wish to become property-poor by
buying what we don't want because We
get it quickly. If we were building a
military road to transport an army to
Gettysburg, the Rocky Ridge project
would probably be just the thing, but the
"war is over" and we are trying to To-
cate where we can get the patronage that
will be here when the promoters of this
road have been gathered to their fathers.
The shortest lcpse of time is too long
to tolerate mistake, and eternity is not
too long through which right must live.
Mahommet never gave his reasons for
going to the mountain when it would not
come to answer his prayer, and right here
| wish to say that we are not that gen.
tleman, we are the mountain. We de. ire
to be reasonable, and think that we are
right. Money may buy and war my
overcome, but neither ever settled a. ues-
ton of right or wrong.
The city-tired individual who seeks rest
and health, fees to the mountain with its
fragrance laden air, it's pure waters and
it's quiet solitudes. Keep in touch with
the mountains, and summer homes and
beautiful cottages will stretch chain Of
ease and loneliness throughout the length
of this road from White Rock to Gettvs-
burg.
A CITIZEN OF HAUvER'S DISTRICT.
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Frederick City Should Look To