The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-02-12
That State Road Route.

huot 0IoIC HO0u AUuS0s
Despite the fact that the Maryland
State Good Roads Commission has prac-
tically decided upon the route for the
State road through Cecil and Hartford
counties, crossing the Susquehanna river
at Conowingo and traversing section Of
country in both these counties, which, for
the greater part of the way, has the poor
est of railroad facilities. and necessitates
haul, in many instances, of double the
number of miles for the farmer to reach
shipping point for his products, than in
any other section, certain interested
parties with more or less political in
huence, and hacked by the Merchants
and Manufacturers Association Of Balti
more, are bringing all the political pres
sure and influence they can WELD, to bear
upon the members of the Commission in
an effort to divert the road from the
course decided upon and have it run
through.a section of country, which for
almost its entire length has unequalled
railroad facilities, being traversed by, not
one, but two of the greatest and best
equipped railroad systems. N the entire
country. -
The route for the State road as laid out
by these interested parties would not only
parallel these two great railroads. but
would actually for miles run between
them, and hardly at any point in this
county be more than mile from one or
The other Of them the entire way through
Cecil to the Delaware line.
The route planned by the Merchant
and Manufacturers Association of Balti
more, which organization has appointed
committee to wait upon the Road Com
mission and take up the matter with them
is from Baltimore by way of Bel Air,
Havre de Grace, North East and Elkton
to the Delaware State line, connecting
with the recently built macadam road
through Delaware, thus placing Baltimore
on continuous highway from Washing
ton to New York city.
There is no doubt if it is the purpose of
the Commission to build a road through
Cecil for the accommodation of auto
Uiobilists solely, this route is the proper
one, but on the other hand if the road is
to be built in order to assist in the de
velopmeut of portion of The country
that has not the advantages of travel and
shipping facilities that the section fra
versed by this route has, then it is far
from being the proper route,' as de-
clared by its advocates.
It could hardly be urged that the road
If constructed over the route proposed by
these parties. would benefit the auto.
mobilist aud the farmer alike, in pre-
portion to the burden of Taxation borne
In the county by the two. as the proper
tion paid by the former as compared to
the latter is not large enough even to be
considered, while a State road through
the section proposed could not traverse
locality where it would really benefit
fewer farmers as a means of reaching
chipping point, when the matter of long
haul is considered
But this disposition of the city of Balti
more to dictate the routes of the State
road through the counties, in addition to
getting 81 900, 900 slice of the road fund,
is in keeping with the clamor it is raising
in an attempt TO create sentiment aud
secure increased representation in the
Legislative balls at Annapolis. OH account
Of its boosted greatness, commercially and
otherwise, whereas were it not for the
rich resources of the counties. from which
it draws its very life blood, it would net
occupy the position it does today in the
commercial world. 1t is the same old
story OF the tail attempting to wag the
dog.