The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1910-07-01
Liberty Turnpike May be Selected

If the Frederick Turnpike Company
does not recede from the price it demands
for that highway the State Roads Com
mission may decide to substitute the lib
erty turnpike and reach Frederick and
Ilagerstown from this CITY over that road.
This would be welcome news to the
farmers and Others living along the Lib
erty turnpike and CORRESPONDENCE depres-
sing on those on the Frederick turnpike
The latter has been the main artery of
travel through Howard and Frederick
counties 10 and from Baltimore for a
hundred years or more, but the members
OF the Commission feel that the price
asked for the road is prohibitory. The
Inquire asked for the part of the road from
Baltimore to Ellicott City is SOS, 600,
while 81, 500 mile is asked for the u
miles from Ellicott City to Hagerstown.
That would make the total cost of Sra
600 before one cent was spent in improve
ments.
On the other hand, Mr. +. H. Galloway,
owner of the Liberty turnpike, has al
ready given to the commission one mile
OF road in the city limits and one mile
beyond. He asks S., 600 for the remain
der OF the road in Baltimore county
line to Libertytown, in Frederick county,
the road would cost the commission moth
ing. and from Libertytown to Frederick,
a distance of about IL miles, the road
can be bought for less than 81 900 a mile.
| nat would mean saving in the pur-
chase OF the road of more than $50, 600.
That amount could be expended upon
the road 10 good advantage, it is said
When the construction of the good road
reaches Monocacy River. a distance of
about three m les from Frederick, it is
probable that the commission will diverge
from the Frederick road to the EmmitS-
burg turnpike and enter Frederick along
that road. 1t would mean the building
OF bridge across the river, but it is be-
lieved by Mr.. Tucker that such a course
would be justified.
There has been a great demand that
the Liberty Turnpike be improved" de-
clared Mr.. Tucker, land it looks very
much now as if the commission would
decide to improve that road instead of
the Frederick Turnpike The members
OF the commission take the view that the
price asked for the Frederick highway is
excessive, and although 1t would prob
ably cost more to improve the Liberty
Turnpike, because of the better roadbed
on the Frederick Turnpike, the saving
would still be considerable.
AS for comparison of the two routes
one IS just about as short and Just about
as good as the other. OF course, the
Frederick turnpike has the advantage of
going through Ellicott City and Cations
vile, but the Liberty road goes through
a thickly settled and excellent territory.
In Baltimore and Carroll counties the
territory is Just about as good while in
Frederick county it is probably better.
II am unable to say, of course, what
the commission will do, for | am not the
commission, but the question of changing
IS now before us and feel that decision
will be reached to make the change.
Upon several occasions delegations have
been before us urging that the Liberty
road be improved, and there seems to be
an insistent demand from residents in
that part of the State for the improve
ment."
Mr.. Tucker could not say at this time
how the commission will reach Hagers-
town from Frederick if the Liberty turn
pike is substituted for the Frederick turn
pike. He comedies that the best road is
the Frederick turnpike from Frederick.
Mr.. Tucker could not say at this time
how the commission will reach Hagers-
town from Frederick if the Liberty turn
pike is substituted for the Frederick
turnpike. He comedies that the best
road is the Frederick turnpike from
Frederick west. but there are probably
other roads which the commission could
easily secure If found necessary.