The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1952-08-07

generation hailed the coming OF the
trolley with cheers of approval, and
proclaimed it a great advancement
in transportation. The next, or may
be several generations later, could
hardly wait to get it out of the way.
The trolley line from Hagerstown
to Frederick, and the branches, play
ed vital part in our county's past.
It was in 1918 that move was
made that put this line in shape to
really go places. This was the
merger of a large number of small
trolley lines, in both Washington
and Frederick Counties. The Public
Service Commission of the State of
Maryland gave approval for this
merger on February 81, 1918.
This act provided for the eonsoli-
dalton, by merger, of four companies,
namely: the Frederick Railroad
Company, the Hagerstown Railway
Company, the Frederick and Ha-
gerstown Power Company and the
Frederick Gas and Electric Com
pany, into a new company, the Ha-
gerstown and Frederick Railway
Company.
This new company was also to
acquire, by purchase, number of
other local lines in both counties.
Some of these were: the Hagers-
town and Northern Railway Com
pany, the Hagerstown and Boons-
boro Railway Company, the Hagers-
town and Myersville Railway Com
pany, the Myersville and Catoctin
Railway Company and the still I'M
completed line from Frederick to
Brunswick.
This action by the Legislature, it
was stated, practically insured the
completion of the merger" which
was expected to be carried out as
soon as terms of the consolidation
could be drawn up. Everyone was
expecting extensive Improvements.
A number of interesting facts
about the trolley lines at this time
were brought to light by this action
One writer stated:
For years the city of Hagerstown
and surrounding country has felt the
mutual advantages and great bene-
fit being derived from the trolley
lines that connect the counties of
Frederick and Washington, and
threading their way through both
bring almost every town in the two
counties within convenient distances
of the respective county seats. This
great amount of good has been ac-
complished while the various lines
have been operated in conjunction
with one another, though under diff
ferent boards of directors. The work
of building these lines and getting
them on successful running basis
has been most stupendous under
taking. Confidence had to be Great
ed and, from nothing, trade had
to be built up to support the various
roads. This has been accomplished
and now this section of the state is
linked together by one of the finest
trolley systems to be found any
where in the country"
For many years the management
of these lines recognized that they
were working against big odds in
that, to provide Improvements, and
in many regular operating efforts, q
lot of work was duplicated by the
various lines, which could have been
done much more efficiently if al
was done by one company. So they
looked forward to the merger.
The new company, thus authoriz
ed. was to have an allowable capita
of $10,O00,000 in bond issues. Thi:
made it the second largest in the
state. It was planned to make al
early bond issue of $3,500,000 fo1
the purpose of acquiring the proper
ties and making the extensive i'm
provements. There was also to b.
a stock issue of 100000.
The roads of the lines named
above were all of the electric line
throughout the two counties and
when completed, would provid
transportation to all the larger town
of both counties. At the time, al
of these lines were badly in need o
repairs, or improvements, and it wa
estimated that for this purpose alon
at least 100000 would be used. 0
course, it would be job requirin
several years and great variety o
operations, such as replacing tn
light rails with heavier ones on a
out of town lines, SO that heavie
and faster cars could be run. Shor
curves were to be Strengthened q
much as possible, to lessen delays
Thousands of new ties were to b
placed, stone ballast was to be pl