Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-12-11
BIG TROLLEY LINE
NOW TALKED OF
Connection to Be Made From Har-
risburg to Potomac.
PART OF A GREAT SYSTEM
TO COVER THIS SECTION

III CUVtR HIS SECl ION
Only Twenty-Five Miles Lacking 10
Complete Line Through the Valley
Line Going Into Virginia and Con-
Meeting There With Line to Wash
inston and Gettysbure-other Troll
ey Talk.
Trolley talk is reviving. Ever since
the compl ton of the bridge across
the Potomac at Williamsport there
has been rumor of trolley line down
the Cumberland Valley, coming the
entire length from Harrisburg to Mar
tinsburg, and going on into Virginia.
This project has been in the minds OF
capitalists for some time and over
lures have been made to the power
companies in this section for an ar
rangement for power.
The projected line If constructed
would take in a large territory and
would open up competition with the
railroads, at least for local traffic.
There is completed or under con-
struction road that would give q
continuous connection from the CAPT.
\ toll of Pennsylvania to the Potomac
at Williamsport, with the exception
| of one break, of about twenty-five
miles, between MELVILLE and Cham
bersburg. While these lines are not
| all of the same company, there Is said
to be at the present time negotiations
going on which would give them a
working connection
| With line to the river, it would
require little effort on the part OF the
promoters TO bring the line to this
city. This would open up the way
for line which was talked off some
time ago, which would run down the
| valley south, and then across to Der.
ryville and connect ultimately with
the line which it is proposed to build
from that which now runs out into
Maryland from Washington. There
would only be a short link necessary
to connect the Virginias with the line
which is under consideration on the
Maryland side, coming out from
Frederick to Brunswick.
The building of a new line in the
central part of the state which was
some time ago reported to be part OF
a line that would come through from
Pittsburg to Washington and then be
connected up on to New York, is now
receiving consideration. 1t is known
that some of the Elkins interests are
back of this latter enterprise and ii
it is built 1t would likely come east
and make a connection with the road
that will connect Washington with the
National Battlefield at Gettysburg.
| What would give some credence to
these rumors is the fact that the pow.
er company here and the one at Mill
| vile have been asked for rates for
power and their ability to take care
! OF such en- enterprise. Martinsburg
only needs trolley system to make
it one of the best and largest business
| centers in this part of the country.
! There is scarcely a section of coun-
try that could be more advantgiously
developed by the construction of a
trolley system than Berkeley county.
1t would afford facilities for getting
products to market that are now lack
| ing. 1t would also produce CONSIDER
| ate revenue in the way of passenger
traffic. Electrical railroad experts
who have gone over the county and
considered the proposition have re-
| ported that it could be made a money
making proposition.
Trolley projects have several times
been born here but they have always
died bornin.' Several of these pro-
jects have been killed by the efforts
OF those who were not willing to see
| the line get into operation unless they
personally got something out OF the
scheme. Others have been headed Off
and killed for one reason or another
The time is again ripe for a PROPOSE
| ton that will give US the benefit OF a
trolley system and IL it could be con-
structed and put into operation before
the harvesting of the next apple crop
1t would receive the support of nearly
every grower in the county. II is
to be hoped that the next project win
receive the hearty support of every
one and be given encouragement for
Martinsburg needs a trolley line, and
the sooner the better.