Evening star., 1933-07-24
''PoliticaP Opposition Cited
In Fight for New Bay Ferry
Littlepage Charges Selfish
Interests Are Against
Project.

The fight to secure Federal aid for
the Chesapeake Beach ferry project
waged vainly against selfish political
opposition in MARYLAND for The last four
years-today went to the newly created
Public Works Administration.
In q brief drawn up by Thomas p.
Littlepage. its president. the Washing
ton Chamber of Commerce leaders in
the campaign to bring about the new
link between Chesapeake Beach and
Hudson. Md. today placed before the
administration arguments favorlng the
loan of S425,000 from public FUNDS 10
the Chesapeake Beach Railway 70 make
this extension in its line.
The project. twice approved oy tne
Interstate Commerce Commission. was
expected to be financed through the
Reconstruction Finance Corporation.
but after q number of hearings and
discussions. that body finally denied
the application for a loan, without as
signing any reason.
Roundabout Journeys.
The only ferry service available 70
Washingtonians to reach the eastern
shore at present is py way OF tne
Claiborne Annapolis Ferry and the
Annapolis -Matapeake Ferry. both OF
which are reached by an unnecessarily
roundabout way from the Capital
Adding 40 miles to the washington
trading area and going for towaro emo
ing the comparative isolation OF WASH
iugton of the rich lower Eastern Snore
country of Maryland, Delaware ano
Virginia. the entire project, 1t IS pointeo
cnt ran be carried out at a total cost
of s737 522.7l. including construction
Of two ferry boats, docks and piers, site
and dredging OF this amount the
railway company and those assoclateo
with it in the project will supply
s3I2 500. the loan being requested 70
take care of the balance.
several estimates CT revenues 10 pe
derived from the project, the chamber
oficials point out, have shown 1t Will
be a self-liquidating enterprise.
Littlepage's Brief.
Tracing the history of the efforts OF
the railway to bring the project 70
naturalization, Mr.. Littlepaee In MS
"on december 20, 1929, the Chesa-
peake Beach Railway Co. filed an appn-
cation with the Interstate CommeIce
Commission for q certificate OF punhc
convenience and necessity authoflzlhs
the construction and operation Oh .,N
nroposed ferry extension. hearings
were held before an examiner u ,oan ra
Commission in the early part OF 1881
and which the Chamber OF Commerce
was an active participant.
ION August l, 1880, the Interstate
Commerce Commission issued
renort and order certifying that the
nnhlic convenience and necessity re-
! r,,,;red the establishment by the Cnesa-
neake Beach Railway Of the ferry seIv-
! ice across Chesapeake Bay from Cnesa-
peake Beach to Hudson. ,v
AT that time the railway company
had the backing of sufdcient prlvaE
canitai to enable it to 60 ahead WIN
the nroiect. The Claiborne -AnnapoHs
Eerrv Co which had intervened III uie
nroceedines before the l. c. c. ana un-
r,ccessfuily endeavored to show tnat II
was adequately serving the tsr1NoIy 40
question. and that the CneSaPeaAe
Reach ferry would not be payiis
proposition, went into the courts IN al
attempt to have the commlsslons Ger
tificate set aside. This attempt pIo.su ~
m;str;ct Of columbia upholding
tSs I,s', nrder VA of the commission.
"rhis litigation. however. was not
terminated until April. 1882. by wnlcn
time the private financial hackers OF
the chesapeake Beach Railway were
unable for reasons growing out OF the
denression. to 20 ahead with the prof.
ecf Some time before. the Recon-
str,,ction Finance Corporation had been
created bv Congress with authority 70
lend money to railroads, banks ana
other institutions which because OF the
depression could not secure their nnan-
cial requirements through the accus-
TONED channels. The law required that
loans to railroads must receive the ap-
proyal not only of the Reconstruction
Finance Corporation, but also OF tne
interstate Commerce Commission. the
governmental body charged with the
duty of railroad regulation.
@. K.d By Commission.
+ ION September II, 1882. the Chesa-
neake Beach Railway filed an appl1cA-
tion for a loan with the Interstate
Commerce Commission and the Recon-
strlction Finance Corporation. After
extended investigation. including q
public hearing, the commission handed
down q decision on February IL, 1888,
approving q Government loan OF $40
O00 to care for part Of the requirements
Of financing the new ferry. The other
S312, 500 Is to be raised by the railway
company and those associated with It
In the enterprise. It Is most respectfully
suggested that perhaps no body OF men
in the United States are more expert
enced or better qualified TO pass upon
matters Of this kind than the members
Of the Interstate Commerce Commis-
sion, and their recommendation OF the
Aaoe aan ,~~> ~,ae cd affaY extended