The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1910-12-23

bitrary power of the State shall not
be used to destroy our property, or
used as club tO compel ug to sub
NIT to unreasonable terms; that cit
liens shall not be encouraged to fos-
ter unwarranted proceedings against
us in the hope that our roads may be
ultimately acquired by the State at
| little If any cost.
1--WE do seriously question whether
the Commission has not already made
| clossal blunder in failing first to
direct it's efforts to acquiring the toll
roads of the State, instead OF pro-
claiming that it would build it, own
roads and put the turnpikes out OF
business or force them to submit to
such terms as the Commission might
graciously condescend to offer.
Good Record of the Turnpikes.
eve have already said that we
! deem the public is unmindful OF the
useful purposes subserved by the
turnpikes of the State, and that they
were in fact called into existence by
the State itself.
In this connection we quote from
an editorial of the Sun: But 1t
should not be forgotten that the var
| ious turnpike companies in many OF
| the counties of the State have per-
formed splendid public service, and
| have contributed enormously TO the
development and wealth of the State.
| Among the earliest of the turnpike
| roads in Maryland were the so-called
Bank Roads In the first half OF the
nineteenth century bank charters were
esteemed a most valuable property,
and in granting them large eXacuons
were made. A tax was imposed upon
bank stock for the benefit of the pub
lie schools, and sum raised which is
still held by the State as trust fund
for public education. In addition to
this the banks were required to in
vest certain amount of their capital
stock in some works of internal i'm
provement for the benefit Of the
State. In the western counties, which
were not blest with the natural high
ways to market that the southern and
eastern counties had in the bay and
rivers, the rule was to subscribe to
the capital stock of the turnpike COM
panies. BY these subscriptions the
great highway connecting Baltimore
with Cumberland, where the National
Road to the West began, was made,
and over that highway came the traf-
fic, i'm large part, which made Balti-
more an important commercial city
before the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road reached the Ohio river. Several
of the companies which constructed
the road from Baltimore to Cumber-
land were composed of the president
and directors of banks in Baltimore,
HagerstoWn, Williamsport and Cum
berland. The subscriptions to the
stock of the road made by these banks
amounted to $486,170.71.
1.-THE last section of the road was
completed about 1925, and after that
time there was a splendid road from
Baltimore to the Ohio river, that part
west from Cumberland having been
constructed years before by the
United States, and being a fine road.
All of Baltimore's great Western
trade and much OF that which went
into Philadelphia went over this road
until the railroad was built. The
bank subscriptions to this road were
almost equivalent to donations, as
only small returns in dividends were
received on the greater part of the
road. 1t may we'll be seen what an
enormous benefaction to the State
this road was. 1t was the outlet to
markets of the produce of the great
Western cities for many years.
The local and less important roads
in the western counties were made
mainly by the farmers in each neigh
borhood to provide a way to mar
ket. The main idea was this, and not
as an investment. 1t was quite i'm
possible to get the county govern
ments to make these good roads, and
so the people undertook the good
work themselves and put the cost of
maintaining the road In good order,
not on the taxpayers of the county
generally, but upon the people who
used the roads, making them pay toll.
In some cases the toll collected was
just sufficient for maintenance, in
other cases good dividends were paid
to the stockholders. In every case
the taxpayers at large have proited:
First, by increased valuation for tax
alton of the land along the turnpike;
second, by being relieved of the cost
Of keeping long stretches of road in
repair. The turnpike companies
therefore have not been public enc
mics, but important agents for the
Improvement and development Of the
State. They have added millions to
the value of farming properties. If
anyone doubts the value of good turn
pike roads to a country community,
let him try to buy farm binding
upon one. He will find that it il
worth a great deal more per acre
than and just as good on a mud road
five miles away
Opinion of Judge LOwrie.
And we may also submit for the
consideration of our shallow critics
the following extract from an opin-
ion by Judge Lowrie, whom we have
previously quoted. In a country like
ours, where the popular will dictates
all our improvements, good roads are
not only a means OF intelligence and
prosperity, but proof Of their gen.
eral existence. Good county and
township roads are always found as
ISOLATED with we'll cultivated farms
neat and comfortable dwellings,, and
thriving social and intelligent pop
ulation. IL this fact we're appreciated
we should have fewer turnpike roads,
the existence Of which, in many cases,
Is the result of the neglect of the
many, attempted to be supplied by
the energy and intelligence Of a few.
Many of our turnpike roads exist only
because the township roads do not
receive that amount of care which
the public good requires, and an en-
lightened public spirit suggests
1T Il certainly lnpitimnta F,,no