The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1856-12-13
To the Citizens and Tax-Pay.
ers hC Cecil GHuniy.

| S'CN ny our PREDECESSORS,
leave 10 submit this dnr first Annual Report,
Statement Recently published in the counry
papers,
b. that statement it will be seen that the
total amount OF County Tax levied Tor the
present year is S4S, $3.50, and that the rate
| OF Conaty Taxation is 60 cents in the 500.
1t will be unnecessary to lengtkcn this
| Report 10y reference to those items of the
Levy, the allowances for which are fixed by
law. A reference to the Statement publish
| ed will show. however, that these items form
no inconsdcrablc part OF the Levy the pre-
sent year. 1t is to the more prominent of
those items over which we have had either
partial or entire control, that we ask your
| attention.
The allowances of the present year for
Roads and Bridges are the heaviest items of
the Levy, forming together an aggregate of
S23, l4l.9l, exclusive of the cost of new
roads, and the amount levied to pay balances
due former Supervisors. or this aggregate
there is directly traceable to the heavy rains
and treshets Of last Fall and Winter the fol-
lowing items Of the Levy, viz:
The allowance to pay deficit of Road ap-
preparations of 1855 ian excess of Road $500 90
supervisors accts. over the Levy)
That part of the allowance for work on
Roads, Bridges, Foot Logs, DC tracoa- SOC, 90
HE as above. about
The allowance for repairs Of Road pass
ing Crawford's Factory, in the 9Th 200, 90
District,
The Levy for Bridge at North East, TO / ,.o, A.,
replace one earrl,d away by freshet -''V w
The Levy for repairs Of Bri igc at Mat ooo al
thews' Mill, damaged by u frcshet, |'o'oo
The Levy for repairs Of Bridge at Basin ., ~,
The Levy for repairs of Bridge near Gra- ,, m
vcy Hill, '''oo
The excess of this years Levy for repairs
Of Roads, and pay OF Supervisors over 1852 50
the Levy of last year, -
Making totul Of 6,2S2. 80
The Reports of the Road Supervisors in
the different districts of the county. as well
as the representations Of various citizens of
all parts oi the county, MS to the unusually
bad condition ofthc public roads during the
past Winter and Spring, induced us to make
larger provision than usual for their re-
pairs. AS tai as we can learn, tine amount
le7i@d mas been tndiciousy expended, the
roads generally being In excellent repair.
An unusual number of petitions for new
Roads were presented after our induction
into Office, and previous to the Levy, on
which Examiners were appointed, as requir-
ed by Law. In some cases in which Reports
We're made, the damages awarded to land
less so, bnt, in very nearly all, damages to
some extent were awarded by the Examiners.
OF the entire amount levied for this item,
SAG was provided for by our pred Ccessors,
and $2Ol7 80 by ourselves. The Levy for
the opening of new Roads, with the expense
Of locating them, &c. added to the damages
as above, will make the entire cost of new
Roads in the county, the prcaert year,
S34G3.l5. From the best information We
could obtain, We believe the interests Of the
county will he subserved by the location and
opening of the Roads thus provided for.
Two petitions, very numerously signed,
were presented to us, asking the appoint
ment of Examiners, to view and determine
the propricty Of altering, strengthening and
amending two very important roads in the
county, viz: the Road leading from Port
Deposit to Battle Swamp, and the Elkton
and Turkey Point Road. The Road fist
named had been for a long time a subject of
grievance. The steep hills and extreme
narrowncss and crookedness thereof; where
it approaches Port DEPOSIT, rendered the
meeting Of teams and carriages very dan
gerous. Upon the rendition Of their Report
by the Examiners, and upon their recon-
incubation, we levied the sum Of $1,000, for
the alterations and amendments recommend
ed by them. The Road from Elkton to
Turkey Point had been laid out at a time
when good roads, of sufficient width, were
not in such general demand as they now are,
and had become, by neglect, very little more
than Il drain for the lands on either side of
it. That part Of the county Into, and through
which this road passes, is now rapidly i'm
proving, and the increased travel over il de-
mands good road. A material alteration in
the route OF this road was recommended by
the Examiners, but was not approved of by
us, owing to the heavy expense that would
have attended it. On tie recommendation
of the Examiners, we divided the Road into
three sections, placing Supervisor on each,
and levied $1,000 for the repairs of the whole
Road, which we divided among the several
sections, as they seemed to demand. The
amendments are nearly, if not quite COM
r!eted, and tho Road is now In excellent
condition.
The Levy for widening and amending the
Rock Run Road OF SlU0 is a some What SINH
lar caso to the above. This road, at the
point where the alteration and repairs were
needed was obstruclcd by rocks, rendering
it narrow and crooked, and u serious incon-
veniencc to those using it as the northern
outlet from Port Deposit to the northwestern
portion Of the county. We have appointed
q competent person to snpcrintend the re-
pairs of this Road, and presume tho work Is
nearly completed.
The next, aud last, item of allowance for
roads, to which we shall call your attention,
is the Levy Of $500 for the raising Of the
Causeway near Elktnh. This Causeway is
frequently over1owcd by high tides. and
travel over it at such times is thereby rem
dered very dangerous. 1t is proposed to
raise it two feet higher its whole length, and
but for the difficulty Of procuring the neces-
sary materiia,, the work would have ere this
been completed. Arrangements have now
been made, however, that will secure Its
completion early in the coming Spring.
The next prominent item OF the Levy that
will claim our attention is that of Bridges.
The Bridge at North East has been alluded
before. The former Bridge, rapidly becom-
ing decayed and dangerous, was washed
away by freshet. The new one has been
completed by the contractor-Mr. Ferdinand
Wood-in a most creditable and workman
like manner, and is pronounced by Judges,
the best Bridge in the county. 1t is elevated
above danger from freshets, and tho span is
heightened to 10 feet, which places the
abutments out Of danger from the floating Of
timber down the creek during freshets.--
Additional grading was made necessary by
the lengthening Of the span as above, and by
the ele vation Of the Bridge one foot higher
than the contract called for, but the greater
security and pernlancncy Of the structure
abundanty makes up for the increased ex-
pense occasioned thereby. The Levy Of
$25OO will, with trfling addition from the
contingent funds, cover the entire cost of this