Middletown transcript., 1915-05-29
STATE BUYS LAST
OF TOLL ROADS
ReisterstoWn Pike is Now Part
Of System.
THE PRICE PAID WAS $4,000
Extends From Baltimore To West
minister, a Distance OF "a Miles.
Financial Ceremony Marked
Passing OF Toll Roads.

o. e. Weller, chairman of the State
Roads Commission, accompanied by
Assistant Chairman F. H. Zouck and
DR.. James Billingslea, president of the
Baltimore and Reisterstown Turnpike
Company. left for Westminster and
passed through the six toll gates, pay
ing toll as they proceeded. This finan-
cial ceremony marked the passing OF
the toll roads entering the city and
practically the last in the State. The
last toll had been exacted, as the road
will now be taken over by the State
and become part of the great system.
The Reisterstown road leads from
the city, through Reisterstown and to
Westminster. The distance is "a miles.
Reisterstown being half way. The
price paid by the State for the IL miles
to Reisterstown was $1,65O per mile
and from there to Westminster 1880
per mile, or an average of $500 per
mile or a total of $4,000 for the sys-
tenn. Arrangements have been made
with the County Commissioners Of
Baltimore and Carroll counties for the
maintenance of this road in its pres
ent condition until 1t is improved un-
der the State Aid Law, and as 1t IL
completed it will be taken over by the
State Roads Commission as a State
road and maintained as such,
Last OF Toll Roads.
The Reisterstown pike was the only
remaining toll road authorized by the
legislature in 1887, which made pro-
vision for the construction of roads
called turnpike roads in Baltimore
county. Commissioners were appoint
ed to lay out roads and Baltimore town
to Reisterstown to Winchester town
or Westminster, from Reisterstown to
Hanover town. These highways were
intended to be built by the State with
convict labor In conjunction with other
labor. The specifications for these
roads called for &c feet cleared in
width with bends 40 feet wide raised
in the middle IS inches above the
sides. When necessary the beds were
to be covered or crowned with small
stones or coarse gravel to a width OF
21 feet. Milestones and guide posts
were to be set up. It is interesting to
note that the Commissioners of Re-
view were to set up toll gates and col
lect tolls of specified rates and that a
property tax of 3s Cd per 100 pounds
sterling was to be levied for the first
year in Baltimore county, and Is Sd
for the succeeding years. The act OF
1887 was amended a number of times.
Nothing much was accomplished until
1901, when provision was made for
better guarding the executive part Of
the said law. 1t was decided to dis
pense with the numerous officials and
the management Of the turnpike roads
was to be given to superintendent
appointed by the Baltimore County
Court, who was compelled to give
bond for $4,000. He also had the
power to appoint supervisors. etc.
The accounts show that there was
deficit at the end of the year 1901.
This method of constructing pixies re-
suited in a failure and efforts were
made to interest private capital in the
construction of turnpike roads. 1t
was not until the session OF 1904 and
1906 that legislation was enacted
which had permanent result 1t was
under these acts that the Reisterstown
turnpike was finally built.
The road was finally completed in
1915 when toll gates were placed there
On. 1t is interesting to note that it
was in existence as a toll road just 100
years when it was taken over as a
State road as originally planned.