Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1860-08-02
Commissioners OF Public Works at
Cumberland.

tingushed gentlemen from different sections
of the State, left Baltimore in special car,
on Tuesday evening, oath alt. 4, for the purpose
of inspecting the line Of the Road and por-
ton OF the Canal.
The party reached Cumberland on We'd
nesday evening at S! o'clock, P. NJ, and took
lodgings at the St. Nicholas Hotet where
they were entertained at sumptuous dinner
by Col. Alfred Spates, one Of the Directors
in the Canal Company. In the early part of
the evening, the party paid their respects to
our worthy townsman Thos. Devecmon Esq.
at his residence, on Washington street, and
after partaking of a glass of wine, proceeded
in body to the residence Of j. Philip Ro-
man, Esq, where they, together with the
Mayor and a number of citizens were hand
somely entertained. And amid the cracking
of champagne, good music and few speech
es. our visitors passed an agreeable evening.
George Frcaner, Esq, after few appro
pirate remarks, proposed the health OF our
host, when Mr.. Roman, being called, respon-
lcd in a handsome speech. and in the COP
clusion Of his remarks, said;
That the great mass Of the people OF Alle-
gapy county neither sowed nor reaped, their
wealth was not agricultural, but mineral, and
their occupations the mining transporting
and Sc ending of Coal to the Seaboard, and
hence their pursuits, were entirely different
from those Of the other counties OF the State.
Yet the people of Allegany always looked
with pleasure on the fertile valleys and team
ing crops in the counties of Washington and
Frederick, and rejoiced at the great CONNER
cial advancement of Baltimore, the Metropo-
lis of the State That although far removed
from the Eastern Shore, renowned for its
hospitality as well as the intelligence of its
people, vet looked with pride upon its grow
| ing wealth, and felt deep interest in its
| prosperity even down to the remotest shores
of old Worcester. He hoped that the peo-
ple of those sections would regard us with
| tho same friendly interest; that we were all
the sister counties of glorious State, and as
such had one united honor and common ill.,
terest Allegany was the most Western por-
ton of the State and its people almost isola-
ted from the other counties. Far from tide
water and hemmed in by mountains, our only
avenues to market were the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad, and the Chesapeake and Ohio
| Canal. in the construction of which the State
| of MARYLAND had invested millions OF money
for the sole purpose Of developing her re-
sources and bene6ting her people. The State
| Constitution has vested the absolute control
overlone ofEthsse great avenues, the Chesa-
| peake and Ohio Canal Company, in Board
of Public Works, which board had also
powcrful voice and influence In the manage
mept of the Rail Road. He rejoiced to see
these high officials now in our county, that
they might see, judge and decide for them
selves how entirely the trade and prosperity
Of Allegany was dependent on thopolicy and
management of these great works. In be-
half OF the people of Alegany county he asked
them to look at our position-to investigate
our trade-to watch over our interests, and
to hesitate long before they advised an act
which, II carried out, could benefit no other
section of the State, while it would deprive
thousands of our laboring men OF employ
ment shut up our mines and bankrupt our
people. That in their supervision over these
great public works, they would not permit
our rights to be confoundeti or our interests
sacrificed.
In conclusion Mr. r. proposed the health
of the Commissioners Of Public Works, and
the prosperity Of the Internal improvements
under their charge.
This toast was responded to by l.emuel
Roberts, Esq, President Of the Board in SUBJ
stance as follows;
GENTLEMEN:-You our repeated calls, and the
concluding remarks Of the eloquent and pa
triotic speech of "mine host render it prop
or and necessary that should respond there
to especially as the Board CT Public Works
! and the Internal Improvements under their
charge have been referred to. hail from
that gallant part of our noble State 1.-THE East
ern Sbore) where there are but few public
works, the nature of our country and the en-
crgy of our people are such that we do not
require them. But the State Of Maryland
has invested large sums of money in build
ing two great works, tine one the Baltimore
s. Ohio Rail Road, the other the Chesapeake
g. Ohio Canal, in the completion Of which
nv section of the State has contributed in
| taxes and credit. These great works were
made for the purpose of developing the re-
sources, and bene6ting the people Of Western
Maryland, and advancing the prosperity Of
Baltimore, whilst my section OF the State
never did and never can expect to derive any
advantage form them whatever. The former
of these works, the Baltimore & Ohio Rail
Road has proved successful, and is now not
only a great State, but great national work
benefttn, alike the State Of Maryland, Vir-
einia and the entire Valley Of the West; and
| is destined to make Baltimore one Of the first
commercial cities on the Atlantic. In the
prosperity of such work he, (Mr. Robertsl
felt deep interest, and rejoiced at its success.
The Chesapeake s. Ohio Canal had cost the
State millions of money to which the Eastern
Shore had freely contributed and was still
contributing largely, and that she did 80 with
out murmer, although she never expected
to derive any benefit whatever from her out
| lay. In this instance at least she had acte
entirely for the benefit of Western Maryland
and Allegany County, in particular, where
alone the people were interestested in that
great work. As to the management of the
Chesapeake s. Ohio Canal, the Board of Pub
lie Works had entrusted it to the people of the
western counties, they had made one of the
citizens OF Allegany county. President of the
work, and had appointed snesher in the di-
rection, and had taken two other directors
from counties bordering OH tho line Of the
work. AS to the amount of tolls to be charg-
cd on coal by the canal company he sup
posed they should at least charge enough to
keep the work in repair, and lift was such
a work as its friends claimed it to be, he did
not think twenty-five cents additional would
either dry up the canal or shut up the coal
mines. But be that as it may, no desired to
be governed in his policy in regard to that
question by the views and opinions of those
most interested in the work, and as he believ-
ed the people of Allesany and the counties
bordering on the canal were the only persons
really interested in it, he desired them to
meet together and arrange the matter among
themselves, aud so far as he was concerned,
he was disposed to carry it out.
A Manifesto.