Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-06-23
FERRY ACROSS BAY
CONTEMPLATED SOON.
State Road Board Can Now Make il
Effective---Law Passed BY Last
Legislature Gives Authority to
Connect Annapolis With clai-

Announcement was made on Monday
by the State Roads Commission that its
members do not now contemplate TAX
ing immediate advantage of the new
law, brought to general notice for the
first time the fact that the Legislature
of 1916 passed a law carrying an ap-
priation and giving the Commission
authority to go into the steamboat
or ferry business over a route substan-
tally the same. as that covered by the
recently defunct Eastern Shore De-
velopment Steamboat Company-con-
meeting Claiborne with Baltimore by
way of Annapolis.
Chairman Zouck, of the Roads Com
mission, announced this week that,
while the enabling act was passed by
the recent Legislature, too many other
the attention of the board to allow of
this being taken up at once. After
some of these things are out of the
way it is probable the ferry line will
be considered.
The authority to take this action was
conferred upon the Commission by the
last session of the Legislature. In ad-
dition to authorizing and directing the
Commission in its discretion to estab-
lish service,the Legislature also appro-
priated $4,000 to carry out the work.
but this money can be used for no
other purpose whatever.
The act provides that the Commits
sion provide n suitable steamer or
steamers to connect said town of Clai-
borne with the City of Annapolis, or
some adjoining suburb. such steamer
or steamers to have ample deck room
for the transportation of passengers
and automobiles and other vehicles, and
to provide wharf facilities at each ter
minal. and to make such trips across
the bay as may be justified"
The rates to be charged for trans
portation on the steamers will be regu-
lated by the Public Service Commits
sion. 1t is pointed out that the estab-
lishment of the ferry would put Queen
Anne's, Talbot, Caroline, Dorchester
Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester
counties of Maryland and the Eastern
touch with Baltimore and Annapolis by
automobile as well as making a short
and easy run to the ocean for the
citizens of Baltimore and Washington,
and would. at the same time greatly
develop The industries and convenience
of the people of the State.
A man who has been much interest
ed in the project said this week that he
iss ure that if the State Roads Commits
sion decides to establish the line, the
travel on it and the transportation of
automobiles will have the line paying
within few months. That Annapolis
as well as Baltimore will be greatly
advanced by securing more of the
Eastern Shore trade after the line is
operated is the general opinion, be-
cause under present conditions it is
much easier to make the trip to Phila-
delphia and other cities.
1t is held that the line would reduce
the distance from Easton to Baltimore
to forty miles, with the addition of the
16-mile ferry, making the trip approx
imately two and one-quarter hours.
The route by way of Elkton is approx
imately 100 miles, requiring over five
hours to make the trip with the charge
of 81 for automobiles to cross the Hav-
re de Grace bridge. The tolls on this
bridge, however. are to be fixed by the
Public Service Commission, and may
be reduced by hte board.
Just what action the State Roads
Commission will take on the subject
remains to be seen. 1t is probable,
however, that should the body not take
it up. requests will come from. many
persons especially autoists' who be-
lieve they could have their machines
carried over for 81 or $3.50.