Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1909-01-21
Our RaIlroad Outlook.

What o day may bring forth is un-
certain and what year may bring
forth Is three hundred and sixty
Eve times more uncertain. We hope
and trust that before the end of 1909
o much needed railroad may be com
pleted through St. Mary's county.
But while we hope and trust for this
outcome. we do not know that IL will
be. What We think we do know,
however. is that It ought to be. No
county in Maryland has greater
natural advantages than has St.
Mery's; nowhere in the United
States Ia there finer harbor than
at Esperanza. the Eastern terminus
OF the projected railroad. And all
along the line OF the roads through
the county. there Is a, good trucking
land as anywhere on the Atlantic
coast. Back from road line are fine
farming lands that rapid transporta
ton would develop into veritable
gardens. A railroad through st.
Mary's would have rich farm lands
20 draw from as well as the finest
oyster grounds in the State. Our
people want q road built and the
large attendance at the meetings
called by Mr.. Watson along the line OF
the proposed road demonstrated as
no other thing could have done how
deeply the people OF the county are
interested In the building Of the
railroad. And the great bulk OF the
intelligent people who attended the
meetings recognized the fact that
Mr.. Watson. as owner of the rail-
road line already completed and
running from Brandywine to Mechan-
icsville. held the key to the situa-
tion. because his line could be con-
tinued to deep water immeasurably
cheaper than any new line could be
built which would have to expend
many, many thousands of dollars to
get where Mr.. Watson's road now
ends. Fran Brandywine. on the
Pennsylvania system. TO Mechanics
ville-MoRE THAN HALF way to Esper-
anZa-Mr. Watson is now running a
daily train. And it is as plain as
pikestaff that he could run to his line
10 Esperanza OF less than half the
cost any competing line could be
built. Thus. we say. he, or whoever
chs owner Of the operating road to
Mechanicsville might be, holds the
key TO our railroad situation.
In dealing with our people. we
think, Mr.. Watson was absolutely
frank, for when an effort was made |
70 secure from him q positive pro-
mise when he could complete the |
road. he unequivocally said that he |
could not tell because he had not
sufficient private fortune Of his own
10 build 1t. and its completion was
contingent upon his securing the
money from other people. He could |
have made q point by specifying a
date. but be was too much OF o gentle
man 70 state what he did not know,
and our people should honor him for
%. In his talks, Mr.. Watson further
stated that he would not sell his road
unless he was paid his price in cash
,r gilt-edge securities other than n
on the road. and that the
nan or corporation who bought il
would have 20 give the pledge of
paying for the property as
guarantee that 10 would be com
,leted. and no one, he said, would
put in q ra'lroad the amou Mt Of money
10 asked for this property with the
Intention OF permitting IL TO remain
lncompleted by ending at Mechanics
lille and not at deep water. So
much for this phase of the subject.
Few people outside OF our county
NOW OF Esperanz, and its harbor,
nd yet naval authorities have de-
Jared II, with possibly one excep.
ion, the finest harbor on the Allan
ic ocean. IL has no sand bars; its
are from 80 to 60 feet and
o some places over 100 feet The
Dewey" dry dock anchored within
few feet OF Esperanza In 65 feet OF
'ater aud there Q battle ship was
locked. The nsvies OF the world
ould ride at anchor in Esperanza
arbor.