The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1915-05-28
STATE BUYS LAST
OF TOLL ROADS
Reisterstown Pike is Now Part
of System.
THE PRICE PAID WAS 500, 600
Extends From Baltimore To West
minister, 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-
the toll roads entering the city and
practically the last in the State. The
last toll had been e1acted. 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 II miles
to Reisterstown was 1850 per mile
and from there to Westminster $3.50
per mile, or an average OF $500 per
mile or total of $4,000 for the sys-
TEN. 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 il is improved un-
der the State Aid Law, and as it is
completed il 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
q feet. Milestones and guide posts
were to be set up. II 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 IS Cd per 100 pounds
sterling was to be levied for the first
IN lol4 o..
for the succeeding years. The act of
1857 was amended number of times.
Nothing much was accomplished until
1901, when provision was made for
better guarding the executive part of
the said law. It was decided to dis
pense with the numerous officials and
the management of the turnpike roads
was 20 be given to superintendent
appointed by the Baltimore County
Court, who was compelled to give
bond for $1,000. He also had the
power 10 appoint supervisors, etc.
The accounts show that there was a
deficft at the end of the year 1901
This method of constructing pixies re-
suited in failure and efforts were
made to interest private capital in the
construction of turnpike roads. 1t
! was not until the session of 1904 and
1905 that legislation was enacted
which had permanent result. 1t was
under these acts that the Reisterstowp
| turnpike was finally built.
The road was finally completed in
1916 when toll gates were placed there
on. 1t is interesting TO note that it
was in existence as toll road just 100
years when it was taken over as
State road as originally planned