The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1911-03-24
tn Extend Road To Drum Point

The following is taken from the
Baltimore American of recent oate.
It is announced that the Chesapeake
Beach Railway is shortly to be electri-
fed and extended to Drum Point.
Edward Lauterback, of New York, VINO
has for years owned franchise Tor a
road to Drum Point, is understood TO
have been in negotiation with Mr..
David H. Moffatt, the owner OF the
Chesapeake Beach Railway, the pur-
pose of negotiations being merger OF
the two roads, The death of MIR.
Moffatt last week, it is said., will not
result in the abandonment of the
merger. Sometime before his death
Mr.. Moffatt approved the plans for
electrifying the Chesapeake Beach
road and operating its cars into the
heart of Washington.
At present the road ends at a point
outside the city and is reached by one
of the street car lines. The road could
be extended into the center OF the city
lust as the Washington, Baltimore and
Annapolis line now runs to the Treas
urv Department. By combining the
Lauterback road to Drum Point, which
is now on paper, with the Chesapeake
Beach Railway, which has been IN sue
cessful operation for several years.
Drum Point would be brought within
easy access of Washington.
The right of way was graded several
wears ago from locality six miles
north of Chesapeake Beach on the line
of the railroad, and the building of the
bridges and the laying of the
rails is all that is now needed to
equip the Chesapeake Beach Railway
with the facilities for electrical operat-
ions which would cost between $500, DOC
and s4OO, 900, and it is estimated that
the extension of the line to Drum Point
would cost only about 100000 more
A bond issue of 81, 100000, therefore
would supply the funds for the com
pletion of the work, including probably
the erection of the powerhouse needed
to furnish the current.
The project of railroad connection
with Drum Point has been followed II
Washington with scarcely less interest
than in Baltimore, Drum Point is al
the mouth of the Patuxent River, a
the extreme southern end of Caiyerf
county. 1t has a harbor which is re-
garded as one of the finest on the
Atlantic Coast. 1t is almost handbook
ed and deep enough and big enough
to accommodate the entire navy of the
United States. 1t has always beer
believed that the Navy Department
will proceed at once to establish
coaling station at Drum Point as soo1
as railroad facilities were provided
which would make Drum Point access
ible.
The people of Southern MARYLAND
have for years agitated the building O
a railroad to Drum Point, and thei
impatience at Mr. Lauterback's failure
to avail himself of his franchise result
ed sometime ago in a formal effort t
bring about the cancellation of hi
franchise. Mr.. Lauterback, however
gave official assurance to the Mary
land authorities that he proposed t
build the road, and with this under
+,nd;po no adverse action to hir
was taken. 1t is assumed in Washing
ton that his negotiations for the exten
sion of the Chesapeake Beach road
Drum Point Is his plan for carrying OF
the assurances he gave Attorney Ger
eral Strauss of his determination
build the road.