St. Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1845-1863, 1858-09-09
from the Plsnte,' Advocate.
THE POTOMAC RAILROAD.
MEETING OF THE coMMraoSERs.

several neii erS Of the Board oA;omnIssion-rs
named the Act of 1853. incorporating the
BALTIMORE AND PoroMAc RMLRaD CcMPAxr,
designed TO complete direct Raioad connection
between Baltimore and Aqua Caek, assembled
at this place on Thursdsy last. tIT26th ult !. for
the purpose Of performing the dies devol~Iny
on them pref aratoTy 10 an Organization of the
Company. The Commissnnerspresent repre-
scented the four counties of AiSE ARrSprL,
PStScE GEoRcE's, CHARLES and aMNARr's,
aud many citizens from the same were
also IN attendance, attracted by esiing
character OF the proceedings
Abou, noon, the COmmIssi the
Court House, and organized by IL SyS,Bfntment
of Col. JOH v ). SELLMAN, { Anne Arun-
del, as Chairman, and of JoHH w JENkrSs
Esq, OF Charles, as Secretary. The list Of the
Commissioners, as named in the Act aforesaid,
having been called over by the Secretary, the
following were found To be IN ntthdance
EDMUND J. PLOWDEN, ofst Mury's,
JOHN w. JENKINS, Of Chales,
FRANCIS THOMPSON, Of Cnrles,
JOHN S. SELLMAN, Of Anne lrundel,
WALTER w. w. BOWIE, Of Pnce Georges,
WILLIAM r. BARKER, of Pmce Georges,
THOMAS F. BOWIE, of PrlnceGeorge's,
WM. PINK NEY BROOK E, of Pmce George },
CHARLES c. HILL, Of Prince Georges.
The CHAIRMAN stated that a Auorum q
the BoarGb@-e@g4 present, u 5ees7TT fUf .
read the call under which they were assembled,
and remarked that their DATES would he to inau-
gurate the enierprlZe, by taking measures for the
subscription of such an amount ofsto6t as would
enable the Company itself To become speedily
organized. He hoped their deliberations would
lead Ia thus practical result, ard announced the
readiness of the CHAIR 10 recave any PROPOSE
lions that might be offered.
Hon. THoMAs T. Bowie briefly addressed the
mcerin,r re,l and avrl,i,ad <nn,a # thA
provisions Of the charter. Tie functions OF the
present meeting (nf CnmmssIoners) were Of
course merely temporary, and their power. lIm-
led. II was provided by the tharter that go soon
rs $50 900 of the capital stoGt should be sub
scrIbed for The subscribers wire, by the Act of
Assembly, tpsO tIctO created an Incorporated
Company, aud would have immediate authority
to choos" President and Bnrd of Directors,
whose authority would suneiSede that of the
Commissioners. Consequently the duty of the
latter appear ed To- he confined T. the adoption of
some plan 3y which the books might be opened
and subscriptions to at leiS the amount of
$50 900 secured. He would propose that the
Secretary he directed - spread at large upon the
records, the original Act of Incorporation (lS53,
chap. l94) and the supplements there"
Acts, 1851, chap. $50, and 1856, chap. 321 y
and also tbs, the Secretary have authority t"
procure the necessary books for preserving re
cords of Their proceedings. Winch propositions
were agreed to-
Col. WALTER w. w. BowE said, that In
oferin" a suggestion as to the best method 10 be
pursued, with Il vev Of c!fcctins the objects ot
the meeting. and of performing the duties I'M
posed upon them, by the law, he could have
wished II had proceeded from some one more
verseI in Railroad management than himself
He thought something definite necessary Ia
pe done in order to Indicate that the Board Was
IN earnest ~ their present action, and that pub
lie .Xpe ,t.t.IOn would not he met, unless some
decisive acton were adoH;ed. He understood
this meeting 10 have been called for the purpose
of eniIsng lhiS sympathy of the general pubIi"
1t had been suggested that general agent ough
to he appointed, to test the public feeling on The
enterprise, and to see how much would probably
be subscribed, in money, labor materials, 10
wards the sock OF the S2MpnTpEEo anu WIN d"
The CHAIRMAN (interrupting) remarked tina
several routes being proposed for portions of th'
road, there might he some difficulty made 10y
those who Lad their preferences in the matter
and who might he unwilling 10 subscribe a
much To one route rs 10 another.
/ Col. BOWIE, reSuming, sarl that the difficulty
I MIGHT he obvated bv the Agent receiving sub
SrrIptIons conditioned npOn the selection of tn
! particular route preferred by each subscriber
But he did not think the difficulty wodld yer!
great in that behalf rs there was but little dittrr
enre in the advantages Of the routes suggested
Il seemed To- him that the Board should procee
To su1,est some course of proceeding to the gen
eroI pu!,lic meeting that To follow. He IA
yor-d the plan OF an Agent, but would mquIr
whether tie Board had power TO appoint one:
WILLIAM r. BARKER, Est. suggested !; mlgt
be better to invite the public INTO the meeting q
once.
Col. Bowie said that the present was slmpI
a meeting Of the Commissioners, whose dut
and Nh
suggest course of proceeding to The public.
they have power to appoint an Agent, they Ia
better suggest that Course To the pubic meetiH:
so that he might be accredited when apponte'
Each subscriber, under the charter, was to pa
S2 per share on subscribing, to provide for e!
penSes Il the Agency met with approval, the
all would lie willing To hand IN their subscription
To- the Agent, with the understanding that 20
sihlv they would lose some portion of the
per share. # the enterprise should foil. NoboC
: could he got to work for nothing, and 1t was II
: por,nni that all should he willing 10 risk u ia
i Of the small sum required 10 be rald IN.
\ Gcn. Bowie thought there could be no dou
: of the pow er 10 appoint an Agent as suggeste
t, ard cited sec 3 of the Act of 1853, chap. IL
as conclusive on the point.
C1!. Bowie, snd he would then submit de
. mite proposition, and accordingly offered The Il
lowing order:
" ..Ordcrsd by the Commits soners that--
II APPOINTED AS Agent TO canvass for, and recel
e subscriptions to the capital stock of this Conn
y nv: and his compensation shall he one dollar !
!: share, to he paid out of the cash instament
! two dollars, required by the Charter to be p;
W nj the time Of subscription, and such further $,
! as may be agreed upon, not exceeding -
cent upon the whole amount of subscrIpti
which he may he instrumental in obtaining. J"
Tie CHAIRMAN stated that the blanks in
l. order should be now filed, whereupon.
= Col PLowpEH, Of ST. Mary's, moved TO
! the first blank by inserting the name of ROBE
l. Bowie. Esq, OF Prince Georges, it beng
r general opinion that he would he the best n
ot for the ri :ce, If he would serve; and the mot
n was unanimously adopted.
The question BEN. the filing of the Sec
blank, Col Bowie SAID he learned that so
~ comnanes gave as high rs 10 per cent in sim
circumstances but IL seemed 10 him that 5
cen, would he a fair compensation.
of Col. PLowpEH was of opinion that fire
~ cent would be found 10 De liberal and satIsta
J., ~ remuneration.
'i' \ suggestion that committee Of three be
pointed TO consult with the Agent as To the
on ceniase having been cuucurred in, the CHAIR
d> pointed MeSsrs BaRKER, PLowDES and Hill
lr. such committee.
nj. The Committee retired, and after an abst'